Anuradhapura – Blessings and risks

Blessings of pooja Nagaraya.

Srilanka is blessed with a myriad of waterfalls and waterways radiating towards the sea from the central hill country. The density of water inland is not second to any other civilisation in history as there are more than a thousand decent size tanks spread across every district. Fed by two monsoons from either direction of Indian ocean, there is a wet and dry zone found any day. Great blessings come with great risk. Frequent floods are one of them.

My experience on pilgrimage

Last week, we went on a short trip to the dry zone. Into the ancient city of Anyradhapura. The objective was pilgrimage. The 107 meter tall ruwanweli Maha Stupa was the main attraction. At night, it glows like a bulb with power of 100000 watts, far across the surface of the basawakkulama and Nuwara wewa. You can see this amazing sight. And from the afternoon, various groups of people attracted by the spectacle come to worship. Thousands of them you can see walk on the cobbled pavements which burn hot during the day but cooling down, welcoming everyone with a warmth at night. The walk from the Ruwanweli Stupa to the Jasirmaha Bhodiya is travelled by thousands daily. The bhodiya (Tree), which is the longest living tree with a sacred written past, is related to Gauthama Buddha himself, so it has a special place in every Buddhists heart. Little girls collecting fallen dead leaves as a sacred suverniour is a common sight. Everywhere white dressed people walk calmly, some chanting Sutras written in Pali. It is a shame if you can not join and share their devotion, to something which they believe is outside of their life.

Risky waters

Outside the sacred city, the mood is more cheerful. The seriousness and religious essence of the philgrims slightly reduce. And they will walk and speak freely, even making jokes at each other. We’ll fed from the cheap boutiques, and when they feel hot and sleepy it is time to have a bath in a tank  or a stream. So that’s what they do. Families join together to enjoy splashing water at each other in waterways. Everything goes well until tragedy strikes. Last week alone, more than ten people died of drowning, being washed away by mighty rivers. As rain is unpredictable and so is the assumed depth of these waterways, it presents a great danger to anyone who is unfamiliar to the area. Even though you’re young and highly capable swimmer, the current has no mercy. Forces of nature are so great that no human or even a fish can battle such war against such a mighty foe and win. And this is the unfortunate risk that the ones who seek pleasure face.

Does this mean we should not ever have a bath in a river? A stream ? Or a tank? I can not agree to this. Life itself is about taking a risk. There is no victory if you do not participate. You can play like a real hedger and never set foot in water. You will avoid death by drowning but never would feel the pleasure of having a bath in a stream on a hot, sunny day. Or you can play like a speculator jumping into every stream like a mad young man and risk your life getting drowned 50/50 each time you jump. But there is a way of balance. The great balance lies in between, with taking a calculated risk. That would be a way of life spending wise. And it seems it doesn’t only apply to having a bath, but even for investing and what not you do in your life.