The 'Doric Bungalow' at Arippu
Remembering the Gulf of Mannar Pearl Fisheries, and a Tribute to Their Divers...!
The so-called 'Doric Bungalow' or more simply referred to as 'The Doric' at Arippu East, located about 40 km south of Mannar Island, was once the home of the first British Governor of Ceylon: Frederick North (1766-1827), the 5th Earl of Guildford, in service for six years and 280 days.
In 1798, The Honourable Frederick North, later in life (1817) becoming the 5th Earl of Guilford, arrived in Ceylon. He visited Arippu a few times during the following years when the pearl fishery business was taken over by the British. By that time, Kondachchi, a tiny village south of Silavathura which later became popular due to the establishment of government cashew plantations, grew into being a centre of the pearl fishery.
Probably during one of his frequent visits to the place Frederick North had the idea of building a bungalow there. According to the 'Ceylon Government Gazette' of March 22, 1802 the governor himself laid the foundation stone of the Doric building on March 18 that same year. From then on it took almost two years to completely finish the construction; official records such as letters and minutes are suggesting it was almost ready by early 1804 (February 11). Governor North was able to stay in his new summer residence for the first time during the pearl fishery of 1804, as he was at Arippu for two months' time, from early February til early April.
In the history book 'A Description of Ceylon', written by James Cordiner (1775-1836) in 1807 the author mentions the building as planned by the Governor as well as he further provides a detailed account of the construction with a drawing made by him. The drawing shows the Doric columns rising on the front and rear porticos, which are no more available.
James Cordiner provides the layout plan of the building which can be traced even now. According to him and his writings, there were four small bedrooms on the ground floor and upwards stairs in the centre; two well proportioned rooms were on the upper floor. Though the upper floor is no more, the ground floor plan is very similar to the existing plan of the ruin. The building had a terraced roof over the upper floor, from where the entire area around could have been seen, hence providing an excellent place to watch the fishery activities on the sea. Even nowadays, from the top of the existing ruin, all of the surrounding area can be observed.
Due to the architectural style of its columns, the building was started being called 'The Doric', referring to one of the three principal orders of classical ancient Greek architecture, the other two being 'Ionic' and 'Corinthian'. Besides Governor North himself, a few of his successive governors, some government agents as well as other officials including the superintendents of the pearl fishery made use of the once splendid mansion by the sea.
Time showed off the ravages of nature on this building - sea breeze, harsh conditions, and simply negligence when the pearl fisheries came to an end. By the early 1900s, the upper floor was gone, and in the 1980s, the rear portico to the seaside became the prey of sea erosion.
