Fox Jaffna, tourist resort of hospitality, history, peace, and healing

Fox Jaffna celebrates cultural festivals as route to nurturing religious and ethnic harmony

Fox Jaffna General Manager Trevine Mottau

By Surya Vishwa 

How does one navigate a terrible past while capturing an essence of the beauty that existed prior to calamity and the hope that revolves around normalcy; where human beings reclaim their right to live, let live and co-exist while re-creating the joy of life.

To obtain an answer to the above one can visit Fox Jaffna in Kokuvil which has created an idyllic touristic identity for itself in the northern peninsula. This seems to be the only place in this country which has integrated tourism with recent history, transforming sorrow to hope. What was a war-time bunker has been transformed as a one-of-a-kind Vault Museum. Here are housed rare photographs capturing the diversity of the Northern Province while educating the visitor also of the 30 odd turbulent years. However, when one emerges out of the ‘Vault’ into the light of day, it is not with a dismal sense of animosity or pessimism but the direct opposite. 

The psyche of the Vault Museum that accompanied this writer was initially a sense of horror for drowning over three decades of a nation in bloodshed that lost to this country its tranquillity, and the precious lives of thousands of its Sinhala and Tamil youth. Yet as I ventured into the Vault a deep sense of reconciliation, faith and confidence prevailed, that Sri Lanka would never allow the ignorant nature of man to bury his mind in the abyss of racism ever again. The years of bloodshed is not shown in any of the photographs but evident briefly as part of the narration which accompanies some of the snapshots of Jaffna prior to its destruction.

This location in Kokuvil (as with many areas in the Northern Province) was alternatively passed onto the hands of the two sides engaged in battle, namely the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Military. 

Happiness and sorrow

The history of this idyllic premises, the extent of which is around 4 acres, traces its origin to when a house was constructed in 1908 following typical Sri Lankan Tamil architecture. This was the ancestral home of the family of R. Rajamahendran (Kili Maharaja) a distinguished Sri Lankan business personality. His forefathers may have enjoyed many a day of both happiness and sorrow here. Happiness as they experienced the salubrious peace that was the hallmark of Jaffna before the 1980s.

Sorrow as they grappled with the almost unimaginable reality that unfolded before them, with Sri Lanka being torn apart by ethnically rooted violence. In the ensuing mayhem, the Rajamahendran family, like many others in the North, vacated their home. They could have access to it only after the conflict ended in 2009. The decision to re-design and refurbish their ancestral home as a boutique hotel commenced around decade ago. It is currently managed by Sashi Rajamahendran who now heads the Capital Maharaja Group. 

The architectural heritage, replete with an interior garden (meda midula), unique to the Sri Lankan Tamil community is evident the moment one steps into Fox Jaffna.

The carefully arranged aesthetics of the Fox Jaffna resort weave a myriad of images that speak richly of tradition. The artistic inheritance of Sri Lanka is seen through paintings of doyens such as George Keyt which adorn most of the wall space. 

The resort is designed to include a set of well-spaced chalets totalling to 28 that have a more Western type of country house feel to it. These blend in harmonious contrast to the old-world-Northern charm of the two main structures of the ancestral house. At the entrance is the verandah, interior garden and frontage bedrooms. The next section of this heritage house is slightly further away, with beautifully landscaped trees, plants and shrubs coming in between. Passing the Foxtail palms and the diverse foliage one reaches a traditional fireplace, showcasing what an authentic Tamil kitchen, replete with sustainable reed, wood and clay made kitchenware of the bygone era looked like. After admiring this alluring masterpiece arranged by a member of the Fox Jaffna team, Sivarasa Sinthujan one enters the second part of the ancestral home. This section enfolds the kitchen and the larger dining area.

Underground bunker

The entrance of the home earlier described and this section is connected through an underground bunker (Vault). This legacy of covert habitation and sojourning began with the escalation of warfare. Underground bunkers were a common strategy of survival used by civilians as well as the two sides involved in armed combat to avoid being killed by the rain of bombs. This Kokuvil based home had been occupied both as a rebel and military base, at alternative intervals, the evidence of which exists on the walls upon which the now much faded Army menu hangs. 

The outer veranda dining area has a sign that reads as VAULT which connects the bunker route and then opens out into the garden. The bunker museum leads to the picture based narrative of the heritage of Jaffna. Although only using photographs that show the idyllic charm and quaintness of Jaffna, such as for example the wild horse sanctuary in Delft Island and the vicissitudes of the post and pre-colonial history of area, the Vault museum nevertheless captures a poignant sense of the aborted growth potential of the country and the humane cost of felled lives, the curse of the needless bloodshed the Sri Lankan citizenry was immersed in till 2009.  Amongst the heritage photographs on display at the Vault include the lighthouses linked to the Dutch occupation of Sri Lanka, then known as Ceylon. The photographs concerning the post-colonial development of Jaffna include those of the commencement of railway transport in Jaffna initiated in July 1900. The photographs of the palace of the last King of Jaffna, Sangiliyan, and his statue at the Muthirai junction on the Jaffna – Point Pedro road are also depicted in the Vault.

The Vault chronicles much more about Jaffna including its fishing culture, the legacy of Buddhism represented through the Nagadeepa legend in Mahavamsa which records that in 6th century BC the Buddha mediated a dispute relating to it between two Naga rulers of Nainatheevu. 

The history of Jambukolathurai Sanghamitha Vihara is also recorded in the Vault museum pointing out that Jambukolapattinam was the main ancient port of North of the country linked to the highway constructed by King Devanampiyatissa for the arrival of Sangamitha. The narrative also highlights that this location to date links the North and the South by attracting Southern visitors to the peninsula. Among the range of other attractions of Jaffna that are mentioned in this museum is the Nagapoosani Amman temple in Nainatheevu, one of the 7 islands of Jaffna, the Dutch church of Chakkotai, among the largest Christian churches in the region, constructed in the latter part of the 17th century, the iconic Nallur temple (Nallur Kandasamy Kovil), the Jaffna Public Library, the Naguleswaram temple, the Jaffna Clock Tower built to commemorate the visit of the Prince of Wales.

The beaches of Jaffna and the Palmyrah (Karpakatharu) tree also are honoured in the Vault museum which overall serves as a rare portrayal of the past, present and possibly future potential of Jaffna – celebrating all possibilities for tourism both local and foreign.

The pithy name of this resort is inspired by the foxtail palms that line the mango tree filled gardens which is a mix between a manicured horticultural treat to the eyes and a naturalized forest. 

Authentic Jaffna food

The hotel is popular for the fame it has earned for being a resort that serves authentic Jaffna food, and many expatriates living in Jaffna visit it almost daily for either lunch or dinner. Dinner is often served as a buffet. Chef Balan Puspendran, a maestro not only in the culinary range of Tamil heritage foods but also popular Sinhala dishes such as Polos curry and Ambul thiyal, is also an expert of dishes such as Watalappan, a dessert associated with the Muslim community. 

The Rasavali desert and the heritage Tamil traditional soup, Odiyal Kool made with seafood, vegetables and a host of spices reign here. Chef Balan notes that foods evolve and ‘rise’ up in hierarchical stature. For example, he explains that the traditional Odiyal Kool made with many varieties of seafood originated as ‘a food of the poor man’ where the Palmyra root flour is used for the thickening base alongside ingredients such as Jackseeds, and Manioc. Today it is the hallmark of the Tamil version of traditional gourmet.  Food has its own psychology, notes the Fox Jaffna Chef as he recollects learning about the range of food savoured by the Sinhalese from self-made culinary giant of the South, Chef Publis. 

“Food can never divide people. It can only unite. Recipes are created under many circumstances and denote the resilience of both the people and the land,” he states. 

“The taste of food differs not only due to the difference in choice of spices but also through the use of two kinds of oils. The Sinhalese use an abundance of coconut oil and the Tamils use large amounts of gingelly oil in their respective cooking. The Sinhalese use the spices separately; for example they put the turmeric, chilli powder, etc., each at a time. The Tamils combine and pound all the spices together into a powder and use as a common mixture in the curry. The end result denotes two kinds of tastes,” he explains. He points out that Tamils use tamarind akin to how the Sinhalese use goraka (garcinia) which adds to the differing taste of the curries of the two communities.  Balan Puspendran is from the coastal resort town of Pasikuda in Batticaloa and had started his career in the hotels in that part of the country.

His ability to speak English and Sinhala fluently is due to him working in renowned hotels across Sri Lanka including Habarana, Nuwara Eliya, Beruwela, Matara and Kandy and in a range of hotels in countries such as Seychelles, Fiji islands, Maldives and Singapore. He joined Fox Jaffna in 2021. 

Many Sri Lankan and foreign VVIPs and VIPs, both Sri Lankan and foreign, also dine here and often Balan and his team are personally congratulated on the food. One thing that does not escape the attention of anyone who visits Fox Jaffna is that the staff looks genuinely happy.  “Yes, this is a very important aspect of our management ethic,” notes Balan who has trained a team of around 10 young chefs so far. The main challenge that Jaffna faces in the tourism industry he explains is that youth migrate overseas when they have gained some level of expertise in any vocation.

Fox Faculty

“This is what Fox Jaffna is trying to change. We are embarking on the Fox Faculty that will provide tourism training. This will be initiated within the next six months where we want to encourage young people to develop their careers in the tourism and hotel industry while staying on in Jaffna,” he emphasises. Currently there is a hotel school in Jaffna run by the Tourism Board but a common pattern witnessed is that those who excel there migrate soon after. The aim of the Fox Faculty would be to change this.

While Fox Jaffna welcomes guests from all parts of the world, a majority of the visitors are from Europe, especially Germany, UK and France, states the General Manager of Fox Jaffna, Trevine Mottau. The spectacular manner in which Fox Jaffna is maintained is due to Mottau’s keen supervision. His courteousness to guests and his attempts to ensure that there are zero lapses in the quality of the rooms, pool and premises overall is one reason for the exceptional maintenance and service at this resort.

A Sri Lankan Burgher of Dutch ancestry and hailing from Wattala, Trevine had started his career at the Ceylon Inter Continental from 1989 and moved to Dubai in 1991, serving the top most hotels there for 27 years, including Dubai Hilton, Hilton Beach Club, Jumeirah Beach Hotel and Buj al Arab.

The city of Dubai, the most populous tourist hub of the country’s seven Emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates had exposed him to how a nation had to develop every tourist attraction anew – forests had to be created to enable jungle type adventures – and every possible avenue that would make the visitor connect with nature explored by careful establishment of the experiential backdrop. 

“Among the popular tourism sports of Dubai are the desert safaris and paragliding with the nation perfecting the art of tours to ensure that both the visitor and the Emirates benefits,” Trevine says.

He points out that while Sri Lanka takes for granted the lakes, waterfalls and rivers it has been bestowed by nature, which are highly vulnerable to pollution, that Dubai and the Emirates as a whole have painstakingly created.

“I have seen first-hand how much effort that country has contributed to its tourism and how a challenging arid landscape has been transformed completely and maintained pristinely,” emphasises Trevine. 

Revealing the unique visage of peaceful Jaffna

After returning to Sri Lanka he had joined Fox Jaffna in 2019 as Food and Beverage Manager and is now the General Manager of the hotel, playing a pivotal role for its image as a charming resort that reveals the unique visage of peaceful Jaffna. Trevine’s skill in enhancing team building is evident as is the job satisfaction of the staff. The staff working joyfully as they would do for their own home business, is owing to the management policies concerning salaries, perks and welfare schemes as well as the steps taken to appreciate the talents of every staff member, following the overarching ethic of the Capital Maharaja Group of Companies. 

“The staff receives bonuses, medical leave and annual leave as well as comfortable accommodation facilities. We have many internal team building events relating to sports and arts that help nurture the talent of staff enabling them to receive national and even international recognition.” 

“We have staff from Jaffna, Hatton, Batticaloa and Sinhalese also from diverse locations as well. The most important thing at Fox Jaffna is that we work as a team. We put much effort to see that the maintenance of the rooms and the entire premises are spotless. The staff here totals to 38 persons. We begin our day early. The chefs commence work between 4 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. so that they can have the breakfast buffet ready by 7 a.m. The rest of the team begin their respective responsibilities by 5:30 a.m.,” Trevine explains. Under the direction of Trevine and the proprietorship of Fox Jaffna, the hotel maintains a holistic national identity, colourfully celebrating cultural festivals. Being a Tamil owned establishment in a Tamil majority territory and occupied by many Tamil expatriate guests, obviously Thai Pongal is commemorated in a grand manner and Fox Resort lights up in colour. 

“Among our VVIP guests are the diplomatic community in Sri Lanka for whom Fox Jaffna is a key destination whenever they come to the North. We have had diplomats of many countries coming here with their families to spend their holidays,” he notes. All four acres that encircle Fox Jaffna are carefully looked after by a set of committed gardeners and the overall shade makes the pool very popular with especially the tourists from overseas. Trevine acknowledges that maintaining to perfection the 28 chalets is not easy. However, the entire staff seem to strive towards it hourly and make it a priority to attend to guest feedback on perfecting the service.

Meanwhile kindness and compassion seem qualities that extend here not only to people but also to animals as a small abandoned kitten and a lost dog which had wandered in were not thrown out but washed, cleaned and absorbed into the familial atmosphere. They seem quite popular with especially the foreign visitors. 

What Fox Jaffna has succeeded in is fashioning an atmosphere that makes it especially nice for the staff to work in, with Scotty Milroy who lives in Hatton describing it as ‘home.’

Sinthujan who hails from Trinco, the Housekeeping Supervisor is a past student of the Hotel School and had worked for two years in Dubai. Kabilan the Purchasing Manager is from Delft Island and D.S. Kumara, the Sous Chef, from Jaffna. 

We end this article with the words of Kabilan; “Jaffna is beautiful. Where my home is, the island of Delft is also very scenic. My wish is for places in Jaffna like Delft, which is famous for its wild horse sanctuary to become more known and developed especially in the lines of camping and home tourism so the people of remote Jaffna areas such as the islands here can improve financially.” 

Note: The tourism based vision and aspirations of the younger staff members of Fox Jaffna will be detailed out in the Weekend FT Harmony Page in the weeks to come for the purpose of encouraging youth to develop the country through the hospitality industry.