From thatched roof to tiled mansion

At a time when honestly earned riches are hard to come by it is not an understatement to say that poverty is one's pride. Poverty exploitation is widespread while widening class disparities are even legitimised through religious ideological myths such as 'May Apay Karumay', 'God's Will' and 'Naseeb' as Islamic adherents would have it - all of which are not even remotely connected to a system filled with economic discrepancies among other things.

Yet poverty - a shameful state, no matter how unshameful ill-gotten riches may be is not a state where one would even like to be distantly connected to. Poor relations, an old car, a not so posh house - all these then carry the burden of societal non-recognition.

Let alone all such, one would even disconnect ties from that old thatched roof village school - a discarded stepping stone to the prestige of one's future years. Now turned criers of the downtrodden, these wolves in sheeps' clothing are making headway in social life - their debut - the political arena.

Parading as champions of the women's cause these window dressings are into becoming parasites of the marginalised to serve what they call 'the poor'. In as much as many empty heads that let alone lack intellectual skills, do not even know the basics in English language are into position following political bootlicking, these women are now busy refurbishing, re-arranging and re-doing women's wings of political entities and are well set to go places.

If the internet is a facade and a fall back state for a scribe suffering English language inadequacy, espousing the women's cause legitimizes their claim to the balcony of power while women themselves remain in the gallery where they look up to their 'redeemers' that send a flying kiss perched atop - not to mention the kick that follows a kiss.

Outstanding in this crowd was one such woman who when asked where she schooled would neatly overlook the remote central school of early childhood in the deep south opting for some English sounding institution in Uva. Pah! What fancy we have for what is English while portraying our seemingly overwhelming love of the native and vernacular.

She herself a village product with strong paternal links out there, today is into an evolved state and prefers not to remember any such. Having cut her teeth in the world of keeping up appearances followed by culinary delight you are sure not to have missed out on her - all very neatly spruced up, entertaining her paid guests at her costly food outlet.

Having gone through not so rosy times she wouldn't even dream of such recollection for the loss of fame that generally accompanies a dry wallet.

'Show not my people wealth and fame' said the prophet of Islam seeing the dangers to follow such as conceit, vanity and arrogance. Rabia - the famous Muslim saint even turned her back on a newly built house - her friends' offering for fear of missing out on the Lord. Yet to lesser mortals wealth and fame are well focused - never mind the means that do not justify the end.

Getting back to the hot topic of duplicity and deceit, this champion of women's liberation is bound to succeed as she swivels herself into action with her swish and swirl like she did in her dining enclave in winning over customers and this time its the women that constitute more than half the Sri Lankan populace. Her craft and cunning believably of no mean repute was recalled recently at a gathering.

Chipping in between the conversation of someone who had brought in a few guests to her culinary paradise, she asked, "shall I serve you some wine so very ideal for this course?"

The host who simply could not say 'no' was driven up the wall with embarrassment for he knew of its high cost. In what may have cost Rs. 6,000 it ended up a good Rs. 13,000 at meal end.

Having successfully ransacked his wallet she even accompanied him to the door and showering him with her kind of exuding charm saw the guy off with a 'please come again'.

These then are the emerging personalities gearing up into serving the people in the coming years. All in all she's preparing herself well ahead of time to enjoy the plums of high office safely lodged in some hot seat.

By the way it's very trendy I mean the candidates of political parties that field whatever is vote catching. Cricketers, beauty queens and even criminals as we saw even in Indian politics. Outstanding is Poolandevi India's bandit queen.

All in the name of service to the people they are there never mind whom they serve and the type of service rendered!!

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