Can This Soup Be Re-Cooked Anew?

By Kusal Perera -July 14, 2014

Kusal Perera

Me with Dr. Udan Fernando were on a long haul to a remote area beyond Kurunegala and on the outskirts of Anuradhapura district, spending time from Friday afternoon, till Saturday afternoon. Roughly about 20 hours in all. A 65 rupee bus ride takes one to this area from Kurunegala town. The ordinary villager there does not often travel to Kurunegala. The closest town and the turn off is Madagalla, beyond Ibbagamuwa, if travelling to the area. The 40 mns drive from Kurunegala, passes through patches of Muslim resident areas seemingly peaceful and co-existing with large and densely populated Sinhala areas for many generations gone by.

This Divisional Secretary’s office of Polpithigama with 82 “Grama Niladhari” divisions, has an exceptional promise for residents on service delivery. Its official website last updated on 30 June, 2011 says, for those who wish to apply for the national identity card, “countersigning of residency certificates” is done within 03 (not 05) minutes. If relevant application is tendered for “dry rations”, the card is issued in 10 minutes. A license to transport animals is issued in 30 minutes and if recommended by the Excise Department, a liquor license is issued in just 02 hours. There are plenty other services that are done, or at least said to be done in 02, 03, 04 hours and some in 01, 02 or 03 days.

That possibly is “virtual life” of Polpithigama. For it is accepted by many in Kurunegala as the worst complicated and degenerated division in whole of their district. That being one major reason for the two of us to roam the area. Just to see what really ails there, more than what we have seen and heard, elsewhere.

Saturday was “Esala poya” holiday and therefore a completely dry day, officially. Esala poya in the area had many “Dan Selas” (free alms giving centres organised by local communities). We passed a “Roti Dansela”, “Ice Cream Dansela”,  “Fruit Drink Dansela” and a “Fried Rice Dansela”. On our way we were stopped almost every few kilometres by youth waving “saffron flags” requesting us to patronise their danselas. Some seemed very popular, where people, mostly as whole families, queued long and waited a long time too for a free lunch. The whole Sinhala society was mobilised.Read More