Jonathan Livingston Kabaragoya*
Eco Village at Sunrise
We wake up together at dawn, each day, and watch the golden radiation of warm sunshine touch the far banks of the Dodanduwa Lagoon and paint the Gin Ganga in subtle shades of colours and hues. Feelings of serenity whisper voices of melancholy and weave Utopian dreams of parading solitude into our hearts and bring forth an awakening from a silent slumber across the skies. The aura invades the innermost crevices of our soul, with feelings from breathtaking beyonds, as my eyes survey the contours of this simple little heaven on earth lurking away in a corner, off the southern coast of Sri Lanka and referred to as Eco village to all commercial and traveller folks. The beautifully manicured lawn with its foliage feasting in the air emanates the human need for peace and contentment within ruffling showers that fill the flowers with the essence of fresh new fragrances throughout each day.
In this exotic environment of beauty and splendour, Jonathan, the silent Water Monitor spells out an ancient love story written by time and narrated through nature’s beauty from generation to generation. In so many ways Jonathan demonstrates his dignified demeanour and grace as he silently, and in all serenity, plays about on the bounteous land and washes his cares away in the silvery streams of the cool lagoon waters. His steadfast strength moves him on, surviving in a jungle called earth where financially oriented homo sapiens wait, watchfully, for
any opportunity to use him and his fellow creatures for power and profit. I watch him in awe, as he rustles through the dried leaves that have fallen from the great Kottang trees to the ground, overnight.
My friend Jonathan
Jonathan moves, gliding gracefully across the Eco Village lawn, six feet of sun kissed hide skirting the mangrove through the grass and sliding silently into the lagoon where he swims in deep delight amidst his fellow water creatures, hoping to catch his gourmet breakfast and relish it for the day. He then moves up to the surface, his watchful eyes skimming the water line, his webbed feet paddling gracefully beneath, his slithery tail swishing left and right, as he moves regal like a dugout canoe, and shows off to me how great his simple, yet beautiful life, plays out.
That is Jonathan, my Water Monitor friend, sleek in design, majestic in float, full of sense and sensibilities of life where his script is written by stealth, silence, shelter and satisfaction, which plays eternally on like rhythmic music, every single day and night, until eternity.
Walk through the Mangroves
The flora and fauna are plentiful at Eco Village, in Dodanduwa, where we spent a few fabulous weeks, on holiday in July 2005. The mangroves dip silently into the water, encircling the lake in its entirety providing a canopy of safety, security, and livelihood to the numerous creatures of God who share it as home. Live cranes, cormorants, storks, gulls and even hundreds of bats enveloping the skies at night, and an assortment of fish feeders linger in the vicinity of the Lagoon. Owls hoot, intermittently, at night breaking the still air into peals of wailing sound bytes. Sometimes, the silence is shattered by the screech of a “Did you do it” bird streaking off into a tree. Jonathan undoubtedly is the Head Prefect, strong in stature and rigid in his right, spectacularly prominent in his brown camouflaged coat as he moves, stealthily, in peace, comfort and harmony, amongst his dwarfed family.
I never saw him fight or squabble, no “Big Boss’ small fry divisions of ruling the proletariat. There’s enough fish for all in the majestic waters of the lagoon and Jonathan is very democratic, and, the bulk and the best of his wisdom is based on sharing, live and let live. The birds take their allocated slots in this ancient tableau of water and enjoy the gift of life undisturbed and uncomplicated, laced with an unselfish attitude that I clearly see as their daily bread, within their lives. Jonathan Livingston Kabaragoya rules the roost; he has not much to worry about, just a fish or two or even some insects, to relish and then stretch out and enjoy a quiet siesta in the afternoon, as the day passes and the shadows lengthen with the cloak of darkness approaching nigh. I see him moving stealthily away to wherever he beds for the night and I know I should not enter into his bedroom for mutual respect and gentlemanly privacy. That multiplied by 365 would be a year for him, but that too is of little consequence as he does not measure life by Gregorian or Hijri calendar squares hung on a wall.
I know he hasn’t invested or saved up any money in finance companies or big beastly banks, and has no idea, whatsoever, what world recession is. He does not care what Barak Obama plans for Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq, or where the G20 meets next to shake hands, lift up their drinks, and postpone world problems for another day. Little does he know of the Madoffs, Stanfords and Kotalawelas languishing behind cold grey bars for their short sighted selfishness and greed that has botched up this money chasing Universe into a chaotic mess. He has no wars to fight nor lies to read in print and does not worry about how gold and the oil barrel yo-yo’s in the world markets. He gives two hoots for Dow Jones, Nasdaq or Hang Seng. The widely transmitted Satellite news networks of CNN, BBC, MSNBC, AlJazeera, and even Fox never reach his domain, not for the want of a dish and
receiver but purely because he simply doesn’t care. He doesn’t have to worry about what Larry King, Oprah Winfrey, Dr. Phil or even David Letterman have to espouse in seeking to bring news, discussions, gossip, sensation, and laughter to inquisitive and petty minded human beings. To Jonathan, land is sacred, green is sacred, and water is sacred, and, I am sure he prays at the sacred altars of nature, a worthy worship sans the hymns, candles, drums, bowing, prostration and pageantry, simple to understand, gentle to live, and easy to believe. Yes, Richard Bach created the unforgettable Seagull and Elmo Jayawardena plagiarised the same to create his J L Pelican, after which I simply could not resist the temptation to go one step further and name my watchful Water Monitor friend in the same manner, all three Jonathans, far away from each other in remote corners of the planet. I am sure Bach won’t mind, there are people who sing from similar hymn sheets and policy a live and let live their faiths. No legacy to lawyer coffers and no prides for protection rights. No cops to be hassled by and no politicians to vote for. It doesn’t even matter what the weather people have to say today. Life should be simplified, could certainly be simplified and made truly liveable on this great piece of Mother earth.
My heart yearns to be able to pick a day from Jonathan, just one day, where I could wake up and trudge to some beautiful water heaven and enjoy a melodious moment watching the wind move the waves while a dragonfly flicks over the waterline. I would like to strut in peace with my fellow dwellers, eat fish and rice, a fruit or two, and see the slow roll of cartoon white clouds across a sheet of a clear blue sky. Maybe ask a Stork how he learnt to make his catch so spritely or tell a Cormorant his black is beautiful. Kermit the frog would probably retort with a, “grepep” before he smiles back at me and dives into the depths of the sparkling Lagoon? How delightful to engage in some peaceful chatter with all of Gods beautiful creatures to pass the time away.
Amidst the flowers and stone
Not in the least does it cross his mind that far away, in many distant places where streets are named after Wall and Dalal, and Bulls and Bears engage in mighty conflict through each passing day, there are those who seek to wear and display clothing, ornaments and footwear, made elegantly off the skin of his sun kissed back. Nor does he celebrate the many wonderful people who engage in vociferous campaigns, protests and marches against the trade in animal fur and hide.
And the sun rolls over to its zenith bringing a fresh lease of life everyday to every living species in and around the lagoon. Even the grasshoppers, with their bright little green trousers, make merry singing, hipperty skipperty high and low on the lawn, enjoying the summer fun as they watch Jonathan pass by.
Once a month the full moon rolls over, accompanied by the chanting of the monks on the island, in the middle of the Lagoon, their tingling bells resonating a pleasant melody, echoing across the water and then through the brush of the mangroves. Jonathan looks up and smiles. The light that the moon reflects suits him fine to seek his dinner. The sound of the bells don’t bother him one bit.
The lagoon and beyond
No doubt he has to keep an eye on the predators, both man and beast, who prowl around all day and night. Security is never lacking, not even in his neck of the woods. I watch in amazement as our eight year old grandson, Abdullah, chases behind him with a twig, staying a safe distance away for fear that he may turn around and bite. I wonder what goes on in Abdullah’s mind as he innocently wants to play with the lizard, another young and innocent simple human soul with fewer nqualms and issues in his heart and mind. How similar they both are in so many
ways, and yet, how different too? And how very diverse they will eventually grow up to become in this place we call home? Maria, our eleven year old grand daughter chooses to stay as far away from Jonathan as possible.
Rice and curry, Paradise style
The tranquillity that this place brings into human hearts cannot be fathomed unless one visits and experiences it at a very personal level. In real time, the appetising aroma that seeps from the kitchen that the owner, Abey, cares for so much with his able chef and assistant, must surely kindle Jonathans senses even though he knows he does not have access to any of it unless he manages to steal a scrap or two from the waste bins after dark. We relish the food and walk towards the water after the sun has gone down and watch the stillness of the night in
absolute awe. If you ever want to conjure up Heaven on earth then you must visit Eco Village before you depart.
Maybe I can change roles with my Lizard friend, borrow his lifestyle, if not all, at least some sediments, then maybe I too could have a better day, a better life and a better view of what’s around me, and learn the rudiments of how to appreciate living, sharing, and contentment? Thank you Jonathan Livingston Kabaragoya for opening my eyes, they’ve been closed for way too long.
Kabaragoya – Sinhalese for Water Monitor
