Suspicious rituals

I've been suspicious of rituals that permeate Sri Lankan life. It stems from a powerful lifelong inner conviction I've had since I was a child. The rituals around me - from dinner dances to school assemblies to pujas - were false, contrived, and manipulative. Deep down, I wanted nothing to do with them. So there …

Sri Lanka’s politicians are the problem NOT the solution

Sri Lanka's professional politicians are the cause, not the solution, to the country's current catastrophe. They must ALL resign from politics. We must end the idea of politics as a profession. All of which might be harder to swallow than we think. As a group, they made politics into a lucrative form of organised crime …

Person responsible for Sri Lanka’s economic collapse

I didn't wish him a happy new year. How rude of me. In Sri Lankan culture, every mess and mishap is someone else's fault. The natural thing to do is blame the culprit. Sneer and yell at their face. It feels good. So here goes. He failed to persuade people around me to stop repeatedly …

Pandemic in 2017 Sri Lankan Sci Fi novel

COVID-19 takes Yudhanjaya Wijeratne’s unnerving Numbercaste to another level of frightening. This quote from the book (pictured below) gives an indication of its uncanny ability to hint at future realities. The future Sri Lanka is shown as having a population of 15 million. The reason: ..Sri Lanka once was home to over twenty five million …

Road trips during a plague

Traveling for its own sake is an education. Making both the luxuries of privilege. Road trips in a time of a plague is madness. Besides getting sick, there are mountains of logistical barriers. Curfew passes, securing lodging, fuel, scared locals. The list goes on if you spend time worrying about it. If you have the …