|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 16 March 2003 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Mystery of the missing Mugura Sel Lipi by Gotabhaya 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: Every year, during the month of Medin, the students of the paatashaalas of this dhammadweepa are consumed by the madness known as the 'maha keliye una', the fever of the great match. For days upon days, young ilandhaaris walk around with hats in hand, ritually begging for money as a form of self-abasement and ritually drinking the intoxicating soma, thereafter further abasing themselves by lying supine on the ground. Yet others walk around bearing standards of various hues, beating tom toms and blowing nagasuram pipes in ritual worship of the devas of the ilandharis, the white-flannel-clad mugdayas who battle each other with their muguras and pandhus on various fields throughout the land. This year, in addition to the 'maha keli' of the students, for the past weeks and for days on end, the people of this resplendent isle have been engaged in animisalochana pooja, the act of unblinking worship. The objects of their adoration have been those near-arahats, the ilandharis of the lom kambili andhina mugdayange keliya; their altar, the 'bahubootha pettiya' or 'tele-visaya'. The mallavayas of fourteen realms have joined battle for the championship of the world, on the fields of the mahadweepa of Aprikaawa. However, it has come to the notice of the Maha Vasala that the mallavayas of this sacred kingdom have been playing not pandhu, but pissu insane (as in the kaviya by the wandering Ahiguntakayos). But there is method in this madness, for our brave lads obviously want to prove their humility, to prove that they have 'learnt to play the game'. The first rift in the god-like image of the yodhaya Sanath and his brave band was when the Ilandhaaris of Keeniyama beat them as black and blue as the yudha-dhajaya, the battle-standard of the paatashaala at Galkissa. Then, facing the Bim Ooras, the hated Swag-men of Palleha-Yata, they were vanquished. Then came the day when our valiant mallavayas had to do battle with the champions of Dhambadhiva. After winning at throwing the magical kahapana, the small-built giant decided to let his opponent dictate the game to him. Not all the bambara-pandhu of the demi-god Murali nor the volleys - faster than thought itself of the demi-god Vaas could contain the exuberant play with the mugura of the men from between the Indu and the Ganga. Then came the turn of the courageous and all conquering heroes of this 'pearl of the east' to take their places at the centre of the field under the sun of Aprikaawa. And our ilandhaaris lived up brilliantly to the occasion. Like the noblemen they are, they sacrificed themselves like the Bushido warriors of Japaanaya, all but disembowelling themselves onto the sand of the Xhosas. It seemed that this brilliant exercise in self-negation would be foiled by the fell designs of Sangakkara. Why did that individual wave his mugura in the air? Was it an attempt to put a hooniyam on the paladins of Dhambadhiva? No, he was calling for another mugura from the other mallavayas (as, from the pavilion, they besported their manly upper torsos to the public) apparently in a vain attempt to negate the self-negation, the ascetic self-sacrifice of the entire band. Luckily for them, his call went unheeded, and our ilandharis were able to complete their splendid self-demolition for the greater good of the game. 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. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
