Kandian separatist boycotts Colombo Bradby Shield for 60th time

If you got here looking for info on the 2008 Bradby Shield, Chaar~Max has the details and links to further analysis.  For there rest there’s this:

Successful Kandian separatist and former ruler of ‘Kanda-uda-pas-rata’ (the Five-Counties -in-the-Mountains’), King Wimala Dharma Suriya 1, will not be attending the Colombo leg of the Bradby Shield – according to a press release issued by his majesty’s temporal media relations office. The announcement ended the veil of secrecy around the former monarch’s annual attendance of the 1st leg of the biped Bradby Shield clash between Trinity and Royal in his native hill kingdom.

His excellency is one of Sri Lanka’s few globalised monarchs. He had a traditional and classical western (Portuguese) education. His travels from the hill kingdom included an extended stay in the multicultural melting pot of Goa. He used these experiences to consolidate the hill kingdom as a separate state outside the power of the governments in both Colombo and Sitawaka. He was also the first Sri Lankan monarch to successfully deploy guerilla and psychological warfare at a strategic level against the Portuguese empire.

His journey from Konappu Bandara the exile, to Don Juan the Portuguese officer, and eventually king of his home land is extensively chronicled in Gaston Perera’s sweeping historical novel “The Rebel of Kandy”.

Your Humble Correspondent was honoured with a brief audience with his majesty to inquire about His Royal Highness’s opinion of the book.

The audience took place in HRH’s suite at the Mahawali Reach just before the 1st leg of the Bradby. YHC was met by HRH‘s temporal media director – Ms S (a very fit looking person in an immaculate Kandian Sari). As we made our way through a hubbub of excited (and occasionally tipsy) Trinitians, Ms S made it very clear that questions about HRH‘s presence in the 21st century were strictly off limits.

The HRH‘s Suite was protected by more very athletic looking men & women in anonymous yet stylish safari outfits. They all wore futuristic sunglasses and ear pieces. No sign of weapons but there was a clear vibe that such things were always close at hand.

I was ushered to a low chair in HRH‘s presence as an aide finished whispering into his ear. HRH appeared relaxed in his traditional dress – almost identical to the famous picture of his meeting with Joris van Spilbergen. The only modern accessory being a Taug Hauger watch.

HRH was quite emphatic that:

1. he had not been party to the creation of Gaston Perera’s book
2. there have not been NO communication of any kind with the author by HRH and/or any member of the Royal court.

The book is clearly a work of historical fiction said his majesty in accent Portuguese. The author has clearly done his research and has captured the feel of the island in the16th century. The research is the launch pad for the more speculative elements of the book.

I asked his majesty if his distrust for low country rulers – whether Dharmapala & his controllers in Colombo or Rajasingha in Sitawaka – was still a factor in boycotting the second leg of the Bradby. Or perhaps he wanted to avoid the city where as a young man he had to make some wrenching personal sacrifices for the strategic long term goals of securing freedom for his people.

To be Continued (not going to happen)