Chilaw
Chilaw, a fishing town 50 miles north of Colombo,
is located at the mouth of the picturesque Chilaw
Lake. The name was derived from the native Tamil
word salabham, meaning the diving, which refers
to the ancient pearl-fishery on the shallow
banks in the Gulf of Mannar. Indeed, the name
was commonly applied by the Portuguese to the
whole aggregation of banks in the Gulf. This
coastal destination located to the north of
the capital is another famous stop for scrumptious
lobsters and prawns the best the country offers.
It could be reached by train and hired transport
in 2 hours from Colombo.
An interesting excursion from Chilaw can be
made to the Hindu Munnesvaram temple, the southernmost
of Sri Lanka's five Shaivite Esvarams, or residences
of the supreme god. It is claimed that god Vishnu
worshipped here eons ago, and that the shrine
was established by the epic hero Rama, himself
an incarnation of Hindu God Lord Vishnu. The
temple was destroyed by the Portuguese and restored
during British times. Every September a colorful
temple festival and fair is held, which attracts
devotees and ordinary people from afar.
This is followed by a festival in the nearby
fishing village of Udappuwa. The village's Hindu
kovil (temple) is dedicated to the goddess Draupadi,
and at the festival the entire population partakes
in fire-walking ceremonies, euphemistically
known as the Treading of the Flowers. This entails
walking over a bed of raked and glowing coals
some 7 meters in length. The fire-walkers evince
no injury, which they attribute to the protection
afforded by the flowing hair of the goddess,
but which is now believed to be due to a quirk
of physics. Whatever the reason for their lack
of burns, this is an extraordinary spectacle
for visitors to watch. For 18 days the devotees
maintain a strict vegetarian diet. Then on the
18th night, after ritual washing at sea, men,
women and children alike walk the bed of coals.
The fishing town of Chilaw with its busy fish
market has a rest house famous for its sea food,
which makes it a good place to stop for an early
lunch! At this point you can either head back
to Negombo, or, if you have the time and inclination,
push on. It’s worthwhile, for as soon
as you leave Chilaw behind and cross the Deduru
Oya (river) you enter Sri Lanka’s dry
zone. The vegetation and landscape suddenly
change. This is arid country, where sand and
scrub predominate.
