View of 'Sri Paadha' - 'Sivanoli Paadha Malai' - 'Adam's Peak'

View of 'Sri Paadha' - 'Sivanoli Paadha Malai' - 'Adam's Peak', seen from Colombo, Sri Lanka. Photo forwarded by Nimalan. Photo taken on a Huawei Nova 2i smart-phone.

Clear skies over Colombo following the 'shut-down' of COVID-19 made this possible. This was seen much more clearly in the 1960s and even 1990s.

Sorabora Wewa', Mahiyangana, Sri Lanka.

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Queen Dona Catherina of Kandy, Sri Lanka.

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With speakers on
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Astrologer's assistant, Kosgama, Sri Lanka.

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The young Cobra, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

The Cobra

The Cobra is feared for its deadly bite in Sri Lanka but there is also respect for this reptile. My first encounter of this respect was when I was in Kandy in the early 1970s. An adult Cobra came near an outdoor water outlet in the courtyard of the house where I was residing. It was a hot day and the cobra might have come looking for water to quench its thirst. The lady of the house went close to the cobra and addressed it as ‘Nai Hamine’ – Lady Cobra – ‘there are children residing in this house. Please go away’. The Cobra slid away. The second incident was when I was in Rathnapura in the 1980s. I had arrived at my bungalow situated on a hillock, riding my Honda C90 motorbike. I switched off the engine in the porch of the house and put down my feet to push the stand of the bike when I heard a hissing sound. I thought that there was a puncture in the rear tyre and the sound was of air leaking out of it. When I looked down there was a Cobra with its hood raised and it was hissing. I called out to my wife, who came out promptly and literally addressed the Cobra, requesting it to go away. It quietly slid away. The video that I have posted was of a young cobra captured inside a bottle from inside a house close to our residence. The person who caught it had thoughtfully put a hole in the plastic lid of the bottle so that the cobra could breath fresh air. When I asked him what he was going to do with the Cobra he told me, that he was planning to release it as early as possible in a nearby forest. There was absolutely no intention of harming the poisonous reptile. A viper is vicious and will attack aggressively. A cobra will slide out of the way unless surprised. That is why a Cobra is  called ‘Nalla paambu – Good snake’, in Thamil.

https://youtu.be/-9odtNfmIWM

Environs of Kallady Bridge, Batticaloa, Sri Lanka.

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The art of tapping coconut toddy in Sri Lanka

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Basawakkulama, Anuradapura, Sri Lanka.

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Sunset Jaffna, Sri Lanka.

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Easter Sunday massacre, April 2019, Batticaloa, Sri Lanka.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT AT TEACHING HOSPITAL BATTICALOA DURING THE EASTER SUNDAY ATTACK

21st of April 2019 was an unfortunate day for all Sri Lankans and Batticaloa once again received the mass casualties following a brutal terrorist attack.  During the 30 year war which ended in 2009 such events were very common.  2004 Tsunami was another tragedy which bought mass casualties. Although we rehearsed several times at the Emergency Department in the recent past, the real emergency of a mass casualty broke in yesterday ( 21/ 04/2019 )

The explosion at the Zion church happened around 8.50 am. Since this place is less than a kilometer away from the Hospital, Dead bodies and injured patients were bought immediately. The time for the preparation at the Accident and Emergency was very minimal. It took some time for us to realize that it is a bomb blast. Initial stories were Gas explosions or Transformer explosion because the first admission came with a burn.

The triage at the A and E was led by Dr.T.R.Nimalaranjan (Consultant Surgeon) who was on call along with the two Consultant Anaestetists namely Dr.S.Mathanalagan and Dr.Yogananth. Although it was a Sunday following a long weekend holiday the hospital authorities were able to brought enough doctors, nurses and other health staff within an hour. When I arrived at the A and E , I was surprised to see that each patient is attended by at least one doctor and two nurses.

There were a total of 69 admissions. Majority was having penetrating shrapnel injuries and some had flash burn in addition. 04 patients died in the R room due to inevitable injuries to head, chest and abdomen in spite of resuscitation. Out of this four, three were children which was very heartbreaking. Another 26 dead bodies were also bought but they were triaged out. All 03 operating theatres at the A and E, the ENT theatre and a routine theatre   were opened immediately for operating (5 tables). 02 Emergency Laparotomies, One Thoracotomy, Few Neck explorations, Fasciotomies, and many compound fracture cleaning were some of the immediate procedures we did. One child needed a clavicle division to ligate a laceration on subclavian vein. Two patients were transferred to TH Kandy and TH Anuradhapura for Neurosurgical care. Two children had evisceration of eyes due to penetrating injuries.

Existing patients in the Intensive Care Units were transferred out to ICUs at DGH Ampara to clear Emergency beds. Dr.V.Jeevathas (Consultant ENT surgeon), Dr.N.Jayaratne (Consultant Orthopaedic surgeon), Dr.A.Madushanka(Consultant OMF surgeon), Dr.W.Wijayasiriwardana (Consultant eye surgeon) and Dr.R.Ramesh  (Consultant Physician) did their maximum to safeguard the lives of this unfortunate. I was surprised to see Dr.Salakianathan, who is a Senior Consultant Surgeon at United Kingdom and a member of the CSSL came in to do a Neck exploration.

I should not forget the services by Dr.Anton Swarnan (Senior Registrar, NHSL ) , Surgical Registrars Dr.Harikrishanth, Dr.Kokulan, Dr.Kovoor, Dr.Pakeerathan, Dr.Arulprasanth, Dr.Sivakaran and Dr.Kalaventhan. Some of them are not working at the TH Batticaloa but were on holiday with their families and quickly responded to the emergency call. Dr.Kalaranjini, Director TH Batticaloa coordinated all the activities with no time for preparation.

Although it’s an unfortunate event and should never happen in this country again, it gives a feedback for our performances. The importance of continuous updates on ATLS and NTMC courses for all surgeons in this country became very obvious on this day.

Thank you

Dr.S.Branavan

Consultant General Surgeon

Council Member ( Eastern Chapter)

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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6948417/Minutes-blast-Children-pictured-Sunday-school-service-14-youngsters-died.html

 

Seethawake Regency Hotel, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

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At the Moragahakande Dam and reservoir, near Elahera, Sri Lanka.

Bridge over the concrete tunnel

The Amban Ganga down stream.

The dam on one side of the hill

The dam on the other side of the hill incorporated into the dam. This houses the four  hydro-turbines producing electricity.

The right side dam(as seen coming down-stream) and reservoir

The left  sided concrete dam with a replica of the Aukana Buddha  statue chiselled on the dam

The three waterfalls of Alupola, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

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Alupola waterfalls

 

'Nillakkagama" Bodhigara inscription, 9th to 10th Century AD, Sri Lanka.

The 'wewa' by the side of the 'Bodhigara'

The environs of the 'Bodhigara'

The 'care-taker'

Panel put up by the Archeological Department

Story related by the care-taker

During the time of the 'Chola invasion' in the 9th  Century  AD, the venerated Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha, was smuggled out from its repository in Anuradhapura, by a Buddhist monk who disguised himself as a 'Chetty'. He hid the Relic in his garments and was traveling towards the East, to find a safe hiding place for the relic.

He spent the night at this spot and wended his way, the next morning.

When the Cholians were thrown out, King Aggabodhi the Fourth, came to know of this incident. He  ordered one of his ministers to build a stone memorial at this site. A branch of the Sacred Bo Tree at Anuradhapura was planted here.

The pictures show its present status

The site is approachable from the Ambanpola road from the highway from Padeniya to Anuradhapura. A few Kms after passing Ehatuwewa, you have to turn to the left opposite large Muslim palliya. A few kilometers further a cart road on the left leads to the site.

 

The 'Bodhigara'

A 'mal aasana' - Stone platform to place the offering of flowers.

Rampant lions on a lotus motif

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