Sarath Samaranayake's Official Blog: October 2014

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

- Mark Twain

Oman is a country filled with natural beauty and wonderful creations of nature. Among those significant creations of nature, Wadi takes a special place because, in a Wadi, one can see a stream of crystal clear water flowing slowly through a gorge towards a valley surrounded by a range of mountains. Wadi (Arabic: وادي‎ wādī) is the Arabic term traditionally refers to a valley. In some cases, it may refer to a dry (ephemeral) riverbed that contains water only during the times of heavy rain or simply an intermittent stream (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wadi).

In Oman, there are a number of Wadis which are quite famous among local and expatriates who are fond of visiting them with families or friends during holidays. Most people would naturally like to visit quite famous Wadis which can be reached easily by a car or a four wheeler and avoid least famous ones. Wadi A’ Zaimi in Liwa (one of the provinces in Al Batinah North governorate) in Oman is such one which is not mostly visited by either local or expatriates in Oman since it is not accessible with ease. The main barrier which lies before any visitor to this particular Wadi is the paved road with bitumen. The paved road which runs from Liwa ends at a small hamlet called Rissa and from there a gravel road (a track) runs through the desert plain teemed with gravel. By a normal car, you can go up to this village and then you need a four wheeler to reach A’Zaimi Wadi.

This is the end of the paved road which branches off Liwa from the main highway. From here to A’ Zaimi valley, the road goes through a semi-desert area.

During Ed holidays, on 6^th of October, 2014, a group of lecturers including me decided to visit Wadi A’ Zaimi as an expedition. Our group consisted of four lecturers and from the department of English at Shinas College of Technology, Oman. One of our lecturers’ son (Asnath) also joined us so all together our group comprised of 5 members. Mr. Asif, an English lecturer offered us a ride in his car. We started around 8.40 a. m from Aqr (is a small town situated in the region of Al Batinah) and drove along the highway up to Liwa and then tuned to right and continued our journey along the road until we came to a junction. We waited for some time until a car came and got directions to the place we wanted to get to.

https://www.google.com/maps/@24.8062966,56.4384468,2716m/data=!3m1!1e3

By accessing the above URL, you can locate Aqr in the map.

On either side of the road, well-grown date trees could be seen. However, the area we were passing through was found to be thinly populated and desolate. After driving a considerable amount of time, we came to a small restaurant where we stopped to refresh ourselves by drinking some water. In the hotels we found some Bangladeshis who were having breakfast. One of my friends, Mr. Basit who is also an English lecturer from our college, began a conversation with Bangladesh people and got to know all information such as the distance from there to the Wadi and how much time it might take to get there. While discussing, those Bangladesh people revealed that the road would end at Rissa and from there we need to go by a four wheeler since the road is not carpeted. Moreover, in the valley, they said that there is a very famous tree where people go to make wishes. “If you make wish by standing under that tree, you wish, whatever it is, will come true”

This is the junction where we stopped our car to ask someone for directions to Wadi A’ Zaimi

With this information, some of our colleagues became so interested to see this tree that we all decided to go and see this specific tree however much the journey was arduous. Furthermore, those friendly people said that we would be able to hire a four wheeler because there are locals who are used to doing that. With renewed interest, we got into our car and started our journey along the road that was meandering through bare mountains and finally, we came to Rissa and began to look for someone who could take us there.

On either side of the road, what is visible is nothing except this kind of land formation.

This is the place from where you need to hire a four wheeler to get to Wadi A’ Zaimi. The sign board erected at the end of the carpeted road says A’ Zaimi is 14 Km. Asnath is inquiring from a local person if there is a possibility to hire a four wheeler from Rissa to Wadi.

Luckily, after a few minutes, we were able to contact a local person who agreed to take our group in his four-wheeler to Wadi A’ Zaimi. Once our journey stated, we were overjoyed at what we could see on our way. Gradually, the plan began to disappear and we found our vehicle was going up a very steep hill in a very narrow read. To one side, is a towering cliff and to the other is a steep precipice which reminded me the death road of Bolivia. In a video, I watched how drivers take risks in driving across the death road. But our local person was a seasoned driver and driving in such a gravel road was a simple thing for him. Once our climb to the apex of the hill was over, our vehicle began to descend slowly. While climbing down, although we pretended that we were not feeling afraid, it was later found that everybody in our group felt a sense of panic. After about 45 minutes’ travel, we were taken to the tree of wish (See photo below).

This is the tree where people go to make wishes.

The scars of the bark are the nail heads which have been driven into the tree by devotees.

These nail heads testify how many devotees have come here for making wishes up to date. We left the tree with the wish that should continue to grow bigger and taller so that it can accommodate more and more visitors and devotees to make their unending wishes in the years to come.

This tree has grown up to 30 to 40 feet in height and its circumference is nearly 15 feet. When we got closer to the tree, we found that its bark has been hit with various types of nails. Close scrutiny of the trunk of the tree revealed that people who come to make a wish at the tree are used to hitting nails. Some of our colleagues, who were able to find a nail that had been left by someone, could hit one or two nails into bark of the tree. I wonder whether they made any wish. We spent nearly 30 or 40 minutes in and around the tree but no one came to the tree to make a vow or wish.

According to Wikipedia, a wish tree is an individual tree, usually distinguished by species, position or appearance, which is used as an object of wishes and offerings. Such trees are identified as possessing a special religious or spiritual value. By tradition, believers make votive offerings in order to gain from that nature spirit, saint or goddess fulfilment of a wish. This introduction to a wish tree seems acceptable in several ways because the man’s association with the nature has a long history. This kind of practice among people is found in many countries irrespective of their geographical location. In many Asian countries, Banyan tree has become not only a wish tree among Buddhists and Hindus but also one of the most venerated trees in countries like India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Thailand. It has the ability to survive and grow for centuries and is often compared to the shelter given by God to his devotees In Hindu mythology, the tree is called Kalpavriksha, the tree that provides fulfilment of wishes and other material gains. It symbolises Trimurti - Lord Vishnu is believed to be the bark, Lord Brahma the roots, and Lord Shiva the branches The Banyan tree is mentioned in many scriptures as a tree of immortality. Its aerial roots grow down into the soil forming additional trunks and are therefore called Bahupada, the one with several feet. It symbolizes longevity and represents the divine creator, Brahma (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Significance-of-the-Banyan/).

Another picture of the tree

We next explored the A’ Zaimi valley which extends a vast area with no human settlement. Only a few families do live there even though the most precious natural resource (water) is available in plenty the year round. A few vegetable farms are to be seen among the lush grown date groves in A’ Zaimi valley. On our way back from A’ Zaimi valley to Rissa, we came across a number of streams full of clean water that flow down irrigating the desert land. On our way back to Rissa, we had to travel up steep mountains which offer panoramic views of A’Zaimi valley. Our return journey from A’Zaimi valley to Rissa took less time than our trip from Rissa to A’Zaimi valley because on our return journey, we came from another track which the driver told us shorter. Around 1.30p.m, we could arrive at Rissa and bade good bye to our Omani friend and started back our journey from Rissa to Aqr in Asif’s car. All of us enjoyed the excursion as it was a thrilling and memorable experience we have had in our life.