Inquiry into a Sri Lankan Man’s Stolen Bicycle
On a beautiful late summer day, the eighth of September 2010 to be precise, outside the railway station in the historic university city of Bridgetown, England, I found this Sri Lankan chap,…
Author: Mahesan Niranjan
Sivahamy’s Sorrow: Mission Accomplished!
My name is Madduma Bandara — a brave young journalist working for , “we report, you decide.” Permit me to engage your imagination a bit. Sivahamy comes from a farming family in…
The Taxi Driver’s Story: In the Name of a Father
My name is Polgahawela Aarachchige Junius Soloman Hickmana Thanthiriya Bandarawela, and I am a taxi driver in Colombo — you can call me Hick, for short. I am about to tell you…
Doing It in a Foreign Language
In Jumma: The last bastion of the boys, (, 26 March 2010) Nazeeya Faarooq wrote: “…most of the Jumma sermons are totally irrelevant. Firstly they are given in a language they don’t…
The Revenge of a Tamil Man
Some months ago, I arrived in Colombo on a trip to London from the Far East with Sri Lankan Airline. When the transit is more than eight hours, they put you in…
Challenges of Development: The Next Phase
It is over. We have a winner, and we have a loser. The margin of victory has many messages. In mature democracies, play leading up to the climax is performed in a…
Colour in Sri Lankan Politics
A particular aspect of Sri Lankan politics is color. Those days, there were two: Greens and Blues. Greens were to the right of centre and Blues to the left. There were some…
Don’s Diary: One week in Sri Lanka
Saturday: Fly from Heathrow to Colombo; uneventful journey; drink gin and tonic, take long sleep. Hear that an aunt passed away just before departure. Sunday: Catch up on sleep and go to…
The Structure of Tamil Names
My name is Sivapuranam Thevaram, and my origins are in the northern parts of Sri Lanka. I usually identify myself as a Sri Lankan Tamil, strictly in that order. And that order…
Potato Farmer’s Anthropology Research: Part 1
I have taken up anthropology. It is I, your potato farmer. In previous posts, I told you the story of my farm, my trial and my poultry venture. I now want to…
If you don’t mind my asking, what is your race?
At my local hospital (in the UK) this morning, a nurse asked: “If you don’t mind my asking, what is your race?” Not the sort of everyday question, so I was taken…
Lessons in Leadership
[Authors note: Edited text of a speech at the Jaffna Hindu College Old Boys Association (UK) Social Event: (31 October 2009)] Thank you very much for inviting me as Chief Guest. This…
Potato Farmer’s Poultry Venture
I arrive on holiday at the Colombo airport with my family. It is I, your potato farmer. In my last post I told you about my trial, you might remember. Mine is…
Trial of the Potato Farmer
A trial takes place in a tent at the foot of the mountain. It is me, your potato farmer on trial. Accused of being an intellectual who failed to play a role…
The bear and my potato farm
At the foot of a mountain, in a far away land, I had a potato farm. On top of the mountain, in a cave, lived a bear. It is not of much…