I spent much of
the day reading the English translation of Martin Wickremasinghe’s Kaliyugaya!
It is such a good short read even in 2015 and explains in great detail,
psychology of people and some conflicts that even today are common in Sri
Lanka, due to ignorance and lack of observation of how to deal with pressures
of life, studies, affairs of the heart and a sense of duty, intermingled with a
true sense of values, to overcome some false sense of values that modern
society imposes on us.
That fact that
these books were written over a half century ago, and reflect views that can be
applied today, is a testament to the quality of the written word. I recommend
young people read these Sinhala classics in preference to some of today’s
novels to get a sense of understanding of the pressures all parents go through
in raising children in the way they believe is right, and which sometimes comes
into conflict with their own offspring’s perception of their parent’s rights
and wrongs!
Tomorrow will be
a reverse in reading Gamperaliya in Sinhala which was the first volume of the
Trilogy where Kaliyugaya is the middle one.
I have promised
Bharatha that I will be going there for lunch for new year, though I would
rather have been here relaxing, reading the books I was able to wean off
Issanka. In any case coming to Ratmale is relaxing, though today, I got the
devil into me when the local priest instead of leaving me a missed call, called
me 5 times, and in no way when I get so harassed do I wish to pick up. I should
tell him that I am taking one day off people hassling me for some favor, surely
cant that day be April 13th? Today was the death anniversary of
Dudley Senanayake, 42 years ago. Unfortunately it falls in the middle of the
Sinhala and Tamil New Year period every year.
The serenity of
watching Birds of Prey this afternoon having a good time, from Hawk Eagles to
Brahmini Kites and raising their chicklets peaking through the binos was a
sight that few can sit on their “Kavichchi” and enjoy. So it is simple
pleasures of the village that we must learn to appreciate and abhor drunken
louts who disturb the peace here with their noise. I wish one day, I can buy up
the land around this lake not owned by the state so I can enforce a no drinking
and no sound pollution zone, where people can enjoy some kind of meditation
from the worries of the world, as few people seem to appreciate only sounds of
the forest. I am now hearing this awful sound of crackers that we MUST ban, as
it is an ugly tradition to light crackers at each auspicious time of the New Year,
a very uncouth and uncivilized tradition that ALL ANIMALS who we pretend to
care for are completely blown out of their minds with concern!
The little rain
we enjoyed today, that did away with any sun, was also quite pleasant, as it
was weather for a t shirt and NOT just bare body, that adds to the pleasure of
staying here over this period, where Colombo is a miserably humid place, that
people tend to abandon with disdain for relief anywhere BUT.
Thank you Lord
for ending this traditional year with the pleasure of your company as
demonstrated by the book, the weather, the company and the minor
annoyance!
