A tear of happiness

If one look at a world map, Sri Lanka looks like a tear drop being shed from Asia. I always felt it symbolized the sorrows of its inhabitants as the relentless conflicts tore it apart. Almost two thirds of the beautiful beaches were out of bounds to the majority.

Being the children of war, we could only imagine the beauty of the forbidden land. The irony of the situation was that I could have easily travelled to the north pole but not the northern province of my own country.

Everything comes to an end….and one fine morning we woke up to a country with only one boundary....the beautiful coast line


Each person was free to travel its length and breadth with no restriction. The new found freedom was overwhelming and that’s how I ended up travelling up north to the tip of the tear drop.

The northern end of Sri Lanka tapers in to a peninsula which makes up the Jaffna district. It’s a land nestled in water, with many extensions of sea creating a unique landscape and eco system. The low elevation from sea level makes the distinction between the sea and land obscure. There are vast areas of bare land contemplating on its geographical status “to be (sea) or not to be…”.




Around the tip are numerous islands sitting on a sea bed so shallow that fishermen can be seen walking miles in to the sea with their nets and poles and water reaching only up to their hips. Some of the islands are connected to the mainland and each others with manmade strips of land called causeways extending a kilometer or two.



And the journey continues ....

Comments

  1. Your pictures are once again beautiful. And so is your writing.
    I almost felt like travelling there while I was reading.

    It is wonderful that your country has found peace, finally. I cannot even imagine what it must be like to live in a country where there is war.

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  2. The last shot is perfect, the action of the fisherman, the sky, the sea, the land, the birds and everything. I really like it.
    Let's hope peace will endure on this island.

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  3. Nice photographs and touching story....

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  4. The last picture, Post Card perfect :)! Wow, you got to visit the North? cool. I have been dieing to go there, but never really got the chance. Your pictures are like the ones you'll see on Nat Geo. No, really :D Awesome work. And i like how you have ended it, "The journey continues". Awesome work, really looking forward to read and see more from you.

    Cheers!

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  5. Wow! awesome post! You sure know how to write … :D Even I felt like that I’m traveling there for real ….

    This is what you have been doing over the long weekend then ha? =D

    I love the 2nd pic. It shows the freedom and the calmness of the place. Even that drizzle adds a nice touch to it.

    Looking forward to the rest ..

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  6. Hi...this's my first visit to your awesome photo blog. went through all your enchanting work and enjoyed a lot.

    your photographs are really colorful except for the few over here in which I see the hidden tears and happiness :)

    I am not a photographer which I think is not a must to admire these pieces of work.

    Hope you'll welcome me!!!!

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  7. Thanks everyone for the wonderful comments!

    @Frieda; The memories of war will never leave us. But it will make us cherish the freedom each day.
    One day you can travel there for real.. :)

    @Sachira; glad you like it. as it was taken against the setting sun i could get only the silhouette. so i thought making it monochrome will give it a nice effect.

    @Grass; glad you like the post

    @Me-shack; Hope you will get to go to north soon:)
    thanks again for the encouraging words!

    @Cooper; Welcome to my blog Anjana :)

    @Anjana; long weekends are there for ppl to travel.. ;)
    wow! you have a sharp eye...i realised it was drizzling only when you pointed that out!

    @Nadee; Welcome to my blog! Thanks for visiting :)
    I'm not a photographer either :) I try to capture special moments to keep them from fading from my memory and to share them with you all...

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  8. Fantastic pictures. For some reason I like the second picture a lot! Serene image.

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  9. Great post! And wonderful thoughts.
    Sounds like you'had a great trip.

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  10. Wow.. you've put it so beautifully as always and the pictures.. are just as awesome too, especially the 2nd which I feel is boundlessly breathtaking.

    There is indeed no distinction between land and sea over there. I still haven't been to the northern tip, but would love to some day.

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