Waligama : Matara

Weligama is situated at the southern corner of Sri Lanka, about 15 miles (24) Km from the historic city of Galle. Just half an hour's drive from Galle, along majestic coconut groves, brings you to the breathtakingly beautiful Weligama Bay. It is no wonder that the famous German scientist philosopher Ernst Haekel who in 1882 set up a marine zoological laboratory in Weligama called this secluded haven "Bella Gemma" the lovely gem and the pearl of Taprobane (another name for Sri Lanka) !
Besides the picturesque bay, Weligama is famous for an off shore islet where a French Count built his dream house, which stands to date as both a tourist attraction and an exclusive guest house. Weligama is  also famous for the beautiful sun-drenched beaches and the spectacular sight of stilt fishermen whom you will find nowhere else on the island.
Most of my childhood memories are associated with Weligama because for the most part I grew up in Weligama. Over some 50 years ago my father set up his photographic business at Weligama, and decided that the whole family should move in there so that we (four of us all brothers) can have better schooling. Accordingly, I had my primary school education first at Sidhdhartha Vidyalaya (school), and then at Sri Sumangala Vidyalaya, both till  to date are landmark establishments in Weligama. I studied at Sri Sumangala until I moved on to Rahula College, Matara, where I had my high school or secondary education before entering the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya. I can claim with pride that my late father's foresight to move his family to Weligama paid its dividends when I entered the prestigious University of Ceylon, Peradeniya, as the first ever person to do so from Weligama.
My sweet memories of school day adventures in Weligama are mostly associated with my schoolmates at Sri Sumangala. I remember to this day how an adventure trip to the Ganduwa island off the main land turned into a nightmare when I almost drowned in the attempt to reach the island by swimming across the shallow sea between the main land and the islet. However, in those good old days adventures were done together with your mates. Therefore, there was always help at hand and fortunately I was rescued. 

	SUNSET AS SEEN FROM A WELIGAMA BEACH
	A TYPICAL WELIGAMA BEACH SCENE
	FISHING BOATS PARKED AT KAPPARATOTA BEACH, WELIGAMA
	A UNIQUE AND BREATHTAKING SPECTACLE OF THE STILT FISHERMEN AT WELIGAMA
	A CLOSE-UP OF A STILT FISHERMAN IN ACTION AT WELIGAMA
	GANDUWA, THE OFFSHORE ISLET WHERE A FRENCH COUNT BUILT HIS DREAM HOUSE
	WELIGAMA HAS A HISTORY NOT UNEQUAL TO THOSE OTHER PLACES OF ANTIQUITY IN SRI LANKA. THE FAMOUS KUSTARAJAGALA IS A ROCK CARVING DEPICTING A BODHISATVA (POTENTIAL BUDDHA) AVALOKITHESWARA. THE ROCK CARVING DATES BACK TO SOME 1500 YEARS, AND IS SURROUNDED IN MYTH AND LEGEND
	A FULL PROFILE OF THE ROCK CARVING AT KUSTARAJAGALA, WELIGAMA

Although I have lived in England for more than half of my life, I make it a pilgrimage to visit my home town Weligama at least once a year. It is a pilgrimage for me because this (almost) annual return to my home town gives me the only opportunity to visit my parent's graves and pay my respect to their memory. This alone is rewarding enough for me to visit my home town Weligama, tucked away on the southern coast of Sri Lanka. If there is any other leisure, pleasure or beneffit to gain from visiting Sri Lanka, it is just a bonus for me.
Every time I visit this beautiful beach resort of Weligama,  memories of my childhood and early youth flood through my veins bringing fresh hope and expectation to life. The hum drum life of daily commuting from a suburb of London, and working in a vast metropolis called London condition anyone's life to a clockwork object barely alive. My yearly visit to Sri Lanka and my return to Weligama recharges my batteries in readiness for another year of stressful life in a materialistic European capital.  Weligama is rest, relaxation and re-habilitation for me. At least for a few weeks I turn my back to stress, tension, pressure and the rat-race. So, long live Sri Lanka! long live Weligama!!
Now that you are in Weligama click below for Parts 2 and 3 of my narrative for the IMAGES OF THE PRESENT and IMAGES OF THE FUTURE where you will meet my nephew Sajeewa and his family.