Category: Daily Financial Times

Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced that the Government is considering expanding pharmaceutical price controls to cover an additional 200 varieties of medicines.

Speaking at an event held at the Health Ministry to introduce a new batch of medicines to the local market, Dr. Jayatissa said the Ministry had already implemented significant price reductions for 350 essential medicines, marking what he described as a ‘major transformation’ in the country’s pharmaceutical supply system.

Dr. Jayatissa noted that the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) is empowered to regulate medicine prices under Act No. 5 of 2015. Price control mechanisms had been enforced since 2016, but were temporarily halted in December 2023 following an interim Court order secured by several pharmaceutical importers.

‘During that period, private pharmacies and even private hospitals charged excessively, with no regulatory oversight,’ he said.

A new gazette reintroducing the price control framework was recently passed in Parliament, enabling the Ministry to reinstate regulated prices for 350 medicines from this week.

Importers, manufacturers and suppliers have been officially informed of the revised pricing structure.

The controlled price list covers medicines used for a wide range of conditions, including paediatric illnesses, cancer, diabetes and hypertension.

The Minister highlighted examples of steep reductions: the cancer drug Paclitaxel (100mg/vial), previously sold at around Rs. 42,000 has been reduced to Rs. 26,332, whilst the price of Nimodipine IV Infusion (10mg/50ml), used for paralysis patients, will fall from Rs. 6,348 to Rs. 4,100.

Dr. Jayatissa stressed that rising drug prices had caused patients to purchase reduced or incomplete dosages. ‘These price controls will ensure that patients can obtain the proper dosages as prescribed by their doctors,’ he said.

Meanwhile, the State Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Corporation (SPMC) has introduced new locally manufactured medicines this year to supply high-quality, affordable drugs for domestic and international markets.

Two new original drug categories including; Celecoxib 200 mg priced at a minimum of Rs. 17.60 and Sitagliptin 100 mg, capped at Rs. 32 were presented to the Minister by SPMC Chairman Prof. Jayantha Wijayabandara.

It was noted that the SPMC continues to expand its manufacturing and research capacity, covering production, processing, storage, packaging, standardisation and industry expertise.

Deputy Health Minister Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni and SPMC General Manager A. Athuraliya also attended the event.

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women underscores the growing urgency of addressing online violence with laws, platforms, and digital systems.

Digital transformation brings boundless opportunities to enhance efficiency and drive growth in Asia and the Pacific. Yet, it also exposes women and girls to heightened risks and harm.

As digital transformation accelerates, it is critical to address violence against women that uses digital tools and online platforms.

As defined by the United Nations and other organizations, this includes image-based abuse, online sexual harassment, cyberstalking, doxing or unwanted disclosure of personal data, impersonation, deception, and online child sexual exploitation.

Globally, the United Nations Population Fund reports that up to 60% of women experience online violence. In 14 countries across Asia, women and girls are significantly more affected, with perpetrators being mainly men and boys.

In the Pacific, technology is an additional avenue for harm in the region where rates of violence against women are already high, causing a heightened threat for survivors.

Recent incidents are alarming. In Australia, the national police called for vigilance against online exploitation and cyberattacks targeting underage girls through online crime and gaming networks.

In the Republic of Korea, investigators uncovered multiple chatrooms circulating non-consensual pictures and videos of women and girls.

In the Philippines, an actress testified at a senate hearing about her experience as a survivor of AI-generated deepfake pornography which caused her severe emotional distress and violated her dignity.

The misuse of technology can exacerbate existing domestic violence, coercive control, and dating violence. Stalking has evolved into digital surveillance.

Women and girls are tracked through mobile apps, their social media monitored, and their online participation curbed by violent and abusive partners or ex-partners.

Intimate partner violence also impacts workplace performance and broader community participation. Survivors experience online patterns of control, manipulation, pressure, fear, and intimidation.

Women’s devices are restricted, and their social media behaviour is controlled. Threats of image-based abuse, or what is commonly known as ‘revenge porn’, often loom.

This issue extends beyond intimate partner relationships. As structural inequalities are entrenched in many societies, conservative views about women and girls are reinforced online.

The misuse of technology can exacerbate existing domestic violence, coercive control, and dating violence.

A recent study of 150 women members of parliament from 33 countries in Asia and the Pacific found that 60% had experienced online violence.

Women and girls in public-facing roles, such as journalists, social media influencers, and content creators, are subjected to demeaning or derogatory online comments. This creates additional barriers to fostering women’s leadership in the public sphere.

As daunting as the issue is, a growing body of work is being developed to counter this worrying trend. It is not just an issue of enormity and scale; it is nuanced in the political, social, cultural, and technological context of Asia and the Pacific.

It is imperative that Government approaches include the following:

National policies and legal frameworks need to be strengthened to integrate preventive measures and stronger penalties.

Policymakers must ensure a balance between free speech in online media while addressing the serious harm caused.

National agencies should explore alternative and innovative survivor-centred digital solutions and help raise awareness among survivors.

Some countries use AI to demystify and decode online language, and the use of emojis, in the realm of online violence.

Governments should also work with private technology companies to implement national policies at the company level, establishing reporting mechanisms that complement national systems and ensure accountability in protecting women and girls.

Governments, with support from civil society organizations, should take control of systems and governance, and shift from implementing programs that perpetuate cultural norms and harmful behaviour to fostering an enabling environment for women’s empowerment and leadership.

Ongoing research will help keep abreast of the dynamic and ever-changing issues and forms of online violence. Such research needs to be engaging and action-oriented to encourage meaningful solutions, including educating young boys and girls about healthy behaviour and respectful relationships as a preventive measure.

Women must be included in the system design and development of online platforms to help ensure safety and inclusiveness. In the AI ecosystem, for example, women remain significantly underrepresented, which negatively impacts the quality and safety of AI systems.

With the intersecting and numerous national issues that governments face, eliminating online violence requires joint and coordinated efforts among stakeholders.

Governments need to take leadership and collaborate with development partners, tech companies, and frontline service providers that can provide research to inform policies, potential survivor-centred tech solutions, and financial assistance.

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is a reminder that shutting down online violence is not easy, but by working together it can be done.

(Edwina Kotoisuva is a Gender Specialist (Gender-Based Violence) and Richeline Mascarinas is a Senior Gender Officer (Gender-Based Violence) at ADB’s Gender Equality Division, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department. )

Memoirs of Heart, reflecting on a journey of progressive inner transformation; is the second solo exhibition by Chandrika Maelge.

The exhibition is open free to the public on 28 and 29 November from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at SKY GALLERY, Fareed Uduman Art Forum, 65/9 Bernard Soysa Mawatha (formerly Kirula Road), Colombo 5.

Chandrika explains that, in 2016, she stepped out in faith with great zeal and expectation in her heart to journey forward to a destiny seen in a vision. She says ‘My heart for most of this journey, did not protect herself. A roller-coaster of emoticons at every text, trial and life challenge, broke my heart. At the gates of grace, love and mercy, as I surrendered all to the LORD, I was lifted up.’

Chandrika Maelge; communicates light, transformation, joy and peace through her art. Candle heated and melted oil pastels with mixed medium is her signature technique. She enjoys mixing different mediums and techniques to convey a story in ART and WORD. From spontaneous abstracts to figurative paintings the exhibition invites the viewer to look deeper for meaning, to sense a presence, and to experience the emotion and energy of each painting, making it personal to themselves.

The human heart feels a whirlpool of emotions as one journeys through life. Have you ever asked yourself; ‘Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?’ (Psalm 42.5, NLT). What if we tend to the heart at every junction of pain, hurt and suffering? Perhaps, those festered wounds may heal, and a positive transformation will take root in the heart. Proverbs 4:23 says to ‘Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.’ (NLT)

By sharing her personal faith journey, Chandrika hopes to encourage and help others, who are facing similar challenges of their own, through her books and art.

Jetwing Symphony PLC Chairman and veteran tourism leader Hiran Cooray said President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ initiative offers the country its strongest opportunity in decades to finally build a compelling and enduring national tourism brand.

Speaking at the India-Sri Lanka Tourism Forum this week, Cooray said Sri Lanka has long struggled to define its global identity despite possessing world-class natural and cultural assets.

In contrast, India’s ‘Incredible India’ campaign has remained memorable and influential for years because of its consistency, clarity and evolution.

‘On ‘Incredible India’, I dream every day that Sri Lanka will have a brand like that. We have had many attempts, but honestly, I can’t even remember most of them. Sometimes I feel jealous, angry and hurt that we are still searching for that identity,’ he said.

He noted that India’s branding success lies not only in creativity, but in its long-term commitment. ‘Incredible India has refreshed itself over the years, yet the core remains strong and unified,’ he observed.

Cooray stressed that Sri Lanka offers almost everything India showcases from diverse landscapes, cultural richness, beaches, wildlife and mountains; but continues to lack an identity that resonates globally.

But this, he said, is precisely where the President’s ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ mission can transform the country’s image.

‘Environmentally clean, ethically clean, politically clean, economically clean-this is a powerful message. It tells the world Sri Lanka is a place to invest, to travel, and to trust,’ Cooray said.

He noted that ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ provides not just a slogan, but a values-driven national promise that can anchor tourism, investment, and global perception. By projecting a clean, accountable, and transparent nation, Sri Lanka can differentiate itself strongly in a competitive region.

‘We already have the beaches, the mountains, the diversity. ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ could be our anchor,’ he opined.

Cooray suggested that industry stakeholders and the authorities unite behind this emerging narrative and transform it into a long-term, recognisable national brand, one that finally gives Sri Lanka the global identity it has lacked for years.

Mrs Jayasinghe ran down the wooden stairs making a louder noise than normal. They had begun this new exercise to conduct classes for ICMA candidates. The lecturer was at Mrs Jayasinghe’s table having discovered the classroom empty. Nalis Rajendra, Council Member supervising education, shouted from downstairs that the students were crowding the lending desk and wanted her to shoo them away. Ovitige the library assistant ran up with the message.

Mrs Jayasinghe was Manager Education Affairs. That title if anything was, very misleading. What had it really to do with what she was doing? But I find I am not telling the story as it should be told. So I shall follow the advice of the King of Hearts to the White Rabbit in Court in Alice in Wonderland. ‘Begin at the beginning’, the King said gravely, ‘and go on to the end, then stop.’

Mrs Jayasinghe joined ICMA (Institute of Cost and Management Accountants) mid-year 1985, when Lakshman Williams migrated to Canada. At this time all affairs of ICMA were supervised by a Council. Tissa Manakkara was President and Muzzamil was the Secretary. They advertised, interviewed and selected. Of course the Council told the staff that a new manager was coming. A new manager did come that week. She came in a Mitsubishi Lancer. The staff met her and led her to her table. She was pleasant and well groomed. She was the only staff member who drove a car. Mrs Wijesuriya the Librarian was dropped off.

In the 1980s ICMA was a small Management Accounting body belonging to the parent body in London founded by a few members in 1965, interested in furthering the value of the qualification here. Membership was small even though student numbers were a little higher. ICMA had been moving from address to address until they arrived at Skelton Road off Dickman Road. This was a large bungalow, the colonial type, with several rooms and toilets. The downstairs occupied the library, Council room and two classrooms. Mrs Jayasinghe sat upstairs surrounded by the accountant and secretaries.

Mrs J

The staff called her Mrs. Jayasinghe while to members she was Mrs J. Only the Librarian Kumudini Wijeysuriya called her Nilanthi. But then, she had that special privilege, being her close friend. They confided in each other and many office problems found solutions at their desks.

The term Education Services was stretched to its extreme in the work schedule of Mrs. Jayasinghe. To begin with the Institute’s main purpose was to provide services to students hoping to qualify as Management Accountants. There were independent educational bodies and colleges that provided tuition for accountancy students and lectures, in competition with one another. There was the Colombo Business School, and later Wisdom Academy and Mercury. But at the Council meeting members resolved that the quality of lectures had to be improved. That’s how ICMA involved itself in providing lectures.

It was easy for Council to decide on tuition provision but the work leading to it was enormous. The office had classrooms sufficient for 30 students. But accessing lecturers, collecting fees, co-ordinating lectures, keeping abreast of syllabus coverage, and revision were tasks in themselves.

Mrs. Jayasinghe already had to look after student registration, continuation of exam success and fee payment. That was her component task with London. In London, they were focused on pass rates and new registrations. Students had to find internships because their studies were closely linked to work. Mrs Jayasinghe maintained files with employer needs and biodata. She was the go-between the employer and the student. She took every opportunity to see that her students were satisfactorily employed. It was she who managed the barometer of right remuneration, never allowing underemployment.

She had also to be in charge of the activities of students. There was a very active Student Committee arranging events for students. The student organised annually a dance at a hotel. Mrs. Jayasinghe would be overlooking the program ensuring all activities were within the bounds of accepted rules. In fact, she sat at every student committee meeting working closely with them. They arranged lectures and seminars for themselves. All meetings were held in the evenings and so Mrs Jayasinghe would spend longer hours during such days.

Handled responsibilities with grace

Her relationship with the students was cordial at all times but she wielded some hidden authority that ensured dignity and respect. Students were in fact reasonable and amenable.

While there were so many student issues in many other organisations, Mrs Jayasinghe handled her responsibilities with grace, poise and charm. She was always with a smile and never had a bad word for anyone. While she handled student affairs, she also had to co-ordinate several seminars for members. The chief among them were the seminar on Accounting for Non-Financial Managers and the series on tax. The seminar on Accounting was popular and sometimes held twice a year. Mrs Jayasinghe had to advertise the seminar after arranging with a hotel. Usually a hotel belonging to Prof. Furkhan a Council member himself, was arranged. The seminar was held over a weekend. All coordination was done by Mrs Jayasinghe. F.X.R. Pereira was the Council member in charge and he conducted some of the sessions.

It is to the credit of Mrs Jayasinghe that the seminar was well-run. They were able to have repeated sessions only because managers found them well-run. The Council also ran an annual tax course for members. Their syllabus did not include Sri Lanka tax. Mrs. Jayasinghe invited a tax commissioner to conduct a course over 10 Saturdays. She had to arrange a room, a white board and refreshments. This was before computers arrived which happened close to 2000.

She also handled programs in 1987 when ICMA became CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) and a delegation with the world President and staff arrived in Sri Lanka. At the same time CIMA had built its own facility at Elvitigala Mawatha and were ready to move in. In the new premises Mrs. Jayasinghe was given a room of her own. The CIMA building was designed by Lakshman Alwis and he spent valuable hours on seeing that it was a building worthy of CIMA that was eventually built. The President of the country and Minister Gamini Dissanayake declared the building open. Mrs. Jayasinghe of course presented the student committee to the visitors.

In her own way she shaped the future of many a student. She helped them with their studies and the examination process. Exams were held in large halls such as the BMICH. She had to liaise with the Government Examinations Department in conducting the exams. While the Department ran the sessions, Mrs Jayasinghe had to coordinate the process. It was she who managed the London side of things. Even though an officer came from London occasionally, Mrs. Jayasinghe capably held the Sri Lanka front. Thus when Mrs. Jayasinghe moved to the Open University of Colombo in 1994, CIMA did shed a tear.

She was such a devoted person, never getting criticised in a very open occupation and working for an army of professionals. Well done Mrs. J, you certainly deserve rest.

The Colombo stock market yesterday closed down sharply, falling below 23,000 points for the first time in nearly two weeks.

The benchmark ASPI crossed the 23,000-point threshold on 6 November and peaked at 23,659.70 on 12 November and has been on the decline since.

Yesterday the ASPI fell 0.53%, down 122.24 points to 22,982.72 and the active S and P SL20 closed down 0.28%, losing 17.57 points to 6,364.61. Turnover was over Rs. 3.8 billion on nearly 146.7 million shares traded. Foreigners remained net sellers with a net outflow of 163.8 million.

Week-on-week, the ASPI lost 477.03 points or 2.03% and the S and P SL20 was down 71.32 points or 1.1%. The total net foreign outflow during the week was 461.8 million.

NDB Securities said the ASPI closed in red yesterday as a result of price losses in counters such as Hatton National Bank, Bukit Darah and Ambeon Holdings.

High net worth and institutional investor participation was noted in Hatton Plantations, Dialog Axiata and People’s Leasing and Finance. Mixed interest was observed in Renuka Agri Foods, Access Engineering and John Keells Holdings whilst retail interest was noted in SMB Leasing, HVA Foods and LOLC Finance.

The Food, Beverage and Tobacco sector was the top contributor to the market turnover due to Hatton Plantations and Renuka Agri Foods while the sector index lost 0.92%.

The share price of Hatton Plantations closed flat at Rs. 28.50 and Renuka Agri Foods gained 70 cents to close at Rs. 9.

The Capital Goods sector was the second highest contributor to the market turnover due to Access Engineering and John Keells Holdings with the sector index decreasing by 0.24%.

Access Engineering gained Rs. 1.30 to close at Rs. 68.40 while John Keells Holdings closed flat at Rs. 22.90. Dialog Axiata was also included amongst the top turnover contributors, closing down 40 cents at Rs. 30.

Softlogic Holdings PLC yesterday said the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has postponed the suspension of trading in its shares until 31 December.

The suspension was originally scheduled for 1 December. The company’s shares were moved to the watch list in November 2023 and again in April 2024 after independent auditors flagged going-concern issues in their reports for the financial years ended 31 March 2022 and 31 March 2023.

Softlogic said the regulator has now granted a deferment of the suspension, allowing the company’s securities to continue trading on the Colombo Stock Exchange through next year.

Softlogic reported a Rs. 3.1 billion consolidate loss for the six months to 30 September, contracting 48% from a Rs. 6 billion loss a year ago. It reported total assets of Rs. 196.2 billion with revenue reserves at a negative Rs. 87 billion.

Interest bearings borrowings amounted to Rs. 57 billion with current portion of borrowing amounting to Rs. 15 billion.

The group reported a net liability per share of Rs. 44.78 as of end September 2025.

Losing to a side like Zimbabwe was the last straw for Sri Lanka. To say the least, the batting was despicable. On a surface where Zimbabwe had scored 162-8, Sri Lanka were shot out for 95 to lose the contest by 67 runs.

The time seems to have come to take some stringent measures and get rid of the players who time and again have been given opportunities but failed. They need to be replaced by youngsters.

It is no secret that the shortest format of the game requires players with fresh legs so that the fielding standards are high and the opposition is kept on their toes. Neither of this took place in the game against Zimbabwe.

Sri Lanka had slow movers on the field and Zimbabwe batsmen capitalized on it to convert singles into twos at will. When it came to Sri Lanka’s turn to bat they were leaden footed and struggled to run twos. Our batsmen could not match the Zimbabweans when it came to running between the wickets.

For a long time we have been giving players like Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Kusal Perera, and Maheesh Theekshana chance after chance saying that they will win matches for us. Well, it’s not happening.

If they don’t score or take wickets they are total passengers because they are liabilities on the field. If they are to be included they should be scoring and contributing at least 75 runs with the bat to at least cover up for their fielding deficiencies.

Rajapaksa was pathetic. He ran out Kusal Mendis when he was trying to build the innings, and nearly did the same against his captain Dasun Shanaka. It was catastrophic running between the wickets. Rajapaksa didn’t make amends for these lapses by playing a responsible innings but instead threw away his wicket.

Theekshana of late has lost his edge as a bowler where he can take the odd wicket or two and contain the opposition. In the power play overs he should get at least 1-2 wickets which he is not doing consistently. And he is a poor fielder.

Nuwan Thushara also came second best in that game. He conceded 30 runs in his 3 overs and when his turn came to bat he could not even defend his wicket. When a catch came his way he hardly made an attempt to go for it.

What is happening is the others are exposed to cover up the lapses of these players on the field and this happened against Zimbabwe. You cannot hide players on the field especially in a T20I match. Just imagine playing against a stronger team what the outcome would be?

The manner in which Sri Lanka played against Zimbabwe showed the standard of our cricket. It is high time the selectors and team management started giving youngsters a chance. Even if we lose with them at least we are giving them the experience for the future.

Take Pavan Rathnayake as an example. If Charith Asalanka had not fallen ill, he would have just come on the tour and gone home without playing a single match. But having got the opportunity in the third ODI against Pakistan he showed what he is capable of. Everyone who saw him realized how good he is.

Players like Rathnayake, Janith Liyanage, Dushan Hemantha, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth and Kamil Mishara are cooling their heels in the dugout while Sri Lanka are playing the tested and tried players over and over again and losing disgracefully.

Sri Lanka play hosts Pakistan today in their second match of the T20I Tri-Series and several changes are expected to take place in the team. There is no choice but to make the hard decisions to save the team for further embarrassment. The old and unfit players need to be replaced with young blood.

The Pakistan public has been wholeheartedly supporting Sri Lanka since they took the decision to stay back and continue the tour. But to perform like they did against Zimbabwe the public must be wondering whether it is worth their effort to come and support a team that is playing like a bunch of schoolboys.

We are told that the head coach Sanath Jayasuriya and the Deputy Minister of Sport Sugath Tillakaratne who has flown to Rawalpindi had spoken to the players after the match and reminded them that they should take some pride in representing the country where 22 million people are looking upto them as ambassadors.

The players were given a day off yesterday to take their minds off the defeat and come back fresh for today’s game.

Prego Colombo at Amari Colombo invites guests from 22 to 28 November on an extraordinary culinary journey in celebration of the 10th Edition of the Worldwide Week of Italian Cuisine-a global initiative supported by Italian Embassies and Consulates around the world, dedicated to showcasing the excellence, authenticity, and cultural richness of Italian gastronomy.

The week-long celebration will be led by Chef Michele Bravo, Corporate Chef of ONYX Hospitality Group, whose remarkable journey has taken him from Greece to Dubai to Bangkok-each chapter shaping his distinctive culinary artistry. Having served as Sous Chef and later helmed culinary teams at several leading Bangkok establishments, including Amari Bangkok, Chef Michele’s creativity and leadership have earned him a place at the forefront of ONYX’s global culinary vision. Today, he continues to redefine dining with a focus on sustainability, innovation, and authentic flavour.

Chef Michele Bravo

Deeply rooted in Italian, Mediterranean, and European traditions, Chef Michele’s specially curated menu for this exclusive promotion will tell stories of passion, discovery, and craftsmanship.

During this special week at Prego Colombo, Chef Michele will present a curated menu inspired by the Mediterranean Diet and Italy’s regional culinary heritage, paying tribute to the event’s global themes: Mediterranean Diet – highlighting its nutritional benefits as a UNESCO-recognised heritage; Culinary Roots – celebrating regional traditions and authentic ingredients; Health and Tradition – reinforcing the connection between food, well-being, and identity and Sustainability – promoting mindful dining and sustainable Italian products.

‘This celebration is not only about food; it’s about heritage, emotion, and the gastronomic journey,’ says Chef Michele Bravo. ‘Every dish we create at Prego will carry the soul of Italy-crafted with respect for tradition, the planet, and the people who gather around the table.’

By collaborating with this prestigious global initiative, Prego Colombo at Amari Colombo continues to strengthen its position as the city’s premier Italian dining destination-uniting culinary artistry and cultural appreciation in a truly immersive experience.

Authored by Venerable Thambugala Anandasiri Thero in the Sinhala language, the English translation of the book ‘Twenty Five Years of Life in the jungle’ is by Kamala Rajapakse, printed and published by Dayawanse Jayakody and Company – Printers.

A fortnight ago we stopped where Yahapath Hami, a village elder known for his expertise in identifying forest herbs was extolling the virtues of different plants, beginning with the ‘Handun Madala.’ It was described as the monarch of all herbs, growing in moisture containing soil and where from the number of leaves you can tell its age, with one leaf taking an entire month to fully grow. The fact that the plant realm has many ‘look-alikes’ are mentioned, citing for example a grass plant that greatly resembles the ‘Kalanduru.’ Apparently this Kalanduru twin when plucked in a specific manner and kept tucked into your waist will turn all fleas that may crawl upto you, into tiny acrobats (they will fall off you).

In this chapter we can learn of the sacredness that elders in Sri Lanka held for medicinal plants. Grandpa Yahapath Hami was the epitome of this reverence, admonishing if he saw someone pointing a stick or feet in the direction of a lifesaving plant.

‘Reverend Sir, One must respect the medicinal herbs. It is only then that its power is available,’ he would explain to Ven. Anandasiri Thero.

Grandpa Yahapath was familiar with the personalities and power of each of the medicinal plant of the forest probably better than modern pharmacists are with those synthetic tablets we gulp. For example he would point out one plant referred to as a mighty king of herbs which would acknowledge by displaying a little ‘shake’ when a human would humbly worship it and liken it to the sun god. The human could then request this plant to positively influence physical wellbeing. After the plant responds by ‘shaking,’ a sprig could be gently plucked in a specific manner and tucked behind the ear or head. If the plant does not respond by shaking then it means the time is not auspicious.

Grandpa Yahapath, in the presence of Ven. Anandasiri Thero had bowed to the plant, regaled it with complements and made his appeal for protection through its life enriching powers.

‘There was no wind at the time. Yet the plant started to shake,’ notes Ven. Anandasiri Thero in the book ‘Twenty Five Years of Life in the Jungle.’

This chapter ends with another plant miracle, where an insomniac human would ‘sleep like a buffalo,’ if its root is placed under the head. For best impact a salad made of its leaves could also be consumed. This herb is described as looking quite like a chilli plant but with berries like pepper pods. When Grandpa Yahapath asks the monk if he is amazed at all these plant phenomena the Most Venerable Thero gives this wisdom centric response. ‘We are amazed at such things by habit. Yet, there is nothing in this world to be amazed at. We are amazed at things we cannot understand. When we understand there is no amazement whatsoever.’

The overall location we are in is the Kudumbigala forest hermitage (Aranya Senasana) located in the jungles around eight miles west to the Eastern coast of Sri Lanka where Panama is the closest town.

Chapter 7 is titled The Dwarf Elephant of Kudumbigala, referring to the miniature specimen of elephants known as the Young Ones of Ruhuna. This chapter gives insight into how seriously humans living near jungle territory take incantations, forest charms, medicines and spiritual incantations. Two days prior to a jungle sojourn Grandpa Yahapath Hami in one of his visits to the forest cave of Ven. Thambugala Anandasiri Thero had inquired if the Thero had any chanted oils. The Venerable monk who only depended on the power of the name of the Buddha, the Triple Gem and related Buddhistic recitations, had nevertheless remembered that there were some chanted oil with him belonging to the forest hermit who provided the monks with alms.

(These would be chanted oil connected to the mysterious powers of forest or Hindu deities, and/or connected to deep earth powers that forest based humans had absolute faith in). The Venerable Thero had handed over some of the oil vials to Grandpa Yahapath.

We quote Ven. Thambugala Anandasiri Thero describing grandpa’s tale as narrated to him 48 hours after he had had left with the chanted oil.

‘Myself and that boy of ours, Kutta, walking together approached Salava Eliya. As we came under the great woodapple tree did not this elephant charge at us fuming! Kutta started to run. I ran too.’

‘Suddenly I remembered the vial of oil in my betel bag. While still running I pulled it out, kept it in the elephant’s way and ran. I looked back and saw the elephant stop there.’

In chapter 8 titled, The Heenhabara Pill one gets acquainted with the expanse of this eastern forest which in the 1960s ran into two hundred and twenty five thousand acres. In this chapter we learn about the lakes, lagoons and tanks within this terrain. Below we quote from the book where Yahapath Hami recalls the Panama region from his hunting days.

‘There are the lakes, the kuda vila of Panama, the Maha vila, Kumana vila, Makada Vila, Ragam vila, Shastra vila and Ulpila.’

It is to be noted that the term ‘vila’ is the equivalent of a water base that can be described in English as a lake.

Yahapath Hami continues;

‘There are the lagoons, Panakala, Kunakala, Anarakala, Itikala and Yakala.’ Yahapath Hami then goes onto name the many springs (pokunu) close by. ‘The Maha pokuna of Ullawa, the Kuda pokuna, Rodi pokuna, the Gangoda pokuna, the Maha Yala pokuna, and on this side of Kumana, the Dharmala pokuna and the Gini pokuna. Yahapath Hami then goes onto list the tanks (described as Weva in Sinhala) within the Panama district.

‘There is the Divul Palama vewa, the Alutgamuwa vewa, the Bakmeedena vewa, Eraminiyanne, then the Alakola Aru (a canal than runs from Kumana river), Gal Amuna, Kumana vewa, the Wakada galwala of Halawa Eliya, the Ekiriya Watawana, the Amunukolawala, Okadagama and Kadalanchiya of Girikula, the Kurudu Ulpila of Kurudugahavila, the Kudavila of Bagura, Tunmulla, Viyagulla north of Panama vewa, Wadagamawewa, north of Wapurana vila, the Magul pokuna of Sthripuragala, the Ambalayanne wala, Nalitta, Budabava, which lies between Malitta and the Halavatisna Ula, the Kumana vila, Hibitillane Hela and Serenda.’

This elder then goes onto entertain Ven. Thambugala Anandasiri Thero with the ‘saviour drug’ of the great jungle; the ‘pill’ made from the Heenhabara. Soon we will learn how to make this ‘pill.’

NOTE: The book Twenty Five Years of Life in the Jungle is being serialised as part of the education series commemorating national reading months (September to December) in Sri Lanka.