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| Sunday, 24 April 2005 |
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A measure of rice! Sunday parable by Sunanda Mahendra "The harvest is not at all satisfactory and it is quite difficult to buy even a measure of rice. If this situation prevails, we all will have to starve," reported the Chief Minister to the King. "If we have a good cultivation programme, we need not starve at all, and see that you don't come out with such negative views," said the King The Chief Minister was silent. "Let me test it for myself," said the King, calling one of his reliable servants. The servant stood still before the King who took a gold coin and handing it over to the servant. "Take this gold coin and try to buy a measure of rice from any part of my kingdom, from any farmer with this coin, but see that you don't reveal the secret." "What is the secret, your majesty?" asked the servant. "You must not say, that the rice is for the Royal Palace." The Royal Servant went from place to place in search of a measure of rice, worth the gold coin, but he failed. "We don't have sufficient rice for ourselves, so how can we sell rice to you," said several farmers, who used to give rice to the needy, free of charge. "Can't you tell me a place, from where I could buy a measure of rice?" asked the servant from a number of farmers whom he met in the fields as well as in their huts. The farmers were scratching their heads trying to find a place where a farmer would sell a measure of rice, but were unable to do so. So having failed in his mission, the Royal Servant returned to the Palace and informed the King about his stance. "I am so sorry to inform you, your great majesty that there is not a single place or a person from whom one could buy a measure of rice even for a gold coin." "This means that there is a grave scarcity of rice production," said the King in dismay. Then the King realised, that the only solution was to make a solid rice production project that suited his kingdom. He summoned some of his intelligent senior ministers and discussed the situation. "We must give paddy cultivation priority over other things, and that should be done right now do you understand?" asked the King. "What are we to do, as a starting point?" asked some of the ministers. "Get the senior-most farmers to teach the farming techniques, to their juniors and see that you don't leave a single bare land uncultivated. Also see that irrigating the land in the best manner possible helps the farmers. "I declare that let not a single drop of rains from the sky, be allowed to flow into the ocean without being utilised to enhance the cultivation purposes." The ministers who listened to the King passed the noble message to the farmers. With a new vision and a mission they all started paddy cultivation. From time to time the King sent a messenger to find out the development and the progress. Then one day, the King once again called his reliable servant and handed over a gold coin saying, "This time try and see that you buy a measure of rice for this gold coin." "But remember the secret, that you are not going to reveal that it is for the Royal Palace." For the second time now, the reliable Royal Servant went in search of a farmer who could give a measure of rice in exchange of a gold coin. "You had better come in a few weeks time, as the cultivation is still going on. Then we should, with a bit of luck be able to give you not only one measure but several." The disappointed Royal Servant returned, to the palace and informed the King about his encounter with the farmers. The king smiled. But the servant could not perceive as to why the King was smiling at this juncture. The King summoned his ministers once again and told them that the farmers should be given more and more encouragement and Royal incentives. "We are sure to get a bumper harvest this time for the New Year," said one of the ministers who was in charge of irrigation and paddy cultivation activities. The King, felt happy to hear that good news. "Ask them what they want from the King at this moment," said the King. "They don't want anything, other than your majesty's blessings and that's what they say," came the reply from the Minister. "They have my blessings there is no doubt about that," responded the King voice with happiness. As weeks passed by, the King once again called his reliable servant and gave a gold coin. "It is your duty to try once again to see whether you are in a position to buy a measure of rice for this gold coin and once again, remember the secret, you are not to reveal that the measure of rice was for the Royal Palace." The Royal Servant, met several farmers who had happy faces. The general consensus, was that they were overjoyed with their unexpected bumper harvest. "We don't want any money," they said. "Why this is a gold coin?" said the royal servant. "We don't want to sell our harvest, as we can afford to give you more than one measure if you want. So keep your gold coin with you." The Royal Servant returned to the Royal Palace and reported to the King. "Why didn't they accept the gold coin?" asked the King. "They are so happy about their harvest they say." "If that is so, then you better reveal the secret," said the King. This Great King was none other than Parakramabahu the Great of ancient Sri Lanka who is remembered by cultivators over the years as the God of Irrigation who erected thousands of tanks.
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