Following our brief visit to Mannar Island in April 2010 we have set up a new retreat, we call Hibernation, for our hardy visitors. It is located in Pesali, a Catholic fishing village which has one of the largest churches in Sri Lanka. Rebuilt in 1999, the church has an image of Christ under a mosquito net and passion play is performed here every Easter using life sized dolls!

It is a beautiful place, untouched by tourism but, sadly, not untouched by the 26 year long civil war.  Tens of thousands of people were displaced and the area is still very much in need of serious infrastructure investment. Beaches are beautiful and the people very welcoming and offer every hospitality though there are no western standard facilities.

But we love it just like this:

Mannar is joined to the mainland by a causeway to the east and by Adam’s Bridge, a series of rocks and shallows, to India.  There are two theories about how Adam’s Bridge came to exist – so take your pick!

One story says Adam’s Bridge was made by an army of bears and monkeys who laid stones for the passage of Rama and his army when they came to Ceylon to rescue Sita from the demon Ravana. The squirrels helped in the work by rolling in the dust at either end of the bridge and shaking out their coats on the stone causeway until every cranny was filled up and made smooth.

The monkeys then tormented the squirrels to such an extent that they went and complained to Rama. Rama gently stroked them by the hand and left upon them their soft back stripes made by his fingers, which squirrels still carry to this day.

The other story shows NASA space images revealing the crossing to be man made because of its composition and curvature, thus proving that settlers arrived in Sri Lanka at least 1,750,000 years ago.

Whatever the truth, there is talk locally of making a modern bridge from Mannar but for now the only way is by fishing boat.

Fishing is the main source of work for the Tamil Catholics who live on Mannar. Below you see the day’s catch waiting to be gutted on the beach.

A kilometre north of  Talaimannar town is an old pier from which, until 1984, ferry boats crossed to India. And close by is a Muslim shrine, which legend says, is the burial place of Adam and Eve. Below is the pier.

And fresh lobster is a speciality!

If you would like to stay in our Hibernation -  quiet, unspoilt and absolutely spectacular – please contact:

Sid@theabodetrust.com  (in Sri Lanka)  or Sue@theabodetrust.com (in the UK)