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DateLine Sunday, 27 April 2008

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In retrospect: Tips for next year

Lessons from the past

Was this New Year any different from those of the past? Lighting the hearth and having meals at an auspicious time, so many friends and relatives visiting your place, a lot of fun and laughter, avurudu games etc.

Not much of a difference right? We put into practice the rituals and customs that have come down from generation to generation! But my ‘visiting friend’ was determined not to follow in its forefathers’ footsteps who used to spend their ‘new year’ days ‘in hiding’.

So in the midst of new year gaiety and splendour, amidst the ‘thundering’ noise of fire crackers that were being lit, Tarzan (alias Hora Gediya, Pol Ba Moona, Yellow Thief and what not?) started on its daily round as usual.

“The days are gone when cats used to hide in fear of fire crackers” It might have thought. Anyway the smart Tarzan had no idea of ‘Nonagathaya’. So for the poor ‘fellow’ the day dragged interminably just like for any of us who were starving, anticipating the ‘arrival’ of the auspicious hour!

Since no one threw any eatable at it, Tarzan was a bit worried and the village ‘robber’ headed its way towards its favourite restaurant, the only place where it is given a warm welcome in addition to a very good meal - of course all free of charge!

There Tarzan waited for its favourite waiter (Guess who could that be!) to come and serve “him” immediately. No one arrived. “Funny restaurant” Tarzan thought. It is time to self serve. Of course Tarzan could do that very well with the well cooked fish curry. No sooner it got down from the table to lie down on the floor- to ‘wash its face’, its favourite waiter arrived. Tarzan knows how to draw the wool over her eyes!

As a result ‘the robber’ got a bowl of water too to drink before departing untouched prior to the arrival of ‘strict’ waiters! In fact could Tarzan be blamed? No one told “him” that the auspicious time to have meals was at 8.10 p.m. Also will a robber ever hang around the place after robbing a house, I mean will they ever think of lying down and rest there?

Tarzan could be easily pardoned as ‘Nonagathaya’ had only sharpened its instincts for robbery. Believe it or not, ‘Nonagathaya’ makes many cats better hunters! Even if it is normally a ‘cool fellow’ who would even let rats run across their faces ‘while in sleep’, on this day it acts as if it is not ready to spare even a single squirrel in the neighbourhood. Being occupied with ‘religious activities’, inhabitants of course have no time to attend to the needs of their pets, so they have to look after themselves!

Now it is the time for dogs to hide inside their houses or to run in search of a safe hideout. An owner of such a ‘security officer’ was hurrying on a lane looking for his dog who went missing upon the arrival of nonagathaya while our brave Tarzan could be seen comfortably seated on top of a wall!

“That silly dog could have taken lessons on bravery from me” must surely be the thought that ran in his mind while watching the boy on his way back home with a timid dog tied up in a chain!

Is it a New Year only of cats and dogs? You must be wondering. So let’s turn to ‘super’ actors. Minutes before the arrival of long awaited auspicious time to light the hearth, you have no time to spare-to look around and observe what you pets are doing!

All the eyes and ears are now turned either to radio or television or to both. Since all are keen to uphold rituals to the letter they are not ready even to miss a second!

In certain houses there had been a ‘big uproar’ as a particular radio channel had announced the arrival of the auspicious time to light the hearth two and half minutes before the TV announcement. What a big difference? When the child listening to radio said “Amma, Hari, hari”, another voice came from the TV room “NA, Na, thava wela thiyanawa!”

For another woman the problem was the direction. At her grand house, the hearth was facing the South and she had to light the hearth also facing the same direction. What a difficult task! So with great difficulty she had to walk a few steps backward carrying the new pot while facing the South and swing her arms back to keep it on the hearth, of course under the surveillance of her husband! (to make sure she keeps the pot on the hearth and not somewhere else!)

All the ‘wanted’ and ‘unwanted’ relatives and friends then start visiting your place and you too have to be a guest in return. You may not even see some of these faces till next New Year. Anyway the occasion is a blessing to keep family relationships going! Just like for your pet dog sometimes you too may have to live ‘in hiding’ for a few hours if you are determined to evade any of them!

Your friend who does not miss out on even a single sale now tells you of her latest experience- how she was being cheated at a sale where they prominently displayed the board “Kokath Labeta”. Well, she belongs to the category of people who never wants to learn from their mistakes.

In fact she is known for being cheated ‘annually’ prior to every New Year by salesmen! The word “sale” will yet be a stimulus for her even for the next new year ! Another complaint is of low quality goods, even pots and pans.

After keen ‘observation’ you may bring two or three pots home only to see them breaking into pieces once you place them on the gas cooker! Or no sooner you leave the market you notice a crack or two on the pot!

There are also people who would spend the whole New year day watching the television-engrossed in a movie! Also it is mainly TV channels and FM channels that organise New Year festivals in villages.

In the past the occasion was mainly a get together of villagers to strengthen social relationships. Visits from Colombo could sometimes be an intrusion on their serene life pattern. The villagers has to ‘dance according to the beat’ of those TV and Radio channels. In another sense villagers become mere spectators in their own villages and every move is quite artificial.

So many advisors appear on TV just to enlighten you on New Year rituals and customs, to tell you how the family ties and social relationships could be developed. Ironically some of those advisors themselves have a history of maintaining poor social relationships.

In fact in this country there are so many advisors ,but not a single one to follow them. Problems caused by ‘mushrooming’ ‘culinary experts’ too cannot be overlooked. The trend here is to strictly follow the instructions of those so called experts.

Even if you are an expert in making ‘Athirasa’, you think the women who appear on TV are the best. So you fall in to trouble trying to follow their ‘strict’ instructions and would finally end up with a box full of Athirasa which are hard as stones!

Though the announcer who backs the ‘culinary expert’ normally says “Wow, a yummy athirasa”, your visitors are not so decent. “My god, hope my teeth will be alright after eating this!” is their normal response.

Haven’t you ever enjoyed the “battle of Kavum”-the struggle those inexperienced “kavum” makers undergo in their desperate attempt to develop “Konde”. Some can never do it despite their endless struggle! In the end “the kavum’ looks as flat as a plate! But don’t worry. Before your guest could ask “where’s the Konde?”, you have to say “Those are “Kondaless kavum”.

If the host is too smart, she could also explain her point. “Well, in the process of ‘evolution’, it has lost its ‘konde’ , just like we, humans lost our tail! Your guest would definitely pardon you since it tastes so well though without’ konde’!

Anyway the episode of cats is yet not over. As you were busily explaining to your visitors the ‘evolution of Kavum’, your cat had been having a gala time on the dining table where you had kept a well-baked cake just out of the oven! Though still hot, it somehow managed to nibble it from here and there to make sure that no body else could use it!

So beware of almost everyone starting from your visiting cat to the culinary expert if you want to celebrate a truly prosperous, peaceful and happy new year at least next year!.

 

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