| Year and Month | January 2016 |
| Number of Days | 4 |
| Crew | Four Adults |
| Guide | Vision Care Staff Quarters |
| Accommodation | N/A |
| Transport | Car |
| Activities | Primary objective was to celebrate Thai Pongal with few families. I grabbed the opportunity to visit few places I missed in my previous visits. |
| Weather | Sunny in day time and cold at night |
| Route | Maharagama -> Colombo -> Puttlam -> A’pura -> Jaffna
Back – Jaffna -> Sangupiddy -> Poonerin -> Madu Road -> Nochchiyagama -> Padeniya -> Wariyapola -> Narammala -> Pasyala -> Kadawatha -> Kottawa -> Maharagama |
| Tips, Notes and Special remark |
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| Author | Christy |
| Comments | Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread |
Six years ago, on 14.10.2010, when I (newbie) requested assistance from Trip Planning Help center to plan a trip to Jaffna a prominent member advised me,
“Bring back at least one postal address of a total stranger that you will surely meet somewhere up there. Write to him / her and develop a strong and trustful friendship. Encourage all the others who are with you also to do it. Please……..
If all the people who rushed to ‘see’ Jaffna since the A-9 opened did that, we would by now have made a lot of trust worthy friends. Think about it”
My son took that prophetic advice seriously and brought back a Bride from Jaffna.
So this time we went to Jaffna to celebrate THAI PONGAL with relations.
Day 01
We started from Maharagama around 11.00 at night and followed the route via Puttalam to Anuradhapura. We reached Anuradhapura by 4.00 am on following day and found shelter in Vision Care staff quarters for a relaxing sleep.
Clik here to view.
Ruwanweliseya in early morning
Day 02
We left Anuradhapura after breakfast and reached Jaffna by mid day. We settled down in Vision Care staff quarters and enjoyed the lunch delivered by our relations. What a luck!!
During the remaining part of the day, we went around the town observing how people were getting ready to celebrate Pongal on following day.
Day 03
Early morning we went to our relation’s home to participate in Thai Pongal rituals.
Clik here to view.
Pongal Rice is a tasty preparation
After enjoying the Pongal rice, we went to Nallur Kovil for traditional worshipping. The Kovil was packed with devotees. Foreign ladies in sarees got lot of attention
After the Kovil, I wanted to find a place I had never been before. That is Jaffna caves. No one in the town were aware of its existence, so we decided to go and find ourselves. We have one clue. The caves are in the village of Kerudavil, which is near Velvetithurai.
We took VVT road and passing Puttur, we saw a name board “Akkarei Beach” to left. We were curious as there is a fine surfing beach in the same name in Chennai. So we turned left in pursuit. The road led to Achchuveli. Turning right and proceeding several kilometers, we reached a fine beach.
The beach is in developing stage. Pave ways are constructed. Solar lamps are fixed. Toilets are under construction. As there are no trees, it will be an evening attraction as Galle Face in no time.
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  AKKARAI BEACH |
We turned right and went along the beach towards VVT. By chance, we saw Grama Sewaka Office of Kerudavil. We inquired about the caves and GS told us it is called Periya Mandapam.
ARATHYA DAIRY FARM name board is the only land mark to turn right from the main road to reach caves. It is hidden in cultivated lands.
Periya Mandapam is an underground limestone cave complex. You can reach the entrance by climbing down a nearby narrow passage. The cave complex must be wide spread. A farmer showed us a well dug a quite distance away from the cave entrance which had to be abandoned after reaching a cave passage.
It is a pity that no one bothers to develop the site as an attraction. A ladder to go down to the entrance is the only requirement.
Clik here to view.
TURN RIGHT AT THIS BOARD – click to enlarge
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  PASSING CULTIVATED LANDS |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  HUGE TAMARIND TREE IS GROWN OUT FROM CAVE FLOOR |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  PASSAGE TO ENTER THE MAIN CAVE PIT |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  A BOY GOING DOWN |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  THEY WENT DOWN |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  FRUTRATED FARMER WHO COULD NOT DIG A WELL |
After seeing this wonder of the nature, we proceeded towards Point Pedro passing VVT. Our destination was Manelkadu sand dunes which became famous due to the Sinhala movie “Weli Kathara”
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  DECORATIONS MADE BY PET BOTTLES |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  VVT JETTY NOW DEVELOPED |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  LONELIEST CEMETERY – MANELKADU |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  HUMAN TOUCH |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  BURIED POOR |
Clik here to view.
BURIED RICH
Ruins of the Dutch Church enhances the loneliness of this unique cemetery.
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  GOD IS STILL THERE |
We escaped from this loneliness and proceeded to Manelkadu beach to realize another tragedy. It is a fishing colony and the beach it littered by various types of liquor bottles.
After the tour we were so tired but our newly found relations did not allow us to retire. They offered us a delicacy called JAFFNA COOL. It is a hot soup made from various types of sea food, jack nut, Kotta Kilenger flour and spices. No lunch required after that.
DAY 4
We took leave from those wonderful people with great difficulty and came back via Poonarin. In some places the road condition was very bad.