AUGUST 26: It's time for our final destination on the Sri Lankan tour - Colombo. The venue of the decisive Test. We have a last look at the inviting mountains from the Kandy hotel lobby, even as our driver Sanath waits patiently. And then we are off, with our mini-van making its way through the hill country. We stop at an elephant orphanage and what we see takes our breath away. There is a huge group of elephants at peace with the surroundings in a giant park. A lot of them are being protected from the on-going war in Northern Lanka that has left some of these beautiful animals under the distinct threat of getting maimed. We also see a lovely elephant without a leg, a victim of a land-mine in the jungles of Vavuniya. This is something that brings us face to face with Sri Lanka's harsh reality. Having spent almost a month in Colombo during the triangular one-day competition, it also seems a homecoming when we reach the Lankan capital. The staff at the Taj Samudra is delighted to have us back and we are also happy to be at a place that has a distinct Indian flavour about it.
August 27. In the evening we travel to Queen's Avenue, where the Deputy High Commissioner of India, Mr. Tripathi, has invited the Indian cricket team for a dinner at his palatial residence. The Indian media has been requested to attend too. One gets a chance to converse with Mr. Tripathi, who comes across as a man with refreshingly positive ideas. He talks about the significance of the revival of the Gopalan Trophy, the annual cricket contest between Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu, and hopes the competition would continue. He's also widely travelled in Lanka and dwells on those lovely, unspoilt beaches on the North-east coast, and the hotels in those areas that had to be closed down because of a war-like situation. And his wife Sibabrata Tripathi, is on hand to take personal care of the guests. It's a special evening.
August 28: On the eve of the all-important Test, both sides exude confidence. The Indian captain, with his personal form looking up, appears in better spirits too. Away from cricket, it's the 13th wedding anniversary day of The Sportstar photographer, N. Balaji, and Mohan Kumar, General Manager, Taj Samudra, orders a special cake to celebrate the occasion. All the Indian journalists are present when the cake is cut, and there is a special guest too: the Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya, who has a bite before he takes on off a social engagement.
August 29: The final Test gets underway at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground. There are not too many spectators around which is a pity. But the action on the ground in engaging. The Indians are ambushed by that man Muttiah Muralitharan again. At the hotel we catch up with the Indian team. They know they have blown a fine chance.
August 30. The taxi-drivers in Colombo are a talkative lot. They are keen to know more about the occupants of their cars, and often shed light on the state of affairs in the country. During the evening one got a chance to travel in the taxi of a Tamil Muslim, whose ancestors hailed from Tirunelveli, a bustling town in southern Tamil Nadu. Salim has never been to India, but would love to go there some day. The economic situation is bad in the country he says, and the political instability is not helping things either. The prices have climbed sharply, and the common man has been badly hit. It is the 'war' that has taken a heavy toll. This is indeed a testing period for Sri Lanka.
August 31: It is a special day in Sri Lankan cricket history though, with four batsmen scoring centuries in a Test innings. The Lankan cricketers are being encouraged by a group of battle-hardened men in one of the stands, some of them without hands, others without legs. They are the injured soldiers of the Sri Lankan army, another legacy of the 'war'. And during the tea break, Sanath Jayasuriya spends time in their enclosure. In the evening one catches up with Indian coach John Wright. He speaks about players having the right attitude and desire. He tries to mask his disappointment, but he can't. The writing is on the wall for India.
September 1: One of the features during cricket matches in Lanka is the presence of bands that can play lilting tunes, some of them Tamil and Hindi numbers. The crowds do not flock to the Test matches anymore in these parts, and the music makes up for the lack of atmosphere. One also marvels at the energy of the men playing the various instruments. They can keep going for hours, with very short breaks in between and we could see quite a few fans dance to the rhythm on the SSC hill. Even Test cricket requires a dash of colour, doesn't it? Meanwhile, the Indians are on the brink of a series defeat. After the high of Kandy, Colombo has been a shocking low for Sourav Ganguly's men. Though there were dark clouds around, even the rain gods were unwilling to come to India's rescue. In fact, this has been an astonishing tour in terms of the weather. Rain has always been a huge factor in Sri Lankan cricket, and one was perfectly aware that a huge chunk of our time might be spent writing weather reports. That did not happen. And thank god for small mercies!
September 2: With India six wickets down, we expect it to be a short day and, it is. The match is over 67 minutes after the start, and Muttiah Muralitharan is the Man of the Moment. The long tour has come to an end. We bid adieu to all our friends in the Lankan media who have been wonderful company all along. Later, in the evening, one interviews Muralitharan. He's such a lively, simple person. His family came down to Kandy from Tiruchi, a city in southern Tamil Nadu in the 40s, and looking back, that was a turning point in the Lankan cricket history as well. Still on history, one of the main attractions in Colombo is the 108-year-old Ganga Rama Buddha temple.
September 3: The Indian team leaves for home in the afternoon, and it has indeed been a tour of unfulfilled promises. Clearly time for some tough decisions to be taken. We finally have some time on hand and pay a visit to the famous Cricket Club Cafe in Colombo. Started six years ago on Queens's Road, a trendy Colombo suburb, this place is a must for any cricket lover. Housed in a little bungalow, the cafe has a rare collection of Cricket memorabilia, with a special section on the greatest of them all, Sir Donald Bradman. On display is an autographed bat of Sir Don, the willow he used in only the third Test of a glittering career. Also capturing attention is a bat with the signatures of Sir Don's Invincibles. There are original pictures of Sir Don's great innings, signed by the man himself, not to speak of the hat and tie worn by him. And there are framed newspaper clippings, capturing cricket in another era. Open the menu card and you have dishes named after the various cricketing legends. Look up and you can watch the videos of the famous duels of the past on the television screen. It's an extremely popular place in Colombo, especially with the younger crowd, and for James Whight, an Australian from Melbourne, now settled in Colombo with his wife Gabby, the endeavour has been well worth it.
September 4. After 50 days in the emerald isle. we leave for India. And we go back with happy images of people who have learnt to smile their way through difficult times, of a beautiful land that could appear even more spectacular if the violence were to end. Goodbye Sri Lanka, and thank you for the memories.
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