The tale of two cities by the Lagoon –
Batticaloa & Venice
December
27, 2015, 9:16 pm
By B.
Nimal Veerasingham
Growing
up barley a few hundred yards away from the meandering and mesmerizing
Batticaloa lagoon had its magical moments. The swilling frothy waves dancing in
the sun rays, and gently touching the sandy shores were a sight that never
fades from memory. The mangroves, prawns, jelly fish, green algae, and the
distinct lake smell –are elements that embody the surrounding of a lagoon
dweller.
To me,
the Saturday morning bike ride with my father, along the Southern edge of Lake
Road dotted with colonial government bungalows with panoramic views, gave me
reason to be awestruck. It’s largely due to the wholesome lagoon effect
-everything from the moored cranes and sea birds on the marooned tree trunks,
the smell of seaweeds hauled by fishermen trying their nets from the shore, the
glitter of the rising sun, and the circles of outrigger canoes where groups of
fishermen try their luck. Occasionally, my father would call the fishermen to
see whether there was anything to buy for lunch.
Then
there were the howls of foxes, mostly during the fading evening light across
the lake, where the vast paddy lands crisscross the hinterland. My grandmother
would at times point to their movements interpreting them as a call to the
pack, foretelling the death of livestock. The jolt of fire that could be seen
moving on the waves during dusk is not a mystery to insiders. I am not talking
of the release of Methane gases in the mangroves or some fiery ghosts showing
their prowess over the lagoon – but the skillful youth floating bounded banana
trunks together, to host a burning log fire on the cap of a tar barrel!
The
December monsoon brings another round of excitement – the rising lagoon waters
that engulf, initially the lake road and gradually move inland. Our house was
on higher ground, so the lake water hardly reaches. But to compensate for that,
we walk on the flooded lake road, usually by a foot or two - like the moon-walkers,
and try our luck on casting the rod for the fish flowing in from the
surrounding tributary ponds.
I
realised the unique DNA of the Batticaloa lagoon and its surroundings’
enormity, only when I came of age - during my escapades with the roots of my
worldly journey. Everyone at one point of their lives will want to go back to
see the beginnings, as they age with related enlightenment. It is kind of what
Salmon does – going back to the swamps all the way from the sea it lived, to
where it all began – the place where it was originally hatched – to lay its
eggs before it breathes the last.
The very
name ‘Mattakalapu’ in Tamil simply denotes a ‘flat lagoon’. It could be said
that Batticaloa’s entwinement with culture, arts, poetry, literature, cuisine,
drama and folklore has a strong association with the lagoon and the surrounding
regional landscape - providing a romantic mysticism that could only be felt
intimately when you succumb to the call of the lagoon.
The
lagoon Veneto
So it is
no accident when I met my aunt after almost 30 years this summer in Italy, it
is not about the once majestic Roman empire and its remnants that excited me –
rather the reminiscing of our common lagoon environs. She is a transplanted
Roman citizen living there for almost 30 years. The gastronomy she has
developed is worthy to mention – a fine interloping between Tiber River and
Batti lagoon. She has mastered everything from antipasto to risotto saltato and
gnocchi to calameritifritti – and makes the best cappuccino (along with mutton
rolls.) The manifestation of love and affection through a satisfied palate – a
mantra, that’s heavily wired and followed. Mediterranean catch almost matched
the traps of the Batticaloa lagoon – my aunt’s dining table is well represented
with devilled prawns and stone crabs.
To the
North of the country, lies the most visited city of the world - the story of
Venice has been told in every angle. The autos being forbidden in the main
Islands, the lagoon is the lifeline for Venice. About 70.000 residents battle
with the millions of visitors arriving by air, ship, auto and train to be part
of the romanticized lagoon environs. In the free market economy the service
sector is leading the economy of the Veneto, despairingly bringing eco damage or
not.
But to be
in the realm of a lagoon city that has ruled the waves and lands for many
centuries, Batticaloa has little in common with Venice, except the lagoon
itself. But interestingly the main islands of both principalities –
‘Puliyanthivu’ and the main historic Venice look similar, in the shape of a
turtle. The English word lagoon did originate from the word ‘lagun Veneta’,
referring to the marshy watershed of roughly 550 square Kms by the Adriatic
Sea. The narrow Batticaloa lagoon on the other hand stretches around 50Kms in
length, separated from the Indian Ocean.
Evolving
economies
Veneto
region once ruled the waves with its advanced shipbuilding industry. The lagoon
also complemented its fishing and agricultural landscape. But what was once the
crown of the Roman jewel chest, has today, completely switched to a service
economy intertwined with mass tourism. Career conscious young people have moved
in droves out of the region due to lack of opportunities, leaving only the old;
a reality that no one is immune to in any part of the globe.
What will
happen to the Batticaloa region’s agricultural and inland fishing, once they
get saturated is anyone’s guess. But what is noticeable is the expanding
tourism industry, centered mostly on the Passekudah and Arugum Bay regions. On
the other hand, a steady stream of outward youth movement, mostly to Colombo
and its environs is clearly visible over time, to better them in the economic
chain.
Two
lagoon cities – unified in one tale
Two
cities surrounded by two lagoons - though thousands of kilometers away;
intertwined with many similarities. Besides providing a lifeline and protection
from the angry seas, historical lineage does bring both together in many
respects. Whether the forecasted nebulas in the global warming scenarios could
spell disaster by way of rising water levels and weather calamities, wait to be
seen – or should they be prepared for the continued existence of these people
by the lagoon?
What once
a maritime power and military prowess has become a romanticized fairy book,
depending on mass tourism. Batticaloa lagoon’s reflective influence upon its
dwellers does continue to be evolved in a manner beyond simple physics and
geography. Has anyone recently notice the Soprano ‘C’note from the magical
symphony of the ‘Singing Fish’ -possibly reflecting on the impending winds of
change?
