Walk Down The Memory Lane

This piece is very long as long as 6 Kilometers I walked today.

Original plan was to walk 5 Kilometers but I extended it by one more, since walking was unhindered by vehicles except for an occasional push bike or a motor bike.

Mind you there were many three wheelers breaking the travel ban.

I had no fear of 6 Kilometers, since I tested my 70th birthday to Dunhjnda Ella running with younger guys and girls.

Walk was similar to the days of curfews and fear of bomb blasts with soldiers manning every junction or turning point but without any fear but few standalone prowlers (in fact, one I managed to avoid having noticed him.from a safe distance before he noticing me) that I hate.

I must make a note of this guy.
His instinct in survival mode is exemplary.
If he entered the University  (my goodness not here, they destroy all potentials and hopes  in one solid year) in a foreign land he would have ended up as a professor of economy.

I think he has more money in the bank than me.

He is a cash dealer for the desperate.

In fact, he was dealing with a transaction with a guy, so that he failed to notice me.

His modes operandum is to pose as a vagrant anywhere in this Island from Colombo to Peradeniya.

He begs as a living and has built up a composition  to go with his trade.
I believe he had vouched not to follow his father but build up his economy.
He puts the money in banks with high interest rate.

The interest he pawns.

So he gets double interest in the same piece of Ceylon notes.

Incredible.

If he is not paid back he comes out with raw filth in public.

Without knowing I assumed that he is a vagrant and used to give him money starting with dirty 10 Ruppee note but gradually it went up to 100.

Now I give him money through third party and Coronavirus was my reasoning and I told him one day, that I will give a nasty blow to his head if he interrupted me in my routines.

He never begs in the Kandy city and in the city I never dish out money to beggars and tell the police to take them away.

The Kandy Police does a good job of it.

By the way, he  may have tried Kandy but would have been evicted by the Some of Kandy prison.

Some was a guy who killed a guy in front of Bandaranayake Shooing Complex, Kandy and went to Bogambara Prison before it was shifted.

He never stayed in prison but his nominee would be in prison but he was out and running his underground  business.
I once so him as a kid but I have no memory of his appearance, nothing of outstanding note but an ordinary guy who has done the homework of survival in prison.

The boss of prison and had prison guards running behind his tail.

Any murderer builds up his reputation.

Coming back to the economy professor down under, I think he has had a bad deal as a kid, simply because his father went to prison and his father's right  hand chopped above elbow.

That stigma followed him.

His younger brother who was a good metal worker was one day wrestling with his own brother.

I intervened and stopped it since I knew the economy guy but not his brother.

Now the son of this not well known guy was an ace thief (a family trait, I believe) and he was in prison by the age of 15.

I have not seen him after he went to prison and his gather who tried to make a responsible living probably heart broken died prematurely when I was in New Zealand.

First of all let me say every dog should have  a home and stray dogs at Galaha Junction were left without food.

I did not have any to feed them with all the  pastry shops closed.

My favourite dominating bitch and her clan were not visible at Panideniya.

My guess is that with all the food stalls closed and all the private buses not plying they would have enticed a few in the neighbourhood to their living quarters.

Dogs are very intelligent and their perception of our current human predicament is better than PhD psychologists.

The second mention should be the cleaners and they were working non stop, including the workers loading back the mettle loads left by the builders in a main junction and the builder carefully watching every piece of mettle being loaded.

The third goes to the British Architects who designed and executed the University and the Botanical Garden where I enjoyed a long stroll in my young days as an undergraduate and a graduate.

I wish they stayed little longer till 1960s like in Singapore but our STUPID Bandaranayake clan and his party RUINED all prospects due to his/their POWER greediness.

I guessed he read Bertrand Russel's book on POWER while in England and craftily used segregation tactics and politics and we are still entangled with the rigmarole (or is it the tight GRIP) of the SLPP.

Now the British Design in Peradeniya is better than both Oxfordshire and Cambridge which I visited as a foreign traveller but never wanted to be a resident in both which an average Indian "prize" so heavily.

Peradeniya was to me the real home with ample room for a healthy stroll.

The city has gone into hibernation and only one place, I admired was a little children garden built on the refuse dump of yesteryear and a little water garden in front with ONLY red blooming lillies.

I would have never allowed my children to play on a rubbish dump where tetanus and nasty anaerobic bacteria thrive even with and attractive grass top.

Anyway, that is how we progress in this country.

Children parks should be purpose built like Disney films.

In a country where Legos are not sold in shops how can we expect grand children parks?

They are made to cram for scholarship examination from the age of two or three years, grand children's park is only.a wishful thinking.

Coming back to original track, I have a specimen of that the lilly which bloom everyday in the morning and fades away by 2 P.M.

Little more about other lilies later.

I think this was (children park and the pond) designed by a Lady and not a man.

Now coming to Rubbish in Kandy and KMC (Kandy Municipal Council) had a very practical way to dispose rubbish before plastics came into existence.

In public health (thanks to Professor Malcolm Fernando) appointment we were taken to these dumps in Nittawela (going by its name a rich paddy field filled up to accommodate a rugger ground, later), Guhagoda (dumping ground  of raw faeces of bucket latrines, where Infectious hospital was located during British times) and Peradeniya (never Panideniya where Kithul trees were plenty during British time) and what a collosal contributions humans make daily and it is increasing and a waiting catastrophe with population.expansion.

Regarding paddy cultivation, the British probably hated rice and dumped garbage on paddy fields.
The stretch of roadway and railway was built on the Nuwara Wela and Bogambara Prison was where part of the original lake was located.

If you read Professor Anuradha Seneviratna's book, you get a better picture of Kandyan aristocracy.

Now in the Bogambara prison there was a deep well and the Nilames and Dingiri Manikes dumped their gold and silver before their subjugation.

The prisoners also dump their illegal telephones and pistols to the same pit.

There was a ha hoo that the prison was shifted and one can view it free.

I went there for a early entry and we were prevented.

I saw three helicopters airlifting the loot or the content of the well.

We heard nothing after like what happened to gold airlifted after the end of the war.

All those helicopter guys were missing or sacrificed after the loot was completed and same logic stands for Bogambara looting.

There are guys in this country who loots prisoner's possession before their term ends or their demise under mysterios circumstances.

The TRUTH is hurried and heresay stays with some exageration.

It is hazardous to become a helicopter pilot both physically and politically.

The economic cost withstanding!

Now coming to Nittawala grounds before it was abandoned, players use to get nasty illnesses.

Probably the Late Dr. Karunatatne has a role in.decommissioning this disease prone ground built on rubbish.

The preamble is over and I tell you NOW, all the nasty things I noticed even during a total Blockdown, in my sphere of activities.

Mind you, I do not go in the opposite direction  to Gelioya or Kurunduwatta where a nasty guy from SLPP has made the life of an average person a misery.

Only twice I went in opposite direction to the nearest Branch of Bank of Ceylon, when the road from  Peradeniya to Kandy was closed due to unruly action of JVP inspired strikes in the Campus which I boycotted in theory and practice.

Today, I had only Rs.100/= in my purse and I had to walk to the Bank with rain impending and forecasted by Google (not BBC).

A.cloudy day without much humidity an ideal day for walking.

I was stopped by my wife yesterday and all the gear was ready except the bills to be paid.

I was up by 5.30 A.M and there was no rush to find the unpaid bills.

Had only a tea and two pieces of cake (the current bread is awful without butter and jam) and with only an umbrella in my hand and the empty purse with only two bank cards.

The debit card I dispensed with, a few years ago to avoid heavy interest rate.

I have stopped the land phone calls totally having told my intention twice or thrice in advance to my friends to stop paying unnecessary TAXES to this failing military goverment.

They failed us with COVID and I have recorded those events in correct scientific perspective, in this blog space (in Retrospect  and PostScript).

Today is about my stroll not politics.

1. From our home to Panideniya shops is  "Maranthika Tract" on a busy day with traffic.

Two have succumbed in this stretch in one morning and sadly one was a Muslim guy who saved my life many a time jumping to moving vehicles on my right side, in my rush to the  morning lecture (to catch the bus).

The bus from Panideniya take half an hour for a five minutes trip by my car and there was no parking lot, then (which we developed about 10 years later).

That part is renamed by me for the rest of my life as "The Maranthika (deadly) Tract" and will never walk on when opened to public and private traffic.

2. The next stop is Penideniya, which I called "The Appiriya Town I".

There used to be only one "Appiriya Eating Shop" and now the whole place has become an Apaya (hell) Tradition.

There is a big puddle of water in the middle of the road in addition.

No buses today blocking my view.

All shops closed.

There is 90 degree angle at this junction and there used to be a mirror to help road users but no more.

3. Third stop is the Peradeniya Township, which I am at a loss to rename it but slightly better than Panideniya.

Will call it "Appiriya Township II".

I think I am going to have a break for a bit of Coriander Drink (my standalone receipe for COVID not time tested yet).

Now these are few things I remember out of the many forgotten observations.

One day delay in recording helps my memory clean up unlike a cellphone or computer.

Loss of bad memories is a blessing at all times.

1. The approach road relatively clean due to heavy rain washing the RUBBISH to a stream that joins Mahaweli River.

But where buses were parked crushed up foreign illegal cigarette packets were in plenty.

The police say they have stopped this menace but Panideniya is the standard route for smuggling drugs,too to university undergraduates.

I won't go into details how Mahaveli Ganga is used for transportation where only the road is checked by police.
I believe police do not want their boots to.be wet.

2. The rock behind the petroleum station fully exposed is covered by a large polythene sheet.

Handy engineering feat.

3. The Bridge is littered with rotting rice packets.
I believe left for dogs and even.dogs repel the smell of them and do not partake.
Mind you, rice rots in a few minutes unless you put the left over immediately into the fridge.

The British outstanding construction stands tall and only Lankan addition is ugly cement payment blocks, to the approach of the bridge.

There are many cracks and gaps between the blocks.

4. Beyond, the bridge was a big iron frame hosting Buddhist Anniversary of 2600.

It is ugly and why it was not removed after the celebrations, I do not know.

5. The Galaha Junction was peaceful only one post left with, all the rhetorics in words washed and blurred.
To see this place without banners and posts was a longterm dream of mine.

Why police has left one piece?

6. There were three dogs and only two on my return. They are at a loss but guard the place two years after closure of the campus.
I wish all graduates if not undergraduates should salute Ivor Jennings and only dogs seem to have taken that into heart.

7.The Peradeniya Botanical Garden closed.
Right in front is the ugly entrance to the Children Hospital blocked by large number of three wheeler drivers.
Ugly sight and site.

I vehemently opposed the idea but politicians prevailed.
But the political name stands.

However, with the pandemic that is the only final resting place for some unfortunate kids.

8. The Rest House is no more but sold to a privateer.

9. At the Bank of Ceylon only three using the till.
The Mount to upload my cellphones is out of order.
Apart from.withdrawing cash uploading data was my intention.
I have to come here again!
Two trips for one job.

10. The veterinary hospital was open and they were busy. That was good and that is the reason I did not see many stray dogs.

11. I did not bother to go up and see the hospital I worked for nearly 16 years.
Yes, I came out never to return even for a guest lecture.

The newly built research laboratory closed.
By the way, it never opened after colossal amount of money spent.

12. Finished my job, I got a bright idea to extend my walk  to Royal Mall but after a long walk I found it closed.

13. The Cargill's near the 3 way junction was closed.

14. But crossing the railway track was easy without railways running.
Bit about railway tracks later.

15. The laundry my regular visiting place closed.
I have only a pair of cloths to collect.

16. All the "plants shops" closed.
Anyway, I have stopped buying exotic plants for two years.
It is too much caring for them but I collect seeds.
My paddy seeds are sprouting and replanted plants are doing well.
I will report on paddy experiment when I get the first batch of seeds.

On my return I saw one shop opened and selling seed paddy.

17. The return trip was not eventful except avoiding  bumping into that shoddy guy.

18. Coming home empty hand was not my intention.
All the fruit stalls were closed.
There was one lorry selling vegetables.
No fruits.

19. On my way up even the two Ram Banda shops were closed.

20. My strategy to stall was noted by a guy who  ran the smaller Ran Banda shop to open it's door.
Before me a young guy rushed there and bought 3 bananas.
Mind you Rs.40/= a piece.
Obviously hungry with all the food stalls closed.

He offered me the rest of the bunch and I said I want a big bunch since it was Ambum my favourite.

Rs. 600/= down but added two medium sized paw paw each.for 150/=  to balance the weights in my hands.

My maximum carry weight of mine is  5 Kilos now.

21. Long walk home and I decided to walk on the railway track which is straight unlike the  windy road with ups and downs.

I could rest on a bench at the railway station, if I start panting or the rain intervenes.

22. I forgot that the ground to platform was four or more feet high to prevent by passers using that route.

I could not make only with my legs.

Transferred  the load to one hand and gripped the iron railing firmly and with a mighty intention got one foot up and the other came up naturally without dropping the ripe bananas, with a sigh of relief.

Physical coordination counts at old age and do not try the impossible.

If I plan a long walk, I make sure there is company (not a dog by the way) but Coronavirus has made that luxury unavailable.

I surveyed the ground plan of the tracks which is concentrated in one point with criss crossings, which my physics brain could not figure out.

23. The reason for taking this route is to see the little pond there with lilly flowers.
Unlike the one previously mentioned had several varities.
The little carp fish I used to feed is Hugh Now with its mouth and nostrils or gills at surface level unable to go down when a stranger comes near.

Obesity is a problem even for a fish, especially gold fish.

Do not over feed them.

24. I raised up the hill and my first intention was to down two bananas and that was the total calorie cost of my walk.

Do not eat them like a kid at half way stop what was meant for family consumption (never mind even if nobody eats).

25. The final bath becomes much pleasing with sweat all over me.
But do not rush to the bathroom until the body cools down.
It is really not physiological and the body cannot handle it which I have learnt without a sports master, in my days.

26. Mind you I paid the water bill and telecoms bills on my return.

They checked my temperature and it recorded 35 and I could not believe (which I expected to be around 37.8 at least).

I think Chinese have dumped all the cheap digital thermometers in Ceylon and please do not believe in them for use in Medical Practice unless you have  a mercory thermometer to verify.

That may be the reason the Coronavirus is rampaging now in Ceylon.

27. I had a peep at Galaha Junction for my fruit vender's stall  but closed. He generally has good collection of bananas.
Mind you I hate Seeni Kehel and renamed  them Rubber Kehel.

28. The two schizophreniacs who have the typical fixed routines were at Peradeniya looking for food and shelter from rain.
I avoided any mode of communication fearing any fixation on me.

29. The fearsome old women or Archchi was seated in.front of her boutique without any sail.items.
She terrifies anybody who tries to.overule her dictatorship.
I think she would have done a better Woman President role than our current incumbent.
She is down to earth in her management of the few stalls she dominate and she has seen their natural development and changing hands over the years.
She probably in her nineties and I have never seen her full standing stature and all the instructions are relayed to the back of the stall verbally and a acted upon.
I used to go in and buy the pots sold there especially during new year.

I do not think she recognized me with my grey hair and half grown facial hair.
Mind you I used to wear immaculately, those days, perhaps even with a tie.

30. I do not know how these three survived to old age where now I find even climbing high steps daunting.

Probably they are fixated to the place they love and do not want to depart to new lives or a new round of births.

Attachment is the substance of Rebirth, according to Buddha.