Life of Silibiris 25

Kanthi woke up with a new purpose in life. She was determined to shake the godday boy’s mango tree and see what falls in her lap.
Never mind the consequences. Not that people in Kolonnawe Pelihouse worried too much about the consequences nor did they have the luxury of worrying about consequences when the name of the game was survival through the day. Tomorrow is yet another day.
Many families like Kanthi’s in these Pelihouses in Kolonnawe lived from hand to mouth. Unlike the families in Amabrawa, where they could go into the jungle and at least gather some wild fruits or kosgediya or delgediya, these souls living in squalor had no such opportunity. Everything must be bought, begged borrowed or stolen. Mostly, the latter.
The inhabitants of Kolonnawe Pelihouses had a reputation as a rough lot. No one from other parts of Colombo dared to enter this area without protection.
The only exception might be the election time where the Pelihouse inhabitants were visited by politicians from all parties even though the Reds thought they had a mortgage on the Kolonnawe Pelihouse sahodaraya’s vote bank. However, that did not deter the candidates from UNP & SLFP canvassing in this area promising sun and the moon when they come in to power.
Pelihouse people knew full well that after the election none of these wolfs in sheep’s clothes will even turn off Base Line Road into Kolonnawa road but they enjoyed their place in the sun even ever so briefly during election time. They willingly allowed themselves to be exploited for a bottle of Gal Arrack, a blue or green cap, a lunch packet, a promise of a job or even Rs10 for a promised vote.
In the late 1960s, Kolonnawe Pelihouses built shoulder to shoulder between a canal and the main roads, mainly consisted of a single multifunctional room with a few rusty old galvanized metal sheets full of holes keeping most of the rain out.
If they were rich enough there might even be a little kitchen hut attached to the side of the main dwelling. The front walls of the Pelihouses were either timber planks or more rusty galvanized sheets.
It was not uncommon to have a family of 10 occupying this 10m2 space. There was no electricity, there was no running water there was no individual toilets. The Municipal Council had built common bathing areas, a row of toilets fulfilling one of the election promises. A thousand or so inhabitants somehow managed with the available resources. Often the fights amongst the women involved the use of these luxuries.
The men were mostly unemployed. They whiled away the time sitting on the door steps, waiting for some unsuspecting prey to fall into their spider web. If the prey did not walk in to the web they would go out at night looking for some prey to relieve the burden of their wallets, gold chains or anything of some value which could be pawned or sold. The days or nights proceedings partially kept the family out of starvation.
The tougher men belonged to some gang or the other which controlled all the illegal activities such as running kassippu spots, prostitution or selling ganja. Other types of drugs were unheard of in this era.
If any rival members transgressed into each other’s territory, there would be war. These gang fights were a source of constant fear to women and children but a source of entertainment for young and old men. There were a number of such waththas like Lanci waththa, Koreawa, Tamilnaaduwa, Ela langa waththa . The inhabitants would proudly declare that they are from such and such waththa hoping to drive fear into other people in the periphery of these areas.
Kanthi’s father Pachcha Sira was a leader of a gang in the Ela langa waththa.
He controlled the kasippu trade in an area of about 2 square kilometers. Sira had been in jail more than he had been at home. Kanthi’s cousin Vije and Sira were both currently spending time at the Welikada prison.
However, most people in the area respected Sira so Kanthi and the mother did not have to worry about their safety at least. Others watched their backs.
Many boys competed to watch Kanthis’ back.
They all knew not to mess with her cousin Vije who had made it known that she will be his partner one day. Kanthi had not given direct consent but that did not matter to Vije. He did not want to make an issue out of it either as she was just 16. After all, she is the daughter of Sira.
Kanthi decided to have an early bath before the bathing spot became crowded with other women and children. She sang out to the mother to tell her intentions. Kanthis mother Sophiya wondered why Kanthi suddenly decided to have bath even before she could finish making hoppers. She shouted to Kanthi to bring some sugar from the kade on her way back.
Bathing spot is always crowded with gossiping women. Kanthi ran into Chandra, the Reuter of the area.
“ Aaa kelle mokada ada may uday paandrama methana? Naanda awada”
“Naa puka- hondanda aawa” said Kanthi angrily trying to avoid talking to Chandra.
“ Mokada mechchra gas? Umbath umbe ammandi wagema thama. Sirage rasne umbath Aranda?”
Kanthi ignored her.
She had a quick bath. Picked up the bucket and the clothes and walked off showing her displeasure at the presence of Chandra still gossiping loudly about a godday looking stranger she saw yesterday evening going to the Kasiya spot with Gune. She theorized that it could well be a spy from C.I.D.
Kanthi ran to the corner shop past the temple gate.
Silibiris was coming out ready for work hurrying to catch the bus.
Kanthi stopped. Silibiris stopped.
Silibiris admired the fresh faced, sweet smelling figure of Kanthi.
Kanthi admired the freshly pressed shirt and trouser wearing Brill Cream haired tall figure of Silibiris.
They smiled. Silibiris mumbled he is late for work.
Kanthi called after him.
“Handaawe apey gewal paththe enda…………..”