Short story

Ethnic harmony

by A.F. Dawood

Milton was in a sullen mood; seated at the breakfast table. He cupped his palms on his face and gazed on without a word; his breakfast remained untouched. All his hopes to marry his choice was shattered as his parents refused to approve his request. The entire world seemed to collapse before him. He was plunged into a whirlpool of thought.

"What will you do if your parents don't allow you to marry me, Maniska?"

"I'll fight with them."

What'll you do?"

"My parents will not like me marrying a Tamil girl; but anyhow I'll marry you".

"Even my mother thinks Sinhalese are bad but not father. If I tell about our connection, they'll object."

"Maniska, you've to be firm. In any case you've to support me." "I'll definitely support you, otherwise I'll run away from home."

"Maniska, tell me where you're going to run away, so that I can follow you." She said laughingly.

"Have you told them about our connection?"

"I haven't still; I know they'll make a big fuss about it."

Maniska replied.

Affair

"Even I haven't told about our affair to my parents; now it's about four years, isn't it?

Milton was travelling by express train from Kandy to Colombo. That was about five years ago. The ticket inspectors checked the tickets of the passengers. One the male passenger seated opposite to Milton was not in a position to produce her ticket to the ticket checkers. She ransacked her handbag desperately but failed to get her ticket.

"We'll have to fine you for ticketless travelling," The ticket inspector said.

The girl was in a pathetic position. She was unable to pay the fine of Rs. 500. She would be taken to the police. "What's your name?" The same inspector questioned. At that time Milton intervened in the matter and ventured to pay the fine of Rs. 500.

That is how Milton came to know Maniska. They exchanged their telephone numbers. At first they spoke to each other over the telephone. Then they met in a restaurant in Colombo. That meeting in the restaurant blossomed into a love affair.

Pensive mood

Milton's mother saw him in a pensive mood. "There's no use brooding over this; it's a disgrace to our family to marry a Tamil girl."

The mother's voice shattered his reverie.

"What did you say, mum?" Milton queried, coming out of his reverie.

"Aren't there Sinhalese girls? Why disgrace us by marrying a Tamil girl?"

"What's the disgrace, mum? I love her, she loves me."

"Milton, you must think of our 'walauwa' status, our wealth and our Sinhalese race. You think your father will allow you to marry a third class Tamil girl?" The mother questioned him belligerently.

"She's not a third class girl. She is also rich and enjoys a high position in society. I must marry a girl I like."

"But she's a Tamil. See what the Tamils did to our country."

"Mum, people of your generation think all Tamils are bad. That's a wrong notion. When the Sinhalese fought for freedom with the British, Tamils such as Ponnambalam Arunachalam, Ponnambalam Ramanathan and Ananda Coomaraswamy supported the Sinhalese leaders such as D.S. Senanayake, F.R. Senanayake and Baron Jayatilake. In the past Sinhalese kings have married Tamils. Both the Sinhalese and the Tamils have co-existed peacefully. This is history."

History

"Milton, you tell this history to your father."

When the subject was broached to Gilbert Perera he became furious; he was in a fit of temper.

"Milton, you want to marry a Tamil girl? What's this nonsense?" Milton remained speechless.

"Now you speak out. Where's this girl from, her parents and so on," bellowed Gilbert Perera.

"She's from Jaffna, her father is a doctor and the mother is a nurse."

"How long have you known" her?"

"For the past five years."

"I brought you up well, educated you to get you married to a Sinhala walauwa family. You want to marry a Tamil girl because you don't know the damage Vellupillai Prabhakaran and his men did to our country and our people."

"Dad, Prabhakaran was a terrorist; he committed violence for separatism. He wanted to separate this country. But all the Tamils are not bad like Prabhakaran."

"Milton, I don't want to hear your lecture. You're not to marry this Tamil girl. We'll bring a proposal from a walauwe family."

"Dad I'm 30 years old; I must have the freedom to choose my life partner."

Properties

"All right Milton, you can have your own way. But remember I won't give you any of my properties."

"Dad, you think all Tamils are bad. Then why did you consult the best Tamil paediatrician Dr. Vellupillai for my younger sister's illness? He is the one who cured her. Then when mum had a skin problem you consulted the dermatologist Dr. Swamipillai."

Gilbert listened to Milton's explanation and his temper calmed down. "Yes, Milton go on. I'm listening to you."

"Dad, when Wilbert uncle (Gilbert's brother) had a brain problem, he underwent surgery. Who is the surgeon? Dr. Ramasamy. Finally, when mother gave birth to sister you consulted the best obstetrician Dr. Jeganathan and blood was also required from the blood bank.

You must bear in mind that the blood bank has not only the blood of the Sinhalese but also the blood of Tamils, Muslims, Malays and Burghers. So I think to condemn the Tamils as bad is wrong."

This explanation by Milton changed the pattern of thinking of Gilbert. His distorted impression of the Tamils vanished; he became calm.

Parents

"Are you sure, Milton the girl's parents will allow her to marry you?"

"Maniska wants to marry me. Let's put this subject to her parents."

Milton went with his parents to Maniska's residence in Colombo to meet her parents. His parents broached the subject to Maniska's father Dr. Balasingham while Milton was in a state of doubt that he would be rejected.

"We've come regarding the love affair between my son and your daughter."

Dr. Balasingham remained silent for sometime, then smiled and spoke. At that brief moment Milton's mind was stressed with worries.

"Yes, Maniska told me about this. So your son is in love with my daughter. I wanted to come and meet you but before that you all have come," said Dr. Balasingham casting a glance at Milton.

Milton's heart began to beat pitter-patter, as he thought the father would not approve the matter. Gilbert asked, "What's your idea Dr. Balasingham?"

Dr. Balasingham smiled . "Mr Gilbert, when two people love each other, race and religion are immaterial. We should allow them to go ahead."

Smile

Hearing this, Milton's face portrayed a smile.. "Our history is rich and replete, with medidents of racial integration", continued Dr. Balasingham, "and that's why the various races lived harmoniously in the past. King Dutugemunu slew king Flara in a combat but he built Flara Mahachaitiya to commemorate his death because he was a good king.

Flara wasn't a bad king because he invaded our country." "Yes Dr. Banasingham, invasion was there in several countries in the past. Even there was trouble in Sri Lanka because of Prabhakaran's rebellion but it doesn't mean all the Tamils are bad."

"As the head of the blood bank, I know your people, our people and others donate blood. There's no Sinhalese blood or Tamil blood. My father underwent an eye operation. A Sinhalese man's cornea was grafted to his eye.

We should learn to live in peace and harmony and not to think in terms of a Sinhala or a Tamil,"Dr. Balasingham explained.

The marriage of Milton and Maniska was solemnised with the blessings of the couples' parents. Guests from both the Sinhala and Tamil race graced the occasion and ethnic integration was strengthened.