“On Sri Lanka’s Coastal ‘Highway’: Grandpa Kandiah Thillai with His Grandchildren” / Part 01 [Original in Tamil 'கதை - 187 / 'இலங்கை கடற்கரை “நெடுஞ்சாலை” யில் தாத்தா, கந்தையா தில்லையுடன் பேரப்பிள்ளைகள்']

Part 01 – From Ottawa to Jaffna

The very first “beachcombers” were none other than early humans in Africa. Wandering along the coasts and living off the sea’s abundance, they slowly spread from Africa into Asia, Australia, and eventually the rest of the world. Thus, history remembers the seashore as humanity’s first great “highway.”

Perhaps it was for this very reason that Grandpa chose to begin a grand tour of Sri Lanka with his Canadian-born and -raised grandchildren in August 2025, following that ancient, glorious “highway.”

On August 11, 2025, three little explorers—Grandpa Kandiah Thillai’s grandchildren, Jaya, Kalai, and Isai—boarded a plane in Ottawa, Canada. Flying through Germany, they finally landed with their grandfather on the soil of Sri Lanka.

“Ah! It’s so hot here, Grandpa!” exclaimed Jaya, fanning her face the moment they stepped outside Bandaranaike International Airport.

“That’s because this is the tropics, my dear. The sun here is a little more mischievous than in Canada,” Grandpa laughed.

Among the world’s most captivating sights is the seashore. No one is untouched by its charm—children and adults alike love the beach. And so, with a hired van and a friendly driver, they decided to spend their first two days in Colombo, the seaside capital. Their hotel faced Galle Face Green, which had been laid out in 1859 by Sir Henry George Ward (1797–1860), then Governor of British Ceylon.

The cool sea breeze, the gentle waves, the playful cries of seabirds, and the soothing rhythm of the ocean washed away their jetlag and fatigue, while giving the children a joyful welcome. Grandpa had chosen the place with care.

On August 13, they set off again in the same van, heading toward Jaffna by way of Dambulla. When the children saw the glittering golden statues of the cave temples, they gasped in awe.

“This feels like a storybook cave!” Kalai exclaimed breathlessly.

But as they passed Dambulla, Grandpa’s face grew somber. Jaya noticed and tugged at him.

“What’s wrong, Grandpa?” she asked.

He explained gently:

“For many years, the only Tamil Hindu temple along the Kandy–Jaffna A9 highway stood here in Dambulla—the Badrakali Amman Temple. It was attacked multiple times under the leadership of Buddhist monks, and finally, on October 28, 2013, it was demolished completely. Yet, within the ancient Dambulla Golden Cave Temple, four sacred statues remain—even two Hindu deities, Vishnu and Vinayagar. That is a historical truth.”

She listened carefully. Grandpa added that this place was once called Thampalai and was ruled in the 10th–11th centuries by the great Chola emperors, Rajaraja Chola and Rajendra Chola.

That night, they finally reached the coastal city of Jaffna—Grandpa’s own childhood and youth’s home. They stayed at a hotel near Athiady, his birthplace. Behind that very station lay Athiady, the neighborhood where Grandpa, his mother, and his siblings were born and raised with pride.

It reminded him of a song by poet Sathees:

Though we leave our homeland to live afar,

The fragrance of Jaffna soil never leaves our hearts.

Come, let us board the Yaal Devi train,

And speak in the language of our souls.

For the people of Jaffna, the sounds and bustle of the Yaal Devi train were woven into daily life—there was hardly a day without them.

Nearby also stood the home of Arumuga Navalar — praised as the giver of Tamil and Saiva tradition. Today it is known as the Navalar Mandapam. Grandpa pointed it out fondly—it lay just half a mile from their hotel, behind the site of his old family home, where he had once played as a boy.

Jaffna town itself spread around the fort, the market, the hospital, the bus and railway stations, and the main roads. In North American terms, one could call it the “downtown” of Jaffna. Amidst the taller buildings, palmyra palms stood proud and scattered everywhere.

That night, Jaya and Kalai marveled at the city glowing under the lamps, while little Isai had already fallen asleep in Grandpa’s lap.

Pulling Jaya and Kalai close, Grandpa explained:

“The palmyra tree sways fiercely in the storm, but unlike the reed, it does not bend to escape. It prefers to break rather than bow. In the same way, when hardship and suffering come, the people of Jaffna take the palmyra as their example—facing adversity with courage, resilience, and unyielding determination.”

And so, in his heart, verses bloomed like the Jaffna sun:

Golden sun in the open sky,

Palmyra’s lullaby swaying high,

Parrots singing sweet delight,

Jaffna’s music fills the night.

It clings to every soul and ear,

Sprouting love and culture dear.

Step outside and you will find,

Goats and cattle by the roadside,

Children’s laughter, Tamil’s song,

Palmyras rising proud and strong.

Memories that touch the heart,

Never from our lives depart.

Kandiah Thillaivinayagalingam,

Athiady, Jaffna

Part 02 will follow

“On Sri Lanka’s Coastal ‘Highway’: Grandpa Kandiah Thillai with His Grandchildren” / Part 01 [Original in Tamil 'கதை - 187 / 'இலங்கை கடற்கரை “நெடுஞ்சாலை” யில் தாத்தா, கந்தையா தில்லையுடன் பேரப்பிள்ளைகள்' ]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/978753388866632/posts/31664470166534885/?

“On Sri Lanka’s Coastal ‘Highway’: Grandpa Kandiah Thillai with His Grandchildren” / Part 02 [Original in Tamil 'கதை - 187 / 'இலங்கை கடற்கரை “நெடுஞ்சாலை” யில் தாத்தா, கந்தையா தில்லையுடன் பேரப்பிள்ளைகள்' ]




Part 02 – Nallur Festival



“Roosters crow across Jaffna. Dawn is breaking. The sun blazes. Koels sing. The fragrance of white jasmine spreads everywhere. What bliss it is to wake in this paradise! And what supreme joy to watch the setting sun in the west, framed by the ‘shadow-paintings’ of palmyra trees! Then, in the fading twilight, to sip quickly the nectar of the palmyra—that delight is beyond words!”


Grandpa murmured these lines to himself as he gazed out of the window in the early morning.



This was the season of the grand Nallur Murugan Temple Festival. Jaffna was alive with lights, the pealing of bells, the rhythms of drums, and the scent of incense. Saffron flags fluttered in the sky like tongues of fire.




On August 15, 2025, the 19th day of the annual festival—the sacred Karthigai Festival—Grandpa and his grandchildren, dressed in traditional attire, joined the great throng. That evening, Lord Murugan, with his consorts Valli and Deivayanai, appeared in procession upon the silver peacock chariot.




The veshti reveals our culture,
The white cloth that many wear.
Though fashions change with passing years,
At festival hours the veshti shines!



Learned scholars, humble folk,
Tie it on with equal pride.
With the angavastram on their shoulder,
They walk in dignity, side by side.




For Jaya, Kalai, and little Isai, this was their very first time experiencing such a colorful and deeply spiritual festival in the land of their ancestors.



Just before the chariot procession began, the children surprised everyone—they wanted to carry kavadi!



“Grandpa, can we also take kavadi?” Jaya asked, her eyes shining.



“You are still little, dear ones. Kavadi is heavy,” Grandpa hesitated.



But soon, priests and helpers brought forth smaller kavadis decorated with peacock feathers and flowers, especially for children. The crowd clapped, and the children’s faces glowed with delight.




Kalai placed the kavadi on his shoulders and cried out:




“Muruganukku Arohara! … Kandhanukku Arohara!”



Little Isai, the youngest, tried to balance his kavadi with both hands, his small feet trembling as the crowd watched with affection. Though his legs shook, his heart danced to the drumbeats.




Jaya, moving gracefully to the rhythm of the temple drums, danced with natural expressions, as though a golden garland itself had come alive. Her anklets jingled in divine harmony, making her look like a little devadasi of Murugan. Kalai, with eyes like blooming flowers, spun and clapped like a master of the tavil, circling round and round in joy.




Lift the kavadi and dance, O child,
Bow your head and sing, O soul.
Kumaran who clears our sins—O Lord,
We seek your feet each day.




See the Six Sacred Shrines, O heart,
Hear the solace they bring, Om!
Chant the mantra “Saravanabhava”—
Its wisdom burns away all deeds.




Then, as the golden Vel chariot—pulled by hundreds of devotees—emerged from the temple, the entire atmosphere shimmered with sacred light. The tropical evening air was heavy with the fragrance of jasmine, camphor, and incense.



“I wish I could stay here forever, Grandpa. It feels as though Murugan is smiling at us,” whispered Jaya.



“When I grow older, I will join the men and pull the chariot!” declared Kalai.



And Isai, bouncing with joy, shouted: “Amma… Ice cream!”



Everyone burst into laughter. Even amidst divine devotion, the innocent yearning of a child for ice cream revealed the simple sweetness of life. No wonder the crowd loved it!




Pointing to the decorated deity, little Isai cried out, “Shining God!”


“Yes,” Grandpa explained gently, “this is Lord Murugan, the Tamil God adored in full decoration—Alankara Kandhan.”



But Kalai tugged at him, insisting: “Grandpa, Grandpa… tell us a Murugan story!”




👴 Grandpa: “Do you want to hear the story of Nalluran, Murugan?”


👦 Grandson: “Yes, Grandpa! Please tell us Murugan’s story!”


👴 “One day, Sage Narada brought a golden mango to Lord Shiva. To decide who should eat it, a contest was held.”


👦 “Who joined the contest?”


👴 “Only Murugan and Ganesha.”


Isai giggled: “The one with the big belly who loves modakam?”


👴 “Yes! Lord Shiva declared, ‘Whoever goes around the world three times may have the mango.”


👦 “What did Murugan do then?”


👴 “He mounted his peacock and flew around the world with speed!”


👦 “Ha ha! That peacock must have flown so fast! Poor Ganesha on his little mouse!”


👴 “But do you know what Ganesha did? He thought, ‘For me, my mother and father are the world.’ So he circled Shiva and Parvati three times.”


👦 “Oh! That was true wisdom!”


👴 “Exactly. And so, Shiva happily gave the mango to Ganesha.”


👦 “Then Murugan got angry?”

👴 “Yes! He left on his peacock in anger and went to Palani Hills, saying, ‘From now on, I will stay here.’”

👦 “Ha ha! Even Murugan gets angry for small things, like me!”

👴 “😄 Yes! But even in his anger, there was love. That is why Murugan is always the favorite deity of children.”


Around Nallur, sweet stalls overflowed with delicacies.

“I can’t eat any more laddus!” groaned Kalai, his cheeks puffed like little drums, making everyone laugh.


On August 18, 2025, with memories of Nallur, Idaikaddu, Thondaimanaru, Pannai, and Pungudutivu still glowing in their hearts, Grandpa and his grandchildren set out from Jaffna toward the eastern coast of Sri Lanka.



Kandiah Thillaivinayagalingam,
Athiady, Jaffna



Part 03 will follow



“On Sri Lanka’s Coastal ‘Highway’: Grandpa Kandiah Thillai with His Grandchildren” / Part 02 [Original in Tamil 'கதை - 187 / 'இலங்கை கடற்கரை “நெடுஞ்சாலை” யில் தாத்தா, கந்தையா தில்லையுடன் பேரப்பிள்ளைகள்' ]
https://www.facebook.com/groups/978753388866632/posts/31682708958044339/?

வணக்கம் @kandiah Thillaivinayagalingam ,

யாழ் இணையம் தமிழுக்கு முதலிடமும் முன்னுரிமையும் கொடுக்கும் தளம் என்பதால், உங்கள் சொந்த ஆக்காமாயிருப்பினும் கூட, முற்றுமுழுதான ஆங்கில பதிவுகளை இணைப்பதனை தவிர்க்கவும்.

தமிழ் மக்களுக்கு தேவைப்படும் ஆங்கிலத்தில் அமைந்த செய்திகள், செய்திகள் தொடர்பான கட்டுரைகள், விவரணங்கள் போன்றவை - அது எம் சமூகத்துக்கு நன்மை பயக்கும் நோக்கத்தை கொண்டிருப்பின் யாழ் திரைகடலோடி பகுதியில் இணைக்கலாம்.

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