Tired feet dragged us on the ramparts. The sea breeze helped
to blow off the tiredness in body and soul. Down below, the ocean was throwing
wave after wave, relentlessly but unsuccessfully, at the rampart wall. In the
distance, the sun appeared as a large orange disk over the horizon. The ocean
was preparing to accept the sun under its protection for the duration of the
night.
The ocean was throwing wave after wave, relentlessly but unsuccessfully, at the rampart wall. (Pic by Sakuna Gamage) |
An individual is insignificant in this backdrop. People had
gathered on the rampart wall and the street below, which ran roughly parallel
to the ramparts. Many people, both locals and foreigners, had gathered to watch
the spectacle. These must have included a number of British and perhaps even
Portuguese and Dutch. Throughout the centuries that have passed, their
ancestors, and our ancestors, must have marveled at the same spectacle. Street
life has changed over these years, but the spectacle of the sunset has never
changed. Actually, with the increasingly restless lifestyle, natural spectacles
like the sunset must be even more magical to us than to our ancestors.
People gathered on the rampart wall to enjoy the sunset.
Parents had come with their children. Lovers walked slowly, embraced in the
comfort of the mutual attraction, which was accentuated by the cooling breeze
and the darkening skies. The robes of several Buddhist monks who had arrived
blended nicely with the orange hue of the falling sun. A cruise ship, which had
anchored in the out harbor, was switching on its lights, in anticipation of the
impending sunset. So were the street lamps and the headlights of the vehicles
down below in the street.
Our feet, commanded by the minds, refused to move on. The
scenery and the colors were so tempting. We sat down, away from the path, on
the dry grass on top of the rampart wall. People walked, birds flew, the crew
ship waited, lovers embraced, children ran and we all watched. All the while,
the sun went down and the lights came up.
The ocean was preparing to accept the sun under its protection for the duration of the night (Pic by Sakuna Gamage) |
The sun, the all powerful energy giver, had not really gone
hiding. All other light sources, which are insignificant flickers compared to
the red giant, exist thanks to it. At night, people forget that all light
originates from the sun, whether at night or day.
Missed the trip. Love the article.
ReplyDeletePerhaps next trip... :)
DeleteBeautiful! I had similar moments myself when I was in Lanka. I mean Sun sets over here as well but I saw the most beautiful sunsets in Lanka.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I remember you writing about Mirissa once. That was pretty inspiring.
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