Vanishing features of Lankan life

Much attention on today’s LLRC report and tomorrow's budget Ranil gets showpiece post overseas, but faces showdown at home
By Our Political Editor
The fallout from the military defeat of Tiger guerrillas two and a half years ago reverberated many ways in this week's events. Main among them was Friday's majority High Court judgment where former General Sarath Fonseka was convicted and sentenced to three more years in jail and fined Rs 5,000. He was to serve a further six months if the fine was not paid. Earlier in the week, a senior US defence official used the "Galle Dialogue," an annual event on international maritime security born in the aftermath of the war, to warn Sri Lanka over human rights issues. Today, the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) is handing over its much awaited final report to President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Even a resurging crisis within the main opposition United National Party (UNP) has surfaced after the latest Fonseka conviction.read more.. ----------------------------------------------------- Sunday November 20, 2011

Story and pix by Susantha Liyanawatta

Knife-grinder P. Wilson laments that people rarely sharpen blunt knives or scissors these days

Bullock carts, 'parana-coat' men, local blacksmiths and 'thorombel' vendors are among the fading images of Sri Lanka. Bullock carts which once ruled the streets are hardly ever seen.
Today women do not wait for 'parana coat' sellers to exchange used clothes for household items. Thorombel vendors carrying fancy items, toys and household goods in small carts have become a rarity..

"Today peop

Today people do not wait for the parana coat sellers to exchange used clothes for household items

le opt for more convenient ways of purchasing. Instead they go to shops. They do not collect clothes and wait for us to come", says K. Nandasena, who used walk from house-to-house with plastics items to be exchanged for old clothes. P. Wilson, a blacksmith from Grandpass said, "This is a skill passed down from generation to generation. "But we do not have business anymore. A new knife or scissor replaces one that gets blunt," he said.

Bullock carts are a rare sight today