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The jungle story about How the Poor Cat Kept on Meowing

When talking about Dhamma Anuradha, it’s essential to mention the wild animal kingdom and the wildlife there.

This center is situated in the middle of the jungle, near a small village, surrounded by dense jungle flora. I was beyond happy to have finally arrived at the center and be able to enjoy some peace in nature after that stressful morning bargaining session and even earlier morning 4 AM departure from the capital of Colombo, where I found myself locked in the hotel.

house, thick greenery, the jungle and sunset

Well, here I was, surrounded by the marvelous sights of thick greenery, tall coconut and banana palm trees, bushes, and charming small red sand paths. This was a completely new visual experience for me, and I was enjoying every minute of it.

These vivid visuals were accompanied by the most spectacular audio effects. It was a proper wildlife soundtrack, with sounds that seemed almost structured and scheduled, as I came to notice a few days into the course.

Coming from Europe, this was my first time visiting a tropical island, and both the visual and auditory impressions often left me in awe.

Oftentimes it felt like being inside a National Geographic documentary…

You might ask:

How come scheduled? What do you mean by that?

A Symphony of Sounds and The Early Morning Concert

Well, the jungle jukebox was switched on in the early morning hours. When dawn started to wrestle with the night and was finally overpowered by the sun, it became quite intense and is certainly not a quiet affair. This was the time when our first meditation sessions took place, between 4:30 and 6:30.

I could hear everything happening outside the hall in all directions, including above. The Dhamma hall at this center doesn’t have any windows, only strong mosquito nets covering the window openings. Surprisingly, despite my sensitivity to sound, these noises were not annoying and did not interrupt my practice.

On the contrary, everything felt right and blended perfectly with the surroundings and the energy of the place.

Every day, about 10 or 20 minutes into this early-morning meditation, a majestic free concert had been given. Nature wanted to let us know that she was waking up too.

Countless birds sang their rise-and-shine song while chatting with each other, having what seemed to be the time of their lives. They had to update each other on all the novelties of the previous night. In the midst of this bird chatter, the cat woke up and started to meow so loudly that I almost felt sorry for the poor thing.

This meowing was very distinct and caught my attention a few times early in the course. It was persistent and strong, but it eventually blended into the atmosphere.

feeling happy in my own jungle story somewhere in Sri Lanka

As a rule, out of the blue, I heard the explosive sound of several pairs of paws landing on the roof. These paws sprinted the entire length of the thin rooftop and jumped off the other side. For me, sitting beneath this roof inside the hall, it felt like the echo of a raging mini-tornado. I’ll never know for sure, but my best guess is that these were probably monkeys doing their morning fitness routines. Dogs, with their barking, frequently joined this concert, and yes, that poor kitty-cat kept on meowing.

Eventually, the morning jukebox selection came to an end. It all became more tranquil as the animal chaos chilled down a bit, and the creatures went on with their everyday affairs.

The need for a morning wake-up call was gone. By now, everyone in the neighborhood was awake and ready to start the day.

Spot: Green Parrot

Peacock

Chipmunk

So I knew how they sounded very early on. But how do they look? After spending some time in the center, these mighty creatures eventually, willingly or unwillingly, started to present themselves.

The Wildlife Parade and Continuation of a Jungle Story

Gray and brown monkey clans were always in family groups, playfully cleaning and taking care of each other. Two cocky royal-blue peacocks usually walked through the center together, but sometimes they were alone. Occasionally, they showed off and opened their majestic, eye-catching tails. Colorful birds and chatty parrots jumped from one tree branch to another, trying to catch up with the latest news. Chipmunks, with their fluffy white-striped fur coats, were always on the run for food, and so were the hairy, restless mongooses. This wild kingdom would not be complete without a bunch of well-behaved stray dogs, chilling under some bush or in the shadows of the building complex, waiting for a kind human to throw them some food.

Among all these animals, I was especially happy to see the mongooses, known for their fierce attitude towards snakes, which often end up on their plates as afternoon snacks.

Hence I felt pretty much safe as long as they were around.

Were there any snakes? Are you afraid of them?

Well, I’m not afraid of animals in general, but an adult snake would certainly make me uncomfortable if I were to meet it face to face—or rather, face to fangs. I can disclose, though, that I did encounter a snake while at the center. More on that jungle story about the animal kingdom – the indoor edition – in my next post!

The Mysterious Cat

Believe it or not, I even got a chance to see that mysterious cat! Once, I heard the meowing within close reach. Despite the fact that one should be entirely focused inward during the course and ignore all the happenings around, I couldn’t help but follow the sound. I’m a human being, after all, and this cat was just too persistent. I wanted to know what was going on.

After catching the sound of a cat’s meow and detecting the direction, I started to follow it. It led me toward the Dhamma hall, where I was meant to go anyway. The kitty-cat was very clear now; it was just a few steps away. I slowly approached, so I wouldn’t scare the poor cat, and looked around the corner, expecting to see this poor thing, only to realize I had been wrong the whole time!

You might imagine the confusion on my face when, instead of a small poor kitty-cat, a big majestic blue peacock with a sharp beak stared back at me!

It was obviously interrupted, so it stopped “meowing.” Peacock became perfectly clear now why this sound was so strong and loud. It was not one of a poor kitty-cat.

Mighty Cocky Peacock

New Skill Unocked: Identifying Wildlife Sounds

My dear friend, now you know. I have been in Sri Lanka for quite some time, so by now, my ears can clearly distinguish the sound of a cat from that of a peacock. The latter even honks a bit before it starts its chatter.

But I swear, if you hear a peacock for the first time in your life, your ear—or rather, your brain—will associate it with the most familiar sound. And that sound is like a proper cat’s meow.

I did not encounter any elephants or leopards at the center, but I did when I went on a wild safari, but this is a jungle story for some other time. Well, to be completely honest, I did once notice prints of pretty big paws—bigger than those of a dog—at the center, but it was hardly enough to claim I encountered a leopard…

With all the green love 🫶

T.

Now please, let me hear your jungle story. Do you have any? Or, tell me - are you familiar with the sound of a peacock? Did any other animal surprise you with its sound? Let me know in the comments below, would love to hear about your experience!
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