Visitors from Davis, California

A group of 12 students from University of California at Davis spent one month in Sri Lanka studying tropical agricultural systems with faculty and students from University of Peradeniya. They studied rice farming in the dry zone, tea cultivation in the hill country and mixed cropping and animal farming in Peradeniya.

I was very much involved in initiating the collaboration between the two universities and was very happy with this successful outcome.

My daughters Samita and Menesha were visiting us during that time so we joined the students and Dr. Paul Marcotte for dinner in a Restaurant in Kandy.

A Goat !

A baby goat became the latest addition to our house construction site. She is very friendly and loved by all the workers at the site. She loves to have people around her.. She eats almost every plant, bread, rice and loves ‘poonac, (coconut oil cake).

We have named her ‘Tikiri’. Menesha takes her on daily walks which Tikiri likes. She did not like the bath Menesha gave her is spite of all the baby soap!

Martin Uncle

In April last year we visited Martin Uncle in Hingurakgoda, reluctantly thinking that it may be the last time we see him. He died at the ripe age of 98 in last month. He had the most colorful life among all my relatives. He was born in 1912. He became a novice Buddhist monk at the age of seven and ordained at 21.

He gave up the priesthood and restarted his life as a farmer in 1940’s. He was a pioneer in the new frontier of dryzone irrigation project of Minneriya. He became a very successful farmer and a leader among the new settlers. He was well read, outspoken and full of advice to next two generations. His advice and well wishes were sought after by relatives, neighbors, politicians and government officers alike.

He was very alert until the hour of his death. His last act was to offer good advice to his children. He was well looked after by his family, who never allowed him a minute of loneliness!

Guiding the Bride

We attend the wedding of my niece Susanthi in April. She is a doctor at Peradeniya teaching hospital and the groom Chandana in a pesticide control scientist. Wedding took place in Kandy, in Kandyan attire.

This time I had to guide the bride to ‘Poruva’or the stage. This duty is performed by an uncle. I was also the attesting witness of the marriage. We have many weddings to attend and I am expected to fulfill my father’s role at most of these!

Jaffna!

Jaffna, capital of the Northern province was not accessible by land from south for more than a decade because LTTE controlled a vast stretch of land in-between. The civil war ended in May 2009 and the land link, route A9, was opened a few months ago for civilian traffic.

Jaffna became a very popular attraction for people from the south, about 200 bus loads visiting daily. We joined the multitude for the April holiday season. We joined a four-day organized guided tour, our first in Sri Lanka, because this is very much like visiting a distant (260 miles) foreign country with different language,.religion and culture.

The signs of war were every where, roofless houses, top less palmyra trees and land-mine warnings. People were very friendly every where. Everyday life seemed almost normal. We saw very few cars. People ride bicycles everywhere, which is very practical in the flat terrain.

Miles of causeways linking islands, vast farming areas in Kopay, Hindu kovils in Nallur and Vallipuram, Buddhist temple in Nainativu by boat, reconstructed Jaffna public library, Dutch fort, bottomless well in Puttur were all part of the tour. We even saw the house where LTTE leader, Prabakaran was born and raised. This house was destroyed a few days later!

Jaffna seems about 20 years behind rest of the country but will catch-up soon. It was good to see before everything changes.

House with a View III

We completed all the brick and concrete work of the house after seven long months. Roof is the next big item.

On March 25^th , our foreman Karune and carpenter Deepal set the top ridge beam for the roof at the auspicious time given by the Buddhist priest in the village temple. It was preceded by the rituals of lighting lamps, burning incense, etc., and followed by a feast of traditional Sri Lankan delights to all the crew and some neighbors!

Treat for Elders

We sponsored a lunch for residents at an elders home in Kandy. This home operated by a Buddhist organization houses about hundred males and females. They are supplied with everything by the organization and well wishers. They help with household chores.

We were quite impressed by the service provided by this organization, we decided to donate new clothes to all the residents to celebrate the New Year in April.