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Misty mornings, sprawling golf courses, Victorian houses make Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka an alluring destination.
It was difficult to tear oneself away from that lovely stretch of sea named Coral Beach, on the western coast, south of Colombo in Sri Lanka. My British friends and I had just finished some exciting sessions of snorkelling, while my wife preferred the glass bottom boat to watch varieties of colourful tropical fish. The place is popularly referred to as Coral Beach because of the exquisite coral reefs found in the sea, but its real name is Hikkaduwa. Over the years, the El Nino effect has been responsible for depleting the sea of live corals.
However, there hasn’t been a dearth of tourists who visit the region simply for the sheer enjoyment of diving. These days, the variety of tropical fish found in the sea has become a major attraction for tourists
“Well, Nuwara Eliya will grip you all as much as the sea. Your friends might also find it a little nostalgic at that hill station,” said Nalin Jayasundera-of Aitken Spence-who had jotted down our itinerary. Even though we had already packed our bags, my friends decided to stay on a day or two longer before joining us at Nuwara Eliya. “Where else would I find such clean beaches and an unpolluted sea,” asked Sue Farrington as she bid us goodbye.
Our guide, who was also doubling up as the chauffeur, was a well-informed person. He also had a sense of humour. “Sir,” explained Priyantha, “as we drive, you might experience all four seasons in a day.” The distances are not too daunting in Sri Lanka, but the traffic snarls are. It took us almost an hour to wriggle out of Colombo’s traffic.
The first halt was at Tikalgala. It was a nondescript village till Bridge on the River Kwai, the well-known film was shot here. A halt here has become mandatory for tourists passing through the region. As we progressed further towards Nuwara Eliya, Priyantha pointed out the St Claire and Devon waterfalls where some scenes from the film had been shot. While driving up towards Nuwara Eliya, mist enveloped the region. As soon as we had crossed the last hump, the picturesque valley lay before us. Despite the heavy mist, we marvelled at the scenic beauty.
Next, we stopped at the golf course. “You are welcome,” said Clive Tissera, the club’s secretary. “Indian golfers seem to favour this course. Perhaps you people like this weather.” He asked me whether I would like to play a round in the afternoon. But the heavy drizzle was a dampener. We spent some time at “19th Hole”, the ubiquitous bar in every golf club. Tissera pointed out the names of Indians who had won various tournaments on the Roll of Honours boards.
The incessant rains were a huge letdown. We had no option but to retreat to the hotel. “It is a unique hotel. You won’t find a similar one anywhere in the world,” Jayasundera had earlier boasted. When Priyantha pointed out the hotel from a distance I was under the impression that its unique architectural style had given it the name Tea Factory. On entering it, I realised that it was indeed a tea factory many years ago! And to make it look realistic, the original steam boiler in the middle of the lobby produced a loud ‘whoosh-whoosh’ sound. Impressive no doubt, except that our conversation had to be a few decibels higher than usual.
The history of Nuwara Eliya seems like a page taken out of the reams that have been written about the British ‘discovering’ hill stations in India. As it usually happens, it was accidentally ‘discovered’ by Dr John Davy, the well-known chemist of that era, who was part of a hunting expedition in 1818. Ten years later, it became a resort and sanatorium for British officials longing for the ‘back home’ climate.
The real credit for popularising Nuwara Eliya goes to Sir Samuel Baker, that intrepid traveller who was well known for discovering the source of the Nile river. While convalescing from a bout of malaria at Nuwara Eliya, Baker was so impressed with the environs, he made plans to convert it into a British hamlet. He even imported all the necessities -including cows-all the way from England. Even though he stayed here for only eight years, his enthusiasm caught the imagination of many other British families staying along the humid coast. The golf course, track for horse racing, the introduction of trout for fishing and a lake for boating-could one have asked for anything more?
It rained throughout the night. There was one thought uppermost on our minds-would our trip to the misty mountains be a washout? “No, sir,” said a confident Priyantha. "As we drive towards Nuwara Eliya, you will notice the difference.” Indeed we did. We stopped en route to photograph the picturesque slopes draped by tea bushes and the famous Lake Gregory at a distance. Tissera was happy to see me once again, “Are we playing today?” he enquired. I nodded.
Priyantha advised us to rush to Sita Eliya, located in a narrow gorge, notorious either for thick fog or perpetual mist. Fortunately we were spared the mist at the temple site while the top of the mountain was engulfed in thick clouds. According to legend, this was the place where Sita was imprisoned by Ravana. Apart from the temple, there was nothing to suggest ancient dwelling like palaces or forts. Our next halt will be“down the road, but not close-by,” informed Priyantha. I wondered what he meant. He smiled. Two kilometres down the road, he stopped the car in front of a restaurant named Humbug. “The inspiration for this unusual name was Asterix and Obelix comics,” said Palitha Jayawardena, the owner. The restaurant has another peculiarity-all the 50 items on the menu card are prepared only with strawberries.
We also decided to stop at the Hakgala Botanical Gardens, a short distance away. In fact, Priyantha had insisted that this botanical garden was as good as the one at Peradeniya. It really was. It was established in 1860 as an experimental farm for growing cinchona, the raw material for producing anti-malaria quinine.
Due to heavy mist, we missed photographing the ‘Jaw Rock’. Legend has it that Hanuman put the entire hillock in his jaw because he couldn’t identify the sanjivini herb which would save the wounded Lakshmana. Strange as it may sound, many locals here believe in this epic. A few species of flora found around this region are quite similar to the ones in the Himalayas.
On our way back to Nuwara Eliya, Priyantha drove slowly, pointing out old colonial buildings. In fact, even before entering Nuwara Eliya, I noticed many new constructions adhering to the Victorian style of architecture. As we progressed, he pointed to buildings that were once official residences of the Governor General, army chief and other dignitaries which now serve as the circuit house or the guest houses of banks and large organisations. The large manicured lawns and well-tended flower beds evoked a colonial aura. No wonder the sobriquet ‘Little England’ fits the place well.
Priyantha stopped in front of the Hill Club, styled like an upcountry house in the English countryside. Built in 1876, it has now been converted into a hotel. “Many British tourists who come here turn nostalgic,” said the lobby manager. We met our friend Sue Farrington at Cargills, a century-old departmental store, “Doesn’t this place have a touch of England?” she asked. It most certainly did.
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