cream, finished off with chocolate sprinkles, Smarties, a wafer, and even jelly and fruit. The best part? It costs just Rs. 120 – but you won’t find this colourful creation in Colombo. It’s one of many concoctions you’ll find at the Rio Ice Cream Parlour in Jaffna.
The ice cream alone is reason enough to make the trip up North – if not the chance to do some exploring. This area had an irresistible appeal to most local travelers.
The first thing that will catch your eye once you reach the town is the Jaffna clock tower. It’s about 130 years old, and a landmark.
A short distance away is the Jaffna Fort. This was built by the Portugese in 1618 and was later renovated by the Dutch. It was the scene of many bloody battles, and was held by the LTTE for ten years before being captured by the Army in 1995. The Fort is being renovated, but parts of it are still pleasantly crumbling, including the entrance archway. Much of it is overgrown with grass, and sections have collapsed. From the ramparts, a view can be had of the Duriappah stadium, named after the Jaffna mayor who Prabhakaran himself
assassinated. Gleaming in the distance is the clock tower and the dome of the Jaffna library.
Everyone has heard of the 1981 burning, and so the Library gets its fair share of visitors. However, the library is only open for about an hour in the evenings (around 4.30 or 5.00 pm). Inside, you’ll find old maps, archived periodicals, and a wide variety of books- from Harry Potter to Tolstoy and sections of the Ramayana. The library is light and modern- there’s even a children’s section, complete with computers.
There’s no sign of the fire that ravaged it, though a picture on the wall shows the destruction. Careful with your footwear though- anything that isn’t a pair of Bata slippers could get stolen.
Built in 1749 AD, the Nallur Kandaswamy kovil is difficult to miss – it’s located about 1.5 kilometres away from Jaffna town. Its candy-striped walls are the first thing you see, and then there’s the tall, bright orange gopuram. Males wishing to enter the temple must remove their shirts. Going in, you’ll be given ash to rub on your forehead, and incense sticks to light. In the middle is a giant tank or pool. It’s a peaceful way to spend a couple of hours, and as a reward, the Rio ice cream parlour is right near by. At the time we visited, the town was preparing for a feast, so the walk to the temple was dotted with sweet shops selling brightly coloured candies.
Quite a walk from the temple, located not far from the Kailasanathar kovil on the Nawalar road is the Jaffna Archaeological Museum. This place boasts a set of whale bones and some old cannons from the Fort. Inside, are statues both large and small, reliquaries, a large (but peeling) portrait of Queen Victoria, and a wooden palanquin dating back to 1845 (it belonged to the Point Pedro district governor),
Tired of the town? Hop on a bus and visit some other well-known spots. You might have problems communicating if you’re not fluent in Tamil, though. Casuarina beach is about an hour away from town, and then a long walk (or a short trishaw ride) away. It’s infested with tourists now, and it’s not unusual to hear more Sinhala being spoken than Tamil. The water is clear and calm, but be careful- a peculiar kind of stinging fish lurks in these waters, so it’s best not to stray too far. It’s also not advisable to take any valuables, as there’s really no place to keep them on the stretch of beach, but not because of the residents- it was a rather intoxicated tourist who attempted to make off with our backpacks. For other excursions there’s Delft Island, home to two forts- one Portuguese and one Dutch built. To get there, it’s necessary to take a ferry from the Karikattuwan jetty.
Jaffna as a whole is hot and dusty. The stalls near the bus stands sell grapes, giant cartons of Nelli juice and wrapped pieces of jaggery. During the day, the town feels like any other bustling town. At night, however, things get quiet- and empty – pretty fast. There’s a lot to see and do though – so don’t let the long journey here put you off.