Sweet by Nature

Hidden away in the Deniyaya town, the little hamlet of Anguruwadiya is one of the place in Sri Lanka where you can find people who are making treacle and jaggery. When a kithul palm (Caryota urens) stands with a flower at a timely stage, it’s a huge advantage for those who are living there life from this business. Kithul Palm tree grows abundantly in the region and need little or no attention for its upkeep. All that is required is a wait for the flowering to take place. A tree can bear up to two flowers a year and an experienced tapper can identify when the time is ripe for tapping. The kithul flower is really an inflorescence where its thick stem bears a cluster of flowers.

When the stem extremely is filled with cluster and is on the verge of unfolding, it is mature enough for tapping. With a knife and clay pot on the tapper, he first pauses to say a quick prayer before hoisting himself up a ladder of sorts. Long staffs laid against the palm tree are tethered with woody creepers at regular intervals, to create footholds to make the ascent along this improvised ladder. There he position himself on the crude platform at the base of the inflorescence.

The crescent shaped inflorescence can easily be seen from a distance with its free end drooping heavily with the cluster of flowers. About two days prior to making the cut to release the sap, the sheath enclosing the flower is removed and a small incision is first made at the base of the stem. To this bruise a medicinal paste is administered to trigger the draining of the sap. It is then draped with cane and an arecanut sheathe or in some cases a polythene sheet to gather the flower in place and protect from wind.

These tasks must all be conducted with caution as the flower stem may break, and a wooden bracket is also placed to firmly prop the stem. Tapper unravel the draping to release the pressure and promptly makes a clean cut at the free end, releasing a rain of flower clusters. The flower is draped once more in a tight sheathe and the clay pot is secured just below the cut to collect the now ‘tearing’ flower.

Thelijja, or the smoky sap can thus be collected twice a day, once in the morning and again in the late afternoon, for as long as six months. On average 30 bottles of treacle can be produced from each flower and in some cases a maximum of a 100. After that a large wok is placed over the fire to which the sap is poured through a filter and allowed to boil. Then they are regulating the heat required to reduce the sap to treacle. When the treacle thickens to a detectable consistency. The toffee brown ooze is poured into coconut shells and left to cool. Within a short span of 15-20 minutes the shells’ contents transform to a dark brown and harden to form jaggery. The final product is known as ‘Kithul Hakuru’ and it’s famous in Sri Lanka especially to drink tea with them. Instead of sugar you can take a bite of Hakuru and drink the tea. 

The beautiful North

Road to vakarai is stretched out in the distance like a gray ribbon. Passing the Kayankerni New Bridge and Panichchankerny Bridge, which runs a length of 133m across the beautiful river paving the way to easily get through. There are palm fronds everywhere around the road which makes the road more colorful.  When the pooja times comes in the kovil in Verugal, there is a soothing sound which is played by the young boys in the kovil. If you come in the morning you will be able to enjoy a lovely meal of pol sambol and string hoppers from the kovil area before you proceed your journey.

Proceeding to Verugal Aru over the Verugal New Bridge into Trincomalee district from Batticaloa, you can see the gopuram of the large kovil. It’s an extremely sacred site where you have to take off your slippers at the edge of the kovil land. The Verugalpathy Sri Siththira Velayautha Swamy Devasathanam in Verugal, Mavadichenai is said to be a place where one of the three arrows of Lord Murugan had landed. The gopuram itself was still in its cement form. When you enter you will experience how simple is the temple is, also it’s extremely quiet, except for the sound of the morning pooja.

When you reach Trincomalee, one of the place that you need to visit is the Lanka Patuna Samudragiri Viharaya (The temple on the rock by the sea). This is the place where price Dantha and Princess Hemamala set foot in Sri Lanka, carrying the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha. Buddhist kingdoms in India were faced with great threats during that time., hence King Guhasive of Kalinga, sent the sacred tooth relic with his son and daughter-in-law to kind Siri Meghavanna of Sri Lanka for protection. The royal duo brought their sacred package amidst great difficulty and secrecy and landed in Lanka Patuna where they stayed the night before proceeding to Anuradhapura. The surrounding of the Lanka Patuna Samudragiri Viharaya is very quiet and tranquil. There is a golden statue of Lord Buddha standing serenely, overlooking the blue ocean. The view from this point is breathtaking…..

You can next visit Seruvila which also in the Tricomalee district. This place is considered to be one of the most revered sites as it is linked to Lord Buddha’s eighth visit to Sri Lanka. It is said that the relic of the three Buddhas prior to Gautama Buddha; Kukusada, Konagama and Kashyapa too had been enshrined in this region. Following the parinibbana or passing of Gautama Buddha, the Lalata Dathi or the forehead bone relic was enshrined in the stupa at Seruvilla, according to his wishes. The significance of Seruvila Raaja Maha Viharaya has not diminished with time. Even today there are lots of people coming from various part of the county to see this place.