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Panama. 15km South of Arugambay

Published on 14/01/2010 in Blogs, Culture, front page, Historical sites, Religious, Traveler's Reports and wild life. 2 Comments

Pattini Devale, Panama

After the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, I made several trips to Pottuvil on the East Coast of Sri Lanka with loads of supplies for the displaced people. On one such trip, in early April, I continued south to the village of Panama (pronounced paa-nuh-muh).
Over 200 years ago, on the 13th of September 1800, an Englishman, William Orr, Esq (a civil servant) visited Panama on the way from Tangalle in the south to Batticaloa in the East. According to his report to the British Governor,

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Paoneme contains sixty inhabitants, who cultivate seventy-three amonams of paddy ground.
The following year Thomas Anthony Reeder, surgeon of the 51st Regiment of Foot (who was to die soon after, during the 1st Kandyan War) travelled in the opposite direction. According to his journal,
Panoa is situate on a plain surrounded by jungle. Here are some cultivated fields, and several large stocks of paddee.
A year later, the British Governor himself, the Hon. Frederick North (later 5th Earl of Guilford), followed the southward route. He was accompanied by the Inspector of Hospitals in Ceylon, Thomas Christie, Esq, who reported that Zyban price in pakistan
Panoa is a considerable village, and the country round it abounds with paddee fields.

What these descriptions – which appear in James Cordiner’s A Description of Ceylon (London, 1807; Dehiwela, Tisara Prakasakayo, 1983) – show (apart from the recognised inability of the English to tackle with any accuracy the phonetics of foreign place names) is that Panama’s chief attraction was its paddy fields. The surrounding jungle was far more notable to these perfidious Albionians: Christie was highly excited by the sight, en-route to the village of
a herd of wild hogs, and an alligator, both of which allowed us to approach very near.

Rock, fields and tank at Panama

When I visited the place, however, it was in the knowledge that it possesses a Devale (temple) of the goddess Pattini. The shrine, on a rocky spot on the shore of a tank, is a Buddhist one. However, Hindu shrines of Pattini also exist, Continue reading ‘Panama. 15km South of Arugambay’

New Tools ….@ Arugam

Published on 11/01/2010 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, front page, people, press coverage, presse-deutsch and Security & Safety. 0 Comments

Self-help is best

To our knowledge, Arugam.info was the first and perhaps only media which embraced new tools, such as this site, within hours of the 2004 Tsunami. Back then, we realized the wealth of options the internet can provide. Complimented by Twitter and Facebook, as well a s YouTube we tried to show that self help can be cheap.
No doubt it is best and also possible, as we managed to show.

some of Arugam's admins mid 2009

In our case communication from an area which had no power and no telephones it was more of a challenge than many of you, in developed places can imagine.
Various Generators, direct Inmarsat connections and many other innovations were needed and found.
This web site coordinated immediate self-help within days or even hours of the 2004 waves. And weA? continued our work to promote “Arugam Bay” ever since.
It is hoped that the local Community, for which this site was conceived, will soon understand the power of the net. And hopefully participate more in our approach.
In this context the article below has caught our attention.
We will continue to seek more avenues to drum up a bit of support and attention.
The “Best of British” award is one example – and this kind of promo is not only cheap, but free. We are in a continuous learning process. Thanks for being one of our readers!

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Aid agencies ‘must use new tools’

By Jason Palmer
Science and technology reporter, BBC News

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Ushahidi is a free and open-source information-sharing platform

The “crowd-sourced” data that comes from victims of natural disasters and conflicts is now a crucial part in disaster management, says a new report.

The UN Foundation/Vodafone Foundation Partnership report outlines examples of new technologies that mitigate conflicts and save lives worldwide.

A report author said it reveals that aid agencies “fail to take advantage” of new tools available.

It says a number of challenges remain to maximise the tools’ potential.

The partnership is a $30m, 5-year plan that joins the humanitarian arms of each group, with a focus on the technological aspects of aid.

The new report outlines a number of technological tools that have already proven their worth, or could be put to better use. Continue reading ‘New Tools ….@ Arugam’

AbaY Hotel nominated for Best of British Award

Published on 07/01/2010 in accomodation, bars, Blogs, Culture, Environmental, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, From our own Correspondent, front page, guesthouse, hotels, Ideas, Music, parties, people, press coverage, presse-deutsch, restaurants and Traveler's Reports. 12 Comments

Nominated for the Best of British Award by the Daily Telegraph, London

The SVH on the Surfer’s Bay of Arugam. Established 1977 by a devout CAMRA member. The “Siam View” is still run by the same Manx expat and his family to this day. Despite the 30 war years and 2004 Tsunami this place never once closed its doors for even one single day. Home of more than a dozen all natural draft beers. Continue reading ‘AbaY Hotel nominated for Best of British Award’

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Arugambay/PottuVille/Kudahs

Published on 07/01/2010 in Blogs, front page, people, stop over Ideas and Traveler's Reports. 2 Comments

Backpacking to theA?Kudahs

Day 3 and 4 of our backpacking trip saw us heading out from Pottuvil at 5:30am on Wednesday morning to reach Batticaloa around noon. Stuck for an alternative, the bus was a neat enough place to experience the sunrise from.

We went back to Thameemya??s to get some food, found a local barber and even got haircuts and shaves. Batticaloa town is colourful. It looks a lot like youa??re walking through an old south Indian movie. Continue reading ‘Arugambay/PottuVille/Kudahs’

Okanda is 30km south of Arugam Bay

Published on 06/01/2010 in Blogs, Culture, front page, Historical sites, people, Religious and wild life. 0 Comments

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The sylvan shrine at Ukanthamalai devoted to Lord Murugan

The sylvan shrine, Ukanthamalai Shri Murugan Kovil devoted to Lord Murugan – the presiding deity at Kataragama, is a popular pilgrimsa?? resort in the Ampara district.

Of all the places of Hindu worship in the district, this jungle shrine, far removed from human habitation represents a manifestation of divine power and sublimity and stands unique as a much hallowed centre for penance and prayer.

Pilgrims from all parts of the country, despite their varied religions faiths and cultures wend their way to this sacred rock temple with adorations for spiritual salvation. Nearly two thousand pilgrims on Pada Yatra from the North are now at this jungle shrine. Many more thousands are expected to arrive at the shrine in the next few days.

Buddhists, Christians and Hindus seem to believe that a prayer and an offering made at this shrine brings good luck and divine intercession in times of difficulties. Therefore, a pilgrimage to Ukanthamalai Shrine is not confined to any one particular season, or to a festival. It is pooja and worship at the shrine at all days and at all times by the ever flowing stream of devotees.

The shrine is situated approximately twelve miles south of Panama, on the Kumana-Panama jungle path, within the administrative limits of Lahugala Divisional Secretariat. To the North, South and the West of the temple are the seven sacred hills the ocean to the East. Continue reading ‘Okanda is 30km south of Arugam Bay’

Wildboar Curry @ a lodge in Arugam Bay

Published on 05/01/2010 in Blogs, Culture, front page, Money Matters, press coverage and services. 0 Comments
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A cookbook spiced with local flavours and childhood memories
Book facts: Serendip- My Sri Lankan Kitchen by Peter Kuruvita. Murdoch Books. Price: Rs. 3,800
By Renuka Sadanandan
a??When our houseboy Nehal brought us the crusty bread from the bakery next door it was still steaming hot. I used to love cutting thick slices of the bread and putting spoonfuls of pol sambal on it- it was delicious.a?? Continue reading ‘Wildboar Curry @ a lodge in Arugam Bay’

New Year’s Blast at Arugambay

Published on 02/01/2010 in accomodation, Blogs, cabanas, Environmental, From our own Correspondent, front page, Money Matters, people, restaurants, Security & Safety, services and the bay. 3 Comments
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New Year's fire at Arugam Bay beach

Arugam Bay New Year‘s celebrations were peaceful, quiet and romantic.
However, residents and visitors were shaken by a totally unexpected fireworks display late on New Year’s day.
The fire started in some fishing huts in the middle of the Bay.
The popular “#38 Cafe del Mar” next door was engulfed soon and the blaze looked like Continue reading ‘New Year’s Blast at Arugambay’

Arugambay Crows, Water Buffalos

Published on 31/12/2009 in Blogs, front page, people and Traveler's Reports. 1 Comment

Pica??inA?it

The black birds at Arugam Bay.

Taking pictures is fun. It is a nice way to remember things you have seen and done. Some experiences feel vaguely empty when there are no pictures accompanying them for posterity, or next month. Pictures can also give an artistic touch to otherwise mundane experiences. They can make buses and tuk tuks interesting, and can also make you look cooler on Facebook. Continue reading ‘Arugambay Crows, Water Buffalos’

Arugam Bay II

Published on 27/12/2009 in Blogs, front page, Historical sites, the bay, Traveler's Reports and wild life. 1 Comment
Ia??ve been to Arugam Bay before in its tourist season and ita??s an absolute beauty. The waves the wind and everything was so perfect. However in the raining season ita??s not the case; you cannot even go out because of the rain. In the raining season ita??s very hard to find a day without any rain. Thanks to a weather forecasting website I was able to find a day without any rain. It was 26th December 2009; the day is exactly 5 years after Sri Lanka was hit by the Tsunami in 2004, and surprisingly Arugam Bay is one of the very first coasts to get hit by the Tsunami in Sri Lanka. Continue reading ‘Arugam Bay II’

Choking back the horror

Published on 26/12/2009 in Blogs, front page, people and press coverage. 2 Comments
Five years have passed and I still find it hard to talk about the tsunami. When the subject comes up my throat still constricts, choking back the horror and raw pain that I saw and more shockingly, the way the rest of the world seemed to carry-on with daily life. Relief came a?? sometimes too much of it, but nothing prepares a photographer for the shock of returning to normality from a disaster zone.

Ms. Baldwin recalls events 5 years ago.

Published on 26/12/2009 in Blogs, Environmental, front page, people, press coverage, Security & Safety and the bay. 1 Comment

Home Needs shop, Arugambay high street, after high tide, December 2004

Remembering the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami (- aftermath, press coverage)
I’d been staying with my brother and his family in Bahrain over Christmas, playing with his kids and hanging out by the pool. I remember when we first saw the news of the tsunami on TV and those shocking images. I knew immediately that I really wanted to go. I called my boss in London and suggested I flew straight to Sri Lanka from Bahrain, arguing I’d get there faster and for less money than the London correspondents. She agreed, before I had the chance to change my mind. That phone call kicked off a whirlwind of activity and emotion over the next 10 days or so – excitement, adrenalin, anxiety, exhaustion. It became the most valuable and moving reporting experience of my career. I witnessed scenes that I’d rather not witness again, that remain quite vivid and that I don’t think I’ll ever forget.

That’s not to say I saw the worst of the devastation by any means, or at least not the human cost. By the time I got from Bahrain to Colombo and from Colombo by road to the eastern district of Ampara – one of the worst hit areas – many of the dead had been buried or taken away. But bodies were still trapped in some of the villages we (I was travelling with a Reuters photographer) visited and Continue reading ‘Ms. Baldwin recalls events 5 years ago.’

Tsunami drill on Dec 26

Published on 26/12/2009 in Blogs, front page, Ideas, people, press coverage, Security & Safety and the bay. 1 Comment

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A suitable choice of date for a Tsunami drill?

A tsunami preparedness rehearsal Buy cheap caverta will be held on December 26, Generic for keflex Saturday at 3.00 p.m. in 10 districts, Disaster Management Centre Director General Major General Gamini Hettiarachchi said.

Original 1999 Hotel sign. File photo

Tsunami preparedness rehearsals are held from time to time in various areas along the coastal belt so as to make the public aware regarding natural disasters which bring much havoc to human beings and resources.

Under this Tsunami preparedness exercise a single town has been selected from 10 districts amounting to 10 towns. The towns are Gampaha, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Puttalam, Galle, Kalutara, Matara, Ampara, Hambantota and Colombo. Under this drill people will be evacuated from the selected 10 towns to places of safety identified earlier.

Tsunami Anniversary: A Christmas Without War

Published on 26/12/2009 in Blogs, front page, people, press coverage and the bay. 0 Comments

Everyone is complaining about the heat here, even the stalwarts who were born to it. Disgorged from mind numbing twenty-some odd hour flights, my son and I arrived to find the chocolates we had brought as Christmas presents liquefied into something the consistency of a post-rain mud flow. Vitamin capsules succumbed to the heat in Ziploc bags; lipstick lost its former identity as we moved to the tune of Christmas carols, bright lights and election streamers that dot the streets of this country just a heartbeat north of the equator. We are back in Sri Lanka. It’s Christmas in Colombo! Continue reading ‘Tsunami Anniversary: A Christmas Without War’

Season Greetings from Arugam Bay!

Published on 24/12/2009 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, front page and Music. 0 Comments

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Arugam Bay is a heavy one ….

Published on 22/12/2009 in Blogs, front page, people, press coverage, surf, taxis, the bay and Traveler's Reports. 0 Comments

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After 12 hours in a dilapidated bus, cramped by suitcases and boardbags and 25 others, there is only one thing preventing us from our destination: a young soldier thumbing through our passports, the trigger of his gun close enough for me to touch. He eyes us carefully and motions to another soldier to search our luggage. We nervously hold our breaths as they begin to pull out our carefully constructed wall of suitcases from the back of the bus. This could take hours. At some point though, the soldiers decide no additional searching is necessary and send us on our way.

Our bus ride began in Colombo, Sri Lankaa??s capital city. I am slightly on edge, especially since Colombo is often the site of terrorist bombings. I keep an eye out for Tamil Tigers, guerilla soldiers listed by the EU and the US as a terrorist organization, but I am told that if I see one, I wona??t live to tell about it.

We make our way to Arugam Bay, a surfer town on the eastern coast of the country. Our bus driver, I begin to suspect is blind in his right eye, Continue reading ‘Arugam Bay is a heavy one ….’

A(rugam) Praying Fisherman

Published on 19/12/2009 in Blogs, front page, people and the bay. 4 Comments
In the artista??s own words: a??Fishermen from the rural areas still pray to the sea gods before they set sail early dawn, praying for safety as well as a good catch. Their lifelines are in the fishing industry. Dipping in the sea and rising up with arms wide open is part of the ritual, which is done seven times before the fishermen set sail. The picture was taken at Arugam Bay, and it is one of the rare sites in Sri Lanka which this ritual is still practiced.a??

2009 International Photography Exhibition Location: Arugam Bay, Potuvil, Sri Lanka a?? July, 2009 Photographer: Senaka Goonewardena University Affiliation: Undergraduate Student Category: People Award: Best in Show

Other entries to this Exhibition can be admired on this remarkable photo collection: http://picasaweb.google.com/OSUInternationalAffairs/2009PhotographyExhibition#