WEDDINGS


I was invited to nine weddings in January 2009.I am about to attend the last one for the month.The gifts cost me around Rs 30000/=I was neglecting my work.Being a teetotaller and a vegetarian I do not enjoy attending weddings.But I maintain equianimity during the whole proceeding.I,some times settle down to insight meditation regardless of the noise of the band or the DJ ,of course with my eyes open.Some times I take "attika sanna" (imagine the skeleton within) looking at well dressed (or is it undressed?) ladies.
I was pondering over this barrage of invitations.Some of them were relatives.Some were friends.Some were patients.Only some were close enough to invite me for weddings.Nowadays some people seem to refuse the wedding invitations considering the cost of attending.Cost of a gift,cloths for wife,hair do ,make up,cost of transport if you do not have your own transport add up.Thus those who are likely to attend are invited .I am a victim.I see I am invited sometimes after the RSVP responds.The invitation is made two days before the event.I am very frequently honoured to be an attesting witness.

A PARDOXICAI SRI LANKAN PHENOMENON


When one sees behaviour of Sri Lankans on the highways one begins to think that they are not willing to spend a single second of time.The drivers do not stop for pedestrians at crossings,the pedestrians cross against the red light and drivers jump redlights.
Buses drive over the Islands on the center of the road ,motor cyclists ride on the sidewalk.The drivers over take on the pedestrian crossing or the zig-zag marking or cutting the double line.
If you visit a office specially one of those State run offices ,they waste as much of time as possible.Court houses are notorious for being insensitive in wasting other peoples time.If one employs a daily paid worker he will waste every possible second at work

THE SINHALA NAMES


The early Sinhalese names were like "Silindu" "Babun" "Menika" etc.Then surnames were added by foreign invaders.They were like "Kumbukgahage", Mudiyanselage" etc.Then people started using first names names of Portuguese Dutch and English origin like Selesthina,David ,John .There were similar surnames like Silva,Perera,Dias etc.Subsequently "national minded" people created first names like Gunapala Sugathadasa,These names were meaning ful.Sugathadasa means a devotee of Buddha.There were similar surnames but they had megalomaniac touches.Jayasuriya,is a victorious sun and Amarasuriya is a Immortal sun .Senanayaka is an army general!
The came names like Sarath ,Nimal ,Sunil etc.Thes e names too are meaningful. Nimal means pure.Than came the meaningless lot Surah ,Akash,Kushla ,Sudesh ,Kushla etc.
Islam names were Mohamad,Aziz etc throughout.There first name are like Umar,Tarique,Pathuma,Faridaa etc.Tamil surnames remain as Subramanium,Chinniahas,Arumugams etc.Their Female first names are Lalitha,Vasanthamala etc.Tamill males have two similar names like Velupliiai Prabhkaran or Ponnambalam Ramanadan.I am not aware of the significance of this.The Burgers have first names like Tom Dick Harry and Mary and surnames like Buuljens ,Koelmeyer,Holdeboettle Wise and Ludovyke.
My observation is that Sinhalese are still trying to to find an identity.They are not stable and have not settled down as far as names are concerned.They have been highly influenced by the invaders like Portuguese and Dutch