Power and pride of Minneriya
By: kirthi hulangamuwa
While crossing the Yoda Ela on a narrow bridge to the precincts of Minneri Devalaya a devotee is awe-inspiring with reverential sentiment -triggered by anticipation.A stone’s throw from Elahera town nestled on a picturesque setting over a vast stretch of paddy fields and bewitching Ambanganga, there stands a shrine room dedicated to Minneri devio. The deity is supposed to be the deified form of king Mahasen, builder of many tanks among which Minneriya ranks foremost. Legend has it the king held his council with the ministers and yodayas (giants) on the very spot where the devalaya stands to day on the bank of the Yoda ela. Power of the overlord reverberates in valleys and plains, forests and households of the district of Polonnaruwa.
An archaic Bo tree that is believed to have sheltered the king and his retinue stands beside the shrine. Though not a huge edifice with pomp and ceremony this solitary monument unfolds volumes of lore and legend. For illness, dispute, distress and the like this simple yet magnanimous place of worship proved a panacea, they say. An offering is made to the deity soon after the harvest with the participation of the whole farming community. It is a fulfilling of a vow made to their protector and benefactor for granting the favours of a bountiful harvest sans famine, disease and drought.
In distress - be it prejudice or prudence - peasant farmers make a vow at the shrine in the simplest form of tying a ‘pandura’ on the trident (thrishula) believed to have been used since Polonnaruwa era. Coincidence or not, mere chance or otherwise several incidents of assistance by the deity are recorded. Incurable diseases, family disputes, long overdue law suits, drinking habits etc. are made good. Wisdom and tradition twist interminably with phenomenal results granted for the benefit of the peasantry. In my ramblings in the wilderness over thirty years, mostly alone, I have stumbled upon few similar hallowed shrines that attract veneration.
Kapuralas
Inhabitants of the area fled following the invasion of Maga, the disreputable South Indian prince who brought destruction and misery to the monarchy of Polonnaruwa in 1214. Jungle tide rose over the sovereignty. There are few families who braved atrocities perpetrated by the aggressor. A long line of kapuralas are hailing from one such family being the hereditary heirs to the devalaya.
Elephants
Leaving the authenticity of the divine power at bay and rendering it more tantalizing, I shall guide the weary traveller to a more promising I territory to watch pachyderms of elephants.
The place: Ihakuluwewa. You travel down the tarred bund of Yoda ela for twenty miles and at Diyabeduma a weather beaten track will take the traveller to the upper reaches of Minneriya tank- where all it happens.
I am meticulously avoiding main thoroughfares which the ignorant travellers use. He goes, probably sees or not and returns crestfallen, mostly. All big games are there: elephants, wild buffalos spotted deer sambur and the like. Approximate habitats are shrouded by a vast canopy of tree tops. Golden sandy beds of dry streams planked by thick foliage on either side create a cool rendezvous for the denizens of Minneriya. They commence their promenade here at the glorious sunset that would leave a nature lover speechless2Assortments of water birds congregate on shallow end while large wings festoon the sky over the glassy liquid.
Wildlife enthusiast is tempted to scan around probably with untrained eyes out of sheer curiosity. Nervous, he may look here, there and sees nothing. You are advised to look into the jungle and not at it as impending dangers appear from nowhere. It had happened to me when I confronted a wild buffalo, the most formidable animal when provoked.
Elahera canal
The canal that replenishes thirsty Minneriya tank is the brainchild of King Wasaba (77 AD). Ambanganga was intercepted at Elahera with hewn stones and earth embankment rendering the imprisoned waters gush through a narrow stone gap ensuring the outflow is incessant and persistent.
Galloping water crashes into the canal below and travels twenty four miles along the foot of Sudu Kanda while irrigating paddy fields below. The gradient of the waterway is said to be one inch to one mile. The canal was navigable during the epic period of King Mahasen. The monarch had sailed up to Oru-Bendi which literally means tamarind tree which boats moored. He is said to have had overtures on a village damsel.
The antiquated tree withstood all weathers till recently. It had seen the rise and fall of many a monarch, prosperity and calamity alternatively until the whole region was succumbed by the irrepressible jungle eight centuries ago. In the 1930s revival dawned owing to the genius of one Man. His name is D.S. Senanayaka.
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