Through the northern plains

North used to be a world apart from the rest of the country. Maybe because of the south of 400 kilometers one has to travel from Colombo to reach the north. The Rameshwaram in India is closer to north than Colombo! Or it could be the war that affected North-South relationship, contributing to widen the gap between the brethren of Northerners and Southerners. Whatever the reason behind this distance used to be, only us-the people can closer the gap and become the brother and sisters that we should be. 

The thirty year old war, which engulfed the area, had set the clock backwards in the Northern Peninsular, where LTTE and the Sri Lankan Army were engaged in a serious war until it ended in 2009. The region started emerging gradually from its long years of isolation and fighting, and the painful process of rebuilding the shattered towns and villages, restoring roads and infrastructure is ongoing. The much needed reconciliation efforts are also in operation but we all have to agree that that process needs more refining, tuning and tweaking.

Having said all that, I’m traveling to Kiilnochchi to meet some interesting people, see the region after 5 years and cultivate new friendships. This time my Kilinochchi trip is little different. I’m traveling on my Royal Enfield from Colombo, under the starry sky of northern planes.

When you turn to Kandy-Jaffna highway from Rambewa, you notice one thing even in the night. That’s the fact that you are all alone here! The traffic becomes less and less after some kilometers, you wouldn’t see a single vehicle for miles. The same goes for the habitats of people. More miles you pass, the more desolated the region become.  You might see a “night-kade” here and there seldom but for the most part of your journey, except the main cities you are passing more the barren lands stretched to the vista.

We do remember being all alone on the road before, don’t we? Yes, the trip to Badulla at night was the same but the trip to north is little different than that. Somehow the night is less intimidating and the roads are easy. You will find the straightest roads in the country across the northern plains. You can see the road ahead for many kilometers till the curvature of the planet or the elevation of the road mark the vista. And the main danger for a lone traveler here is the speed. You read it right! As the highway is straight and wide, one tends to reach the maximum speed the machine would offer. And that speed would be the last thrill you ever enjoy as it would easily leads to losing the control of the machine. That’s why I saw more huge ‘beware of the speed’ boards roadside than the road signs!

But if you are maintaining your speed in the mandatory speed limit which is70KmpH in off city limits, the journey would bestow you a different pleasure. Instead of the wild thrill of the speed, you will start to enjoy the serenity of the northern plains under the wide starry sky. Yes, the sky is cloudless all the way to the empyrean and that clarity would somehow make you feel serene. At one point you wouldn’t feel alone anymore!

When you come to a big city like Vavuniya, you would remember to eat something and I can tell you the most famous cuisine of the region. It is Kottu! No matter the day or night, you can find a quality Kottu in any variation you like. And when you make a pit stop in a city like this, you realize that we all should add Tamil as another language to our disposal! Or how you complement the meal you just had? The hotel owner is smiling warmly and you remember a television advertisement from your childhood. “Nalla Rusi” you would say. And that smile widens. You feel happy. And you leave the hotel and start the motorcycle bearing that warmth in your heart.

The purpose of my trip is simple. I meet communities, I meet people and I will see places. And I go home to write about it. But something tells me that that wouldn’t be that simple. Writing about the north that is a world apart from south wouldn’t be that simple. To synchronize with them, to synchronize with their experience, I will have to become one of them. Not some fancy tourist from Colombo but a true brother, a true Sri Lankan to them.

It wouldn’t be simple but it wouldn’t be colossally hard either. The road to north through solitary lands is somehow feels less lonely!