The rebuilt Jaffna Library at sunset. Photograph ©Chulie de Silva

Beauty buds from mire

And I, a singer in season, observe

Death is a name for beauty not in use 

(Irving Layton)

What and how do you write about Jaffna? I had mused the whole day wanting to share some photos but unsure if I could find the right words.  This was my fourth visit to Jaffna. The excitement  this time around was no less than during my first when I was an impressionable child. So, somethings never change –the flight to Jaffna still took off from the  Ratmalana airport, and I still had my face pressed to the window watching the azure blue sea, the changing coastline, recognizing Puttalam and Mannar but trying to guess what the huge lakes and islands were.

Jaffna then was markedly different from any Southern town I knew.  It was neither barren nor brown as I imagined. My memories are of the upright Palmyra tress, large colonial houses, the Fort, the ladies in brightly coloured sarees, the Palmyra thatched fences . … the ladies are there still beautifully adorned

Photograph ©Chulie de Silva

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 When I asked children finishing a football match whether I could photograph them, they were amused at first but then eagerly clubbed togther.  

Young football players opposite Jaffna Central College. Photograph©Chulie de Silva

 

 

Jaffna Central College. Photograph©Chulie de Silva

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Corridor linking the cottages. Photograph©Chulie de Silva

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We stumbled upon the Dutch built Maternity hospital quite by accident. The long corridors of this maternity wing  are sadly in need of repairs.

The hospital shaded by a canopy of trees. Photograph ©Chulie de Silva

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 But the splendor of a bygone era is still very visible. 

Roger's Cottage. Photograph ©Chulie de Silva

 

Rogers cottage is one of the cottages that a family could rent/lease for the confinement of a lady of the family. They came from far away towns armed with all the cooking paraphernalia and the cook and stayed in the cottage. Interestingly, one of my colleagues brother was born there when his father served as a judge in Jaffna.

 

 

The city is slowly but surely limping back to life.  In a way it is strangley quiet, no mad traffic and it is almost like stepping back to what life was in the fifties. 

Tractor loaded with coconut husks. Photograph ©Chulie de Silva

 

 

There are only a few cars and those are also like the old Cambridge  and Austin cars.  A few new high speed bikes are there but the majority still use push cycles.  It is not uncommon to see a mother in a saree one kid in front, one at the back  or a couple on a bike like the old song “Bicycle made for two. 

 

Despite the strains and crises that people would have lived through  the past three decades  or so the indomitable spirit of the Jaffna people lives on. ….  

The rebuilt Jaffna library attracts many young visitors.  These children are from a Children’s Home for orphaned and destitute children and they were being introduced to the library by  their  English teacher Anthony Quinn. Apparently his father was a great fan of Quinn.  The youngest Kanuga at 2 years seemed a tad overwhelmed and kept close to mum Jathna 22 yrs old.

Jathna and Kanuga at the Public library. Photograph ©Chulie de Silva Visitors to the Public Libray Photograph ©Chulie de Silva

 

 

Introduction to to books and reading. Photograph ©Chulie de Silva

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quinn, too had injuries sustained when his house came under shelling but hobbled along cheerfully.

Anthony Quinn. Photograph©Chulie de Silva

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And as we heard from many keeping Jaffna as a centre of excellence in learning  remains  very much a priority.  

Megala, A Higher National Diploma IT student at the Advanced Technology Institute. Photograph ©Chulie de Silva

 

The staff and students of the University of Jaffna and the Advanced Technology Institute were eager for progress, for knowledge,  with an unabridged  keenness to be involved with the development of the wider society.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 For a comprehensive information on Jaffna do read D.B.S. Jeyaraj’s column Jaffna, My Jaffna.

Those who read Love Marriage  read also Review of V.V.Ganeshananthan’s LOVE MARRIAGE on Meena Kandasamy’s blog.

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