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| Sunday, 02 March 2003 |
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Sel Lipi : VANNIALA-AETHTHO DIETS Swasthi Shree! Thus says his sacred Majesty, the gracious Great King, glorious Chakravarthi, King of the Kings of Maya, Pihiti and Ruhuna, Mahoora of the Vanniala-aeththo and ruler of all lands from Yapapatuna to Sampanthota: It has come to the notice of the Maha Vasala that a Veddha from Dambana has been taken to Angoda, to the rohala for those of unsound mind. It seems that several people in the neighbourhood had complained that their dogs were disappearing. The mura hewaayas at Mahiyangana had done their angam-keli and had arrested the alleged dog-catcher, a man of the noble Vanniala-aeththo varige of Boars. It appears that the Veddha had been selling dried dhadoriya mas, the flesh of dogs, as dhada mas, the meat of wild animals. He is said to be insane, hence his journey to the said sanatorium. It will be recalled that many decades ago, the Maharajah of Nepalaya came to this resplendent isle on a hunting trip. The Lord Sakra, taking the form of a deer, appeared in front of him and was slain by him. Thereafter, amidst much uproar among the Maha sangha and the laity, the hunting of game was made illegal in this ramya land, which was indeed the intention of the Thousand-eyed One. However, the pious, upaasaka residents of this dhammadweepa continue to crave venison and the flesh of wild boar. It appears that this craving has been satisfied, partially at least, by the Vanniala-aeththos of Dambana, who have supplied this need. However, it seems that the Veddhas themselves have been wooed away from their traditional repast. The vedha-nilames of Mahiyangana have reported an increase in the number of ailments such as diabetes, high pressure of the blood and heart attacks among the Veddha community, so that a special vedha-saayanaya, clinic, has had to be established at Dambana. The hoora or chief of the Vanniala-aeththos of Dambana has reported that this is due to the people having deserted their traditional cuisine (including the said venison and wild boar). They have turned instead to parana kamba aahaara (junk food) - which is full of extremes of vapours, phlegm and bile. Of course, parana kamba kaema has spread to every corner of this sublime kingdom, from the Maekko Dhanambulas, the Pissa-Paelpathas and other kshanika-aahaara kada of Colomb-thota to the very jungles of Mahiyangana. Various types of this amazing food, such as 'Maha Maekkos' and 'Ooshna Sunakayos', served with 'Parangi Baedhapu Ala' (fried tubers of the Parangiyas), dhanambula (vinegar) and sauces like unto blood in colour, have become the culinary delights of the citizenry of our land, displacing the nutritious rice and curry of our ancestors. Therefore, the Maha Wasala is left wondering whether in fact this noble man of the Vanniala-aeththo should have been committed to the Angoda rohala at all. Hitherto, we only knew that the people of the 'Middle Kingdom' of Maha Cheenaya and of the 'Hermit Kingdom' of Koriyaawa ate the flesh of dogs. However, now the people of this country are used to eating these 'Ooshna Sunakayos'. Indeed, whereas earlier there might have been no question of his sanity had the Veddha in question been selling dog meat to the people of Koriyaawa and Maha Cheenaya, now the Veddha might have been free had he only warmed up the dog meat enough to make it hot dog. And is it the act of an insane man to sell to supposed upaasakas the meat of some other animal instead of game, the sale of which is a transgression of the law? Swasthi Shree! This rock edict is made on this day of Ravi of the month of Medin of the Year of the Saka Era 1929. - Gotabhaya. |
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