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I make Sri Lanka proud
 The ancient Egypt was well-known
for its pyramids as well as pharaohs. Similarly, King and Queens of
Egypt bestowed fabulous pieces of stones of unsurpassing beauty and
value on the royalty and their loved ones.
To enhance their dignity they wore these ornaments specially round
their necks and were decorated from head to toe. In Sri Lanka for
millions of years, the valley between the highland mountain ranges and
the foot-hills has been filling up with crushed debris and rubble eroded
from the mountains. In the layers of sediment and residue remaining from
alluvial deposits man has been hunting for fortunes for the last
thousand years.
I was born in Sri Lanka in the mountain province of Sabaragamuwa
which means the ‘Land of the wild’. My appearance in this world stage
was not an easy one. Various methods and instruments were used to pull
me out from this crusted debris. It was similar to a caesarian
operation. Dangerous and risky. A pit was dug and a framework of bamboo
erected to enable those ‘hunting’ for me to bale out the ‘illam’ on
earth to find where I was really embedded.
Hefty men with side-burns, a moustache, long hair combed behind and
tied into a knot stood in water up to their waist washing in sieves of
basketware. Every bit of mud was removed from me and cleaned. Experts
with their glasses went through thousands of hard pieces of rock to sort
out the most valuable ones. Next, I was taken to an expert cutter who
sat in his booth like shop,who by removing all the dirt, turned me to a
shapely figure and gave a good polish.
At last, I was looking elegant and pretty. I was on the threshold of
marriage and with every eye hooked on me. I was escorted to a grand
display in big shopping centre. There I was kept in a glass showcase
along with some of my companions.
They too looked very beautiful with glittering eyes, some slim, some
fat, converted into valuable pieces of ornaments. They had impressive
names as blue sapphires, rubies, catseyes, topazes and emeralds to name
a few. Among these, the blue sapphires are the most beautiful and
reputed worldwide. Visitors to this grand display came from every corner
of the globe. They included princes and princesses from Saudi Arabia,
Jordan, Syria and Turkey not forgetting stars from Hollywood and
Bollywood.
I was fortunate to be picked up by a wealthy prince from Saudi Arabia
for a handsome price. I was handed over to his lover as a precious gift.
The princess loved me so much that. She took me wherever she went
carrying me on her left finger. To banquets, tamashas and where royal
dignatries gathered.
She introduced me to her numerous friends including world famous
Queens, Princesses and other celebrities. Everyone was highly impressed
by my pretty looks. My boss was a strict displinarian, there was no
occasion for my voice to be raised. I was quite content by performing
the task allotted to me, receiving accolades from all corners making Sri
Lanka proud of her blue sapphires.
- Tissa Hewavitarane
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