A Doctor's Heart Sutra

Back in the post war era, when i wrote the blog anithkona, in my native language (Sinhala) anonymously , beneath the wanni sky, I never imagined that I would sit leisurely and discuss what we went through with an audience in south.  Mine and Vetrichelvi's, (a writer from mannar), pathways crossed once during the post war era when there were no two sides but a bunch of internally and externally displaced people...lost in their own world of chaos, trying to find their destiny !  This discussion panel took place at the AK lit festival on oct 20th 2019, vetri, myself along with Prashani (the author of asiri's quest which unweils her magical writing wrapping up mythical creatures of our traditions and culture.) And Smriti moderating the panel.

October 15th brings back many memories from the past.  I remember a mom from wanni the north of Sri Lanka who was super excited to have her caesarian section on a 15 th.  When I asked her why she requested it to fall on 15th I heard the weirdest reason I've ever heard. "Doctor, we believe in birth number luck...6 is a good number for a girl, she will be pretty, fair and have a nice comfortable family life too, you see, When you add 1 and 5 it's number 6" she said. " Aha... I'm 2 and 4, so I'm a number 6 too." I said.  "Your face says it all doctor."  I burst into a laugh in my mind of course, while examining her, for this was something ridiculous to hear.  "Will you do my c section...the child will be fairer then"  "Oh it doesn't work like that Amma, fairness isn't contagious. Let's wish for good health, bravery and strength. I hope your daughter will grow up to become an independent, strong woman, and most of al...

When ever I'm free from routine mundane workload, I used to sit, draw or create designs and patterns. Drawing has been my hobby since childhood . No one beleives me when I say that I have never studied art as a subject during school years. I chose to study kandyan dancing (traditional dancing of hill country of sri lanka) And kandyan drumming instead. I continued drawing what ever came to my mind, even though I had no aim or potential to excel in arts. When I was 18 years old, my neighbour, a relative, who is also a teacher introduced me to his mother who was going to the national art gallery on week ends to draw.  Back then i was a teenager who was highly enthusiastic to draw what ever came to my mind. I preferred black and white painted art and one of the senior artists at the ar gallery who was a  tutor as well told me that i should keep up with this unique style of mine, which was more into modern art. I did not understood anything back then as i ha...