Features
Women of Sri Lanka – the good, the dishonest, the go-getters
KKS Perera in the Sunday Island of March 6 wrote on the Women’s Brigade of Suriyamal fame: Marxist independence struggle in the 30s/40s. It was good to read of women who were brave, dedicated and
In ancient times, too, we had admirable women who were powerful in their own right and often sacrificed themselves as a duty to the country. The first woman history records, as given in the Mahavamsa, is Kuveni. She entertained the Indian prince who had landed on our shores and even gave him the principality she was queen of. We know the rest of the story – Vijaya ran true to his nature that earned him banishment by his father. He forsook Kuveni and their two children by sending them to the wilderness as he desired, starting a dynasty with a royal wife brought over from India. We are supposed to honour him for the ‘creation’ of our Sinhala race. Kuveni left her inherited kingdom and home and with her two children became forest dwellers, outcasts in reality. The son and daughter are said to be the progenitors of the Veddah race. Kuveni’s gift to the land was her curse, which has its effect once in a while, but never so strong as at present; cursed as we are by selfish leaders and the country driven by their extravagances and stupid mistakes to bankruptcy and immense suffering to a major portion of its people. The cheating leaders live well regardless, the younger enjoying sports and fun and the older looked after well by the government. They neither see not nor care about the suffering of millions.
However, we do have ancient women who we are eternally grateful to. The first is Viharamaha Devi, who even accompanied her son Gamini when he marched with his army to regain the north of Lanka from Elara’s rule – 205 to 161 BC. Elara was at the head of marauding Cholas who descended on Lanka and stayed on in parts they had conquered, including the ancient royal capital – Anuradhapura.
Deeply indebted are we to the daughter of Emperor Ashoka who followed her brother to this land. Mahinda Thera visited king Devanampiyatissa as requested by him of Emperor Ashoka and thus Buddhism was accepted by the royal court and country. A Sinhalese royal princess desiring to be a bhikkhuni had Ven. Sangamitta coming over, bringing a sapling of the Bo Tree under which Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment. Ven Sangamitta outlived her brother and lived till a very ripe old age in Anuradhapura.
A woman who was said to be ‘the only man in the Cabinet’ is respected. She came to power dubbed the ‘weeping widow’ but proved to be a statesman. Sirima Ratwatte Bandaranaike was known worldwide, praiseworthy.
In present times, I can name two women who are active politically and thought well of. Much is expected of them in the future. They are Dr Harini Amarasuriya and Hirunika Premachandra.
On the other side of the dividing line are very many women, most good looking; of various dubious natures. We have procuresses, murderers, accusers, politicians, tricksters, go-getters, advantage takers of husband’s position, and cheats.
A socialite who stole a rich husband from his lawful wedded wife is a party girl. I am often sent pictures of her parties where fair, fat and above forties dance away entire nights while most of Sri Lanka is sleepless with hunger, poverty stricken and utterly hopeless.
Some years ago, we had a wife of a (minor) politician murdering his mistress with her maid helping her. She was proved guilty of the murder and condemned to die but the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. Her maid, the accomplice, was also imprisoned, Cass believes, and forgotten and left to serve her sentence. Not so the murderer. She received a presidential pardon when Mahinda R was president – released from death row.
A couple of women have been accused of holding more than one passport; also passing off as a Sri Lankan citizen while being a citizen of another country. Example: Diana Gamage – actress, advocate, politician. Her qualifications are given as MBA, LLB (UK). She claims to be the progenitor of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and in the 2019 general elections was nominated a National List MP by the SJB. She turned traitor by voting for the 20 th Amendment and was expelled from the SJB. She was THE woman scorned and turned on the Party, threatening to destroy it so all SJB MPs lose their parliamentary seats. Then it came to light she is a Brit citizen, holding a Brit passport. That accusation or case seems to have died or gone into abeyance. She is State Minister of Tourism and wanted to legalise ganja, turn Mannar into a gambling Macau, and advocated some other fun things.
We had Sachi with her upswept hairdo and pouty face taken to Court for possessing two birth certificates with different dates of birth, of course; and holding two passports, one of which was a DPL privileged one. Openly in Parliament the tragic death of a young man in her home was revealed with allegations when her MP hub was being castigated.
Then we had a sastharakari in Anuradhapura who was the guide, astrological patron and advisor to no less a high-up than Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa. When Cass first heard that Gnana Akka was visited often by Prez GR, and she had army protection, etc, she could not believe that a person who seemed so practical and unlikely to believe in astrology was so believing in her. I mean here GR. She, a former hospital attendant, made capital of her sudden good fortune. She built a hotel into the Nuwara Wewa! We heard it was destroyed by an angry mob. One delightful incident was Hirunika along with many women being debarred from seeing Gnana Akka though Hirunika assured the security guards she was there to sastharayak ahanta
My word, who wants more women like this on this resplendent island? But it is proven beyond doubt that only man and his mate are vile in this land. So now we can justifiably pronounce this land is gone to the bitches!
Euripides in his ancient Greek wisdom pronounced: There is no worse evil than a bad woman, and nothing has ever been produced better than a good one. See you next Friday with better talk. After all, the Supreme Court has ruled that the Treasury must release money to hold the LG elections.
Cass holds her head in fright, frustration and fury and shouts out “enough is altogether enough of protests.” Cannot the IUSF go back to a bit of staying at home, entering lecture halls or just reading some useful stuff? They’ve fought the police for two days running along Reid Avenue – Tuesday and Wednesday; yellow robed men in the forefront.