The dreary weather in Colombo – I am in desperate need of sunshine

It is Friday and already this week has been quite hectic. Monday was a day of house to house produce delivery after taking Megha (dog) to the vet with a wound in his ear. Tuesday was a full day on the job, with a seminar on the budget in the afternoon blogged elsewhere in Serendipity. This was followed by a book launch of “the suicide club” the author and his family being friends. Got drenched getting there as it was at a (new to me) venue called the Warehouses opposite the Elphinstone Theater in Maradana. It was an occasion to meet friends and relatives, with the dress code being black & white. The book, a biography of plantation life and loves.

Wednesday was a dinner party (baked crab, crispy pork and a super meringue with chocolate topping) hosted by friends that went on past 1.30am and I was stopped for the first time, this on Horton Place being accused of the smell of alcohol. I must confess I did have a favorite malt whiskey and the hostess insisted on one for the road. I did tell the cop I was prepared to go to the station for the breathalyzer though he was hoping for a less complicated solution, so he sent me on my way. I was only about 200 meters from my destination.

Thursday for a full work day at the WTC(our twin towers) and it was straight to another dinner party in the rain by tuk tuk. This time it was string hopper biriyani with prawns, chicken, mutton and a spread. The dessert was also scrummy, but the Laphroig Malt whiskey was the highlight as that was one I used to enjoy in bygone days and not had for ages. This time I had a ride home from a fellow guest.

Friday, was a quick drive back to the farm at 6.30am to pick up the King Coconuts, and deliver them to the Golf Club, and at the same time, take whatever I needed for my night’s trip to Minneriya, including the plastic crates. Then after leaving my cab at the apartment in town, I took a tuk tuk in the rain to the office for a full day at work. I will shortly get back to the flat, pick up the cab, my man Friday and make my journey to Polonnaruwa to oversea the sowing of the new rice crop.

It is raining outside, and I suspect it will be a drive in heavy rain for five hours, which is not easy, but the rains are much less over there, which is what is worrying me as it means my preparations and planting become more of a challenge.

However my weekend in the wilds is what I am really looking forward to, a far cry from the life and work stated above, that’s when reality and creation take place and that’s where my heart and soul lie. It is anyone’s guess how soon I can make the permanent transition. I have to lead this double life to be able to indulge in my desires, as I have not yet found the solution to be self sufficient living on the land.

Cock Fighting –" The Hidden Sport" – The most international of them is all over this country

It is amazing that nothing is written about one of the most popular pastimes in the rural areas of Sri Lanka. In little nooks and crannies in Sri Lanka young boys raise fighting cocks. It is not an expensive hobby, so as a pastime, interest, risqué activity or a gambling starter pack for the youth, fighting cocks are everywhere.
Believe it or not this is something done all over the world, and in the scheme of things by people of lower income as it is something they can engage in without too much cost, and with the potential of wagering for a considerable gain. If one looks at European and American history, cockfighting was a common sport, and amongst slaves in America, this was a pastime that was common to take their minds away from their harsh living and working conditions. In short this was their form of entertainment.


Due to the fact that cockfighting is a banned sport, both due to the cruelty to animals and the fact that it is unlicensed and therefore outside the taxation net nothing is publicized about this activity and people carry on this on the QT as they say. Those youth engaged in this are completely ensnared and engrossed in this, and they start out doing it for fun, and the rules are simple. You fight your cockerel with another’s and if yours wins, you have the losing bird. Winning is if the opposing cock runs away in fright, or refuses to fight by cowing down, or if it gets killed in the fight.


This activity has sparked a complete industry, so people go in search of the best varieties “jalaya” is a word I constantly hear for a type of bird. They have sharp talons on their feet that they use to strike their opponent and some if they are let out of their cages just goes in search of another bird just to fight to kill, with no fear. Then once they get a fearless bird there are those who try to breed from that one to raise fighting cocks.

There is a well organized cock fighting underworld that the police have no idea of as it is not a well publicized form of wagering. People come from all over the place for a cockfighting competition which is usually held in a small compound in a not too obvious part of someone’s property, where there are people on the lookout for any strangers in case they are police in mufti, to signal to by way of whistle.
It is a thrill for the youngsters as the wagering is done by the adults and there is a decent reward for the owner of the wining bird, who can sometimes pocket Rs10,000/- for his efforts and even sell his winning bird for more.

I will try and get some photos and also include some cockfighting capers in the future

So much has happened in the past six months, I was suffering from writers’ cramp

How do I summarize in the space of a blog entry what has happened? Well I don’t know how. It has been filled with trips to places and discovering more, even taking the dogs on the back of the pick up on vacation/ working holidays. I recommend a slow drive up or down the Bogawantalawa cut to Balangoda a road I been for the first time a few months ago and determined to take a picnic lunch and go again to appreciate the varying forests and tea estates of the Bogawantalawa valley and most of all the peace and tranquility.

There have been additions of more calves on the farm, with varying theories of how to maximize the yields from the cows. Generational fights called young vs old with me fighting for the youth for change against the old who blame the youth as being lazy, and the youth saying they cannot take orders from a bunch of old geezers who sit back and do nothing expecting them to do all the work. I lost the skirmish and have to suffer the daylight robbery that is taking place. Its called respecting the elders in Sri Lanka!!!

I have been working all hours and have also been in the thick of the stock market boom in Sri Lanka with not a share to my name, but having safely made millions tax free for clients who I am at pains to explain the world of risk and reward, something very alien to Sri Lanka it seems. Sometimes I have been working in the office till 6.30pm on a Friday, then going to a cocktail function of a leading Conglomerate, chatting with the MD on how he could improve his share price if only he could show more transparency to inspire investor confidence, only to leave for Polonnaruwa at 9.30pm getting to sleep on my bed made of branches in an open verandah at 2.30am.

I still hold my open house on Tuesdays in a flat in Colombo, entertaining a cross section of society, serving Cheeses from all over the world, courtesy of friends and relatives just back from foreign climes, along with a selection of red and white wines. Recent guests have included, captains of industry and commerce, big time jewelers, small time lawyers, designers and artistes; new MPs of the government and opposition, friends and relatives from overseas and all just interesting conversationalists who enjoy meeting new people.

I have had the usual travails on the farm, where instructions are not followed, alcoholics roam, police reports to vouch for the those under my direction, even though I am not sure of their complicity in the infraction. The unreliable staff, agricultural tools, weather, water supply and theft all contributing to chaos. It is surprising that anything gets done on the fields in Sri Lanka given the attitudes prevailing.

In fact this crazy life was even filmed by a film maker from the UK following me one day on my produce delivery route from house to house, then one day at the office in the clouds in the World Trade Center, then on the fields in Hingurakgoda coupled with a trip to see the elephants at the Minneriya National Park, interviewing all those around about what they thought of this vagabond.

All this fortunately with no time off for a head ache! I will just carry on where I left off!

Travails of marketing your own produce to those who buy from a wholesaler

Sometime ago I reported in my blog about my losing the account at the Royal Colombo Golf Club, due to them not willing to accept some of my King Coconuts as they did not conform to a minimum size. The farm has been supplying the single estate King Coconuts to the club for a number of years as my father a member of the club, had been asked to supply them during the period he was actively playing.

Recently I was approached again by the Club to supply them with King Coconuts, and I duly arrived this morning with the order of 200. (uneconomical really to supply such a small quantity on a special journey from the farm, but due to the prevailing rains demand from the club is also low so I was willing in the interests of a relationship to supply this small quantity, despite having told the person who contacted me regarding a renewed order that I need a minimum order of 250)

The new rules set in motion by the Club Captain and the committee running the club is for a chef from the kitchen to check the quality control upon delivery, and this chap said that he would be hauled over the coals by his superiors for ordering some of the nuts owing to their size. The same issue I fell out with back then!!!
I had to tell them firmly that they choose between single estate Thambili and those they can get a supplier in Colombo to deliver, bought wholesale from the Pettah market where they choose the bunches they deliver according to size, not knowing from where or date of plucking. I was able to pluck nuts to order, as I have to cut according to a row of trees where in some sections the nuts are smaller than others, and vary in size from tree to tree. It is also a fact that sometimes smaller nuts have more King Coconut water than the larger nuts, and so size bears no relationship to quality and volume. As I only plucked the nuts to fill the club order, either I sell it to them or just throw it away, as I do not have the time to go at short notice to find buyers for the balance, especially on a rainy and cloudy day like today.

While the chef is just doing his job, frightened of the bosses, they have either to make an exception to their size rule if they want my Thambili, knowing it is plucked the previous day just for them or buy from a trader who sells other people’s produce. It is their choice as it is beyond my control to conform to their specifications. They decided to accept the order today but that may be the first and last I deliver to this club!!! Watch this space for updates to the latest saga of the farmer and his produce dealing with systems and procedures that are not compatible with his method and means of supply. I pluck fresh coconuts to my home delivery customers in the same way as the sizes vary from tree to tree.

Eventful few days in grappling with the new reality of drought amidst plenty

MY SECRET KUMBUK THUDUWA IN RAJA ELA WHERE I RETREAT TO TAKE IN THE UNEXPECTED

It is interesting to note that while there was rain and floods in the Western Province in Sri Lanka, and I was called by friends overseas wondering if my Pokuna was flooded, that we have not had a drop of rain in ages in Minneriya, except for one day when it rained island wide. So when people are drying out from wet conditions, I was having a battle to get a few drops of water into my fields, by trying all means to damn the water flows and send some water my way.

It is vital that the fields get enough water to allow the plants to grow and prevent the weeds from getting hold of the dry conditions to flourish. We have the semi annual discussion on what types of herbicide based on the most likely weeds that can strangle the rice plants. No one questions the part played by the big multinational chemical companies, whose agents the local companies sell a whole host of products, which cost the farmer more than the cost of his annual fertilizer, just to prevent weeds from making a start on the fields. Often even this attempt is forlorn as inevitably the weed that the spray does not kill is the one that sprouts to adversely affect the harvest. One would say the non use of this is the answer. I tried it once and to my cost I know that is not an option if I am to survive.

I have had to resort to pumping water using my tractor engine to run the 3inch pump, as despite my paying for water, I do not get my allocated share, as my supposedly neighborly neighbors do their utmost to prevent me from getting any.

While it is the rainy season in the West, it is the windy season in the North East with a constant blowing. This season continues till the October rains, so it is a breeze to sleep in my veranda without electricity / fans. The problem however is that it dries things fast, where crops need more moisture, and the wind blows away the newly formed mango, where there appear to be more on the ground than on the tree, another added threat over an above the rock squirrel (see photo here near the mango) who also nibbles at the mango and it falls to the ground.

I harvested the oranges from my trees on this visit, and am pleased with their quality, and wished I had ten times this number as I can sell them now I have got the marketing sorted, but alas this will be it till next season. In agriculture however there is never a dull moment, as when you thought you could relax a new crisis erupts, and this time it was the tractor that requires a major repair. My chaps ever the optimists who think I am made of money, suggest I trade it in for the latest model without a moments realization that I am running on my last rupee in the world till I earn something from tomorrow’s sales and so I survive another day.

"ayahapath kalaguna warthawa" - unfavorable weather report

The Western Province has been deluged with incessant rains these past few days, which has resulted in no sunshine for the past week. The Victory Parade that was to have been held on Thursday, May 20th has been postponed due to it. On Thursday the 13th, when I rode the bus to the WTC for work, there were in excess of 200 CTB buses that had lined up on DR Wijewardene Mawatha, which had brought security forces from all over the country for rehearsals. They were all in formation on Galle Face Green and the rains came hard as I watched these poor guys getting soaked from the 32nd floor of the WTC. They were not wearing rain coats just their uniforms and you know how thin our young boys are as it is the recruits who draw the short straw for this sort of thing. They were totally frozen and no doubt the next day 10% would be with coughs and colds and flu and the worse for wear. But no, I went on Friday, the rain was heavier and I got totally soaked, despite a brolly there was not a dry part on my body, getting drenched by the motor cars whizzing past the puddles on the road side.This time the buses were on Galle Face Green itself and the troops still on parade in the heavy heavy rain.

Now tell me the viewing platforms for the dignitaries are under construction, they will not know the suffering of those on parade, and what they had to undergo so they and the TV audience can be lulled into the spectacle that is being created, totally oblivious to the sacrifice that have to be undergone so the credit can go to the higher-ups, that is those who do not have to get wet!!

Anyway I digress a bit, and mercifully note this parade that was about to become a charade was postponed in the interests of common sense once the top brass realized the toll it has taken on the brass-less, with no one fit and able to parade.

So it was a weekend of rains on the farm, and where it is hard to get any productive work done. Worst of all Monday morning is a very busy day on the farm getting ready for market. My staff had the cheek to tell me it was raining and that they'd rather not go out and pick the leaves, vegetables and fruit. I said no leaves no sales, no sales no income and the choice is theirs. If I can get wet so can they!!

So finally I left late with having to load up the pick up with produce in the rain and then drive in the rain through flooded roads on my delivery route. Needless to say my King Coconut sales were totally down, taking a bath literally on them. People don't like to drink Thambili when it rains, a totally absurd view in my opinion. Ironically a lot of fruit ripens in the rain, but people reduce their consumption in the rainy period, giving a double whammy wallop to the farmer who has to reduce his price as both supply increases and demand decreases all at the same time. Now none of you readers realize this do you? unless of course you are one of the producers who have to face the consequences.

Anyways it was past 9pm when I finished my deliveries, as it rained all day long and I was delivering to homes in the rain. Here people are not willing to step outside their homes on a rainy day, and I turn up with produce, what more can they ask for? Anyway after a hard day's work it was a welcome relief to have a shower and a Raheema's chicken fried rice for me and my helper, before settling it to watch the TV news at 10pm showing the flooded city we had just been wallowing in!

So that was yesterday and this is today, and I got to the office at the 32nd floor by 8 this morning to avoid the inevitable deluge that struck an hour later.

Take it from me, I drove around Colombo 7 delivering and I have never seen so many roads and homes under water, even MacCarthy Road(Wijerama) homes had water in their verandas. The roads of Colombo are full of pot holes, the drains are so full of debris they were overflowing, and there just is no proper drainage for water to flow smoothly through the various channels to the sea as there has been a lot of development and infilling of marshland reducing the flow of water out. To see Parliament Sq and the Old Town Hall as islands was quite an eye-opener.

I trust those in charge will do something as the Indian Film Festival will otherwise showcase Colombo as a City unable to handle rain and remember the monsoon is only expected next week!! as the weather forecasters keep on saying.

They are hoping to spruce up the city, as we will get an extraordinary amount of publicity, and if the powers fluff this once in a lifetime opportunity, then it is another of the many failings in a litany of failings in administration.

The Na tree in bloom in front of my home

UPDATED PHOTOS ON MAY 15th SHOWING BLOOMS DESPITE THE HEAVY RAIN

The Na Tree (Ceylon Ironwood) with Latin name Mesua Nagassarium is the National Tree of Sri Lanka. ( Wikipedia uses the Latin name Messua Ferrea - so someone with better knowledge than me can enlighten me on the difference)

It was declared as the National Tree in 26th February 1986 according to the official Government of Sri Lanka web site which also states that "It is believed that the first visit of Buddha was to a grove of NA Trees at Miyanganaya and also the next Buddha (Mithriya) will attain enlightenment under a NA tree."


Why I chose to highlight this in my blog today was that I had planted the tree a few years ago, when I bought a seedling, and for the first time this year it bloomed and I was pleasantly surprised at the extent of buds and blooms, especially as I drive by the Na Tree lines Parliament Drive in Kotte where hardly a tree has bloomed, maybe the higher being does not approve of the shambolic state of some of the jokers in Parliament whose first job was to approve duty free vehicles to all, and so did not think it fit to grace the new parliament with a potentially magnificent sight of Na blooms.

I will later investigate other traits of the tree and include in the blog as I understand there are ayurvedic properties also associated with various parts of the tree.




In the meantime just appreciate what I see, just a wonderful sight to walk out of the front door to!





A few days later the blooms increase and now it is the only Na in the island with so many blooms. I challenge anyone to contradict me!!!