A night at the Lodge after a long while, and it was eventful

I spent Saturday night at the ‘Lodge’ with Sirisena who has been the caretaker for nearly 2 years in attendance. When we drove in from Colombo with a car full of expectant weekenders we had to first assess what was required to spend the night and prepare a good filling meal. The new pond on the other side nr the kitchen looks nice and so I have to make sure we plant some kumbuk plants on the bank’s so that it will both provide an anchor for the bank and later a nice shade over the pond. Sirisena gave me a list of stuff he wanted including a mammoty he wanted me to get from town and went into town to do the shopping.

While shopping I met Karunasena who introduced me to the Hingurakgoda property, and he invited us for lunch all 7 of us. We then picked up one of the Youth Front boys and went for lunch and only after getting some coconuts from the Hingurakgoda property we went back to Ratmale for the night.

Of course I had to have a swim in the tank, something I had not done at all this year, a highlight even though I had to be helped in. Sirisena was in the tank collecting the fish that Jayatilleke had caught for our dinner and bites. We had brought all the other essentials from oils to kerosene and even a Hurricane lamp as the one in the property was on the blink.

The guys pooled in their expertise in cooking to provide a super meal for the night, but before that the Youth Front chap brought three of his friends and Priyantha brought a singer with his tabla, making a crowd of 12 seated on ‘tunhiriya’ mats which we brought earlier in the day singing and enjoying the refreshments and bites. We also prepared a raging fire, which we had trouble keeping alight due to the fact that the wood was not totally dry. The smoke of the fire would be used to reduce the incidence of mosquito bites as we did not have any mosquito nets.



I went to sleep earlier than the rest, but I understand that they decided to call it a night after midnight. I found them all fast asleep when I woke up at 6.30 so no doubt they were exhausted from a night of partying. I have had many such sessions with different crowds and was used to the ambience my various eclectic spots provide, but for them it was a unique experience.

We only saw one elephant that had dropped into the tank for a dip, and was told that only two days previously there were over 100 on the other side, while the local villagers were bathing on this side. I also saw the branches that had been broken by an elephant a few days previously just by the electric fence near the property.

An unexpected dividend for the soul

I have been struggling for years to finish my little jungle hideout due to many obstacles I have encountered at this marvelous place in the forest adjoining the Kaudulla National Park. The lack of funds has been one, but not the only reason.

I however have to keep a watcher in the property, to ensure my rights and my property is protected and I keep my contact with the many people I know very well there. I am currently recovering from an accident and find it very hard to go there.

I called the other day, and was asking the Sirisena how and what was happening in the village and he said something that really made my eye well with tears of joy.

He said that owing to the hot and dry weather, many wells had run dry and the people of the Ratmale Village and the adjoining Rotawewa village stock up on their drinking water from my well as it does not have the salinity taste and is fresh to drink.

The thought that two villages and one does not know how many people that is in total are thankful for the well for their basic drinking water, gives me the feeling that at least there is some benefit to the local people from the well I had cut some years ago at considerable cost, using 30 loads of rock to preserver and ensure purity and taste.

The people were passing the hat around to buy a thick rope to raise the water buckets as the rope had worn out!

At least today as I lie in pain on the bed unable to walk after major surgery, I can only imagine that there is some benefit to others from some thing I have done in the past without been actively aware of its future benefit.

A few more shots just for effect of the Lodge

A finished roof at the main lodge

Some recent photos of repair and sorroundings

As time goes by the mango and orange plants grow, the area is cleared of debris and my ideas on how to landscape this place take shape. In a practical sense I can only do so much at my pace, so I have decided that I will only do what I can when I can and hope my circumstances improve so that I can eventually finish this sooner rather than later.

The need for a complete overhaul of the roof

It became apparent that the roof did not have the incline required of a tile roof, especially to prevent leaking during heavy rainfall. I had to therefore completely rebuild the roof by making the incline steeper.

The work took about 2 weeks as there was some masonry work involved to put some concrete beams across as well as raise the roof at the middle by about 3 feet. The contractor lives in the next village and seemed to know what he was about, which on reflection was more than I can say for the person who initially did it. Either way the photos are a pictorial of what went on and now it is finally finished, I have only to put the finishing touches and get the place furnished before it becomes habitable, a not easy task these days.

Despite the rain in the South and Western part of the country, there has been little rain in the past few weeks here in this village. It is the time of the North-east monsoon here, but it has not and the tank here in the village is not sufficiently full for the farmers to prepare the fields for ploughing. They are awaiting the rains before they are able to work the fields. This is the best season for them as it is the rainy season here, and if they do not get adequate rain it will be a catastrophic period for the locals many of whom are still dependant on working their fields at least once a year to enable them to survive.

The electric fence seems to be working with the people taking turns to man the entry to the village to ensure that the elephants do not come along the road marking the only brakes of the fence that are often opened by those entering the village and not closed due to stupidity of laziness. There have been occasions when the elephants have come into the village, and as the exit is the same as the entry, caused much havoc and destruction before they have been chased back this way. It is therefore very important that the gates are guarded at nights, the usual times when elephants try to make their entry stealthily and unannounced.

The temple again has a priest, and in the six years I have been directly associated with the village, 5 priests have passed through. The village temple adjoins my property, so it is in of concern to me that the spiritual well being of the village is also husbanded and the Sunday school is held for the benefit of the local children. I try to be mindful of this presence in my actions.

a few of the latest photos of the chillies and pond

the chillies have been planted in between the orange and mango cultivations


chillie cultivation obscuring the toilets and bath room building


the pond with rathu olu that blooms in the night and fades by 10am