Tuesday, 13 May 2014 00:01
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Pix and text by Sravasti Ghosh Dastidar
Life is seldom at a standstill on the coral and granite ramparts of the 16th century Galle Fort. A stroll on the ramparts of other forts is rarely as fascinating as that of walking on the wall of Galle. The stones have witnessed many a story every day, since the Portuguese first built the fort, in 1588.
Under the watchful eyes of the Lighthouse, the Clock Tower, and the Flagpole, the tourists drink in the beauty of the rocky ocean and pose for mandatory photos against the backdrop of the Galle Cricket Stadium, the city of Galle, the town inside the fort and the sea; the regulars do their daily exercise or seek out a corner to play cricket or propose love. Some try to gauge the strength of the walls that withstood the onslaught of the tsunami, which devastated the rest of Galle.
The rampart helps the locals earn their living. A few peddlers peddle hand-woven lace and embroidered dresses. The snake charmers mesmerise children with their snakes and monkeys. As the bare-chested cliff-jumpers jump from the edge, of the 16 m high rocky wall, and plunge into the rocky sea, one wonders whether these means of livelihood are on the verge of decline.
Till then, the stony walls will continue to write their story along with that of the men, birds and animals who visit it.
