Life in a bankrupt country

 Yes we finally collapsed, sank and now struggling to rise ! this is not going to be easy peasy. I mean wading through this tangled mess. every aspect of our lives have taken a heavy toll. We are emotionally drained just trying to figure things out and keep adopting to changing styles. Although being the resilient islanders we usually are, in this new battle, survival has become the sixer. This time its a "thoosra" and it has knocked us off in style. But we go on and that's us, as we have always done whenever a "googly" is sent our way.

No more can we focus on dreams, goals and aim for better days ahead,  We tossed all of it in the bin. We are busy racking our head, trying to figure out how we can top our motor cycles, tuks and cars with fuel, Going to the fuel station to top up fuel is a trip by itself, we would need to pack a snack, bottle of water and think of ways to kill a good 3-5  hours in a queue that simply grows in length. Sometimes move ahead after waiting all those hours, only to be told there is no more. Other times end up spending the entire night and leave the next day sometimes lucky and other times not. If then, we end up repeating the same cycle of going to the fuel station all over again.

Its the same with cooking gas, the queues keep extending in length. The blue cylinder and the brown islanders looks a long blur of blue and brown from a distant. We never know when the supplies will come by but we wait hoping that it will turn up any moment. 

With all of these we also go to work and get back home. No more can we sit back and unwind because we would have to make sure we have enough supplies. If we do not, after work, the queue for fuel waits for our arrival. Others go to a bar to chill and unwind after work. We go to the fuel queue to hope, wait and get our supplies. Supply of fuel that will take us to work, or maybe get us work and keep our families fed.

By now we are also quite used to living in the dark because of the daily 3-5 hour power cuts. Just like us, the power turbines do not have enough fuel to work, This means power cannot be generated and we can have power for only some hours of the day. During this time, we have to remember to do tasks and chores that require power. 

Our trips to do our grocery shopping is truly a nightmare. Prices of essential staples keep rising like flood waters every week. Its tough to budget and buy. At times goods like milk powder, some medication and other food items are not available or in short supply. At times some shelves remain bare making us wonder where did all the goods disappear ? :)

After juggling all this drama when we commute back home from work, there is always a protest or demonstration by college students which usually ends up in a massive clash between the police and the students after a teargas and water explosion. Roads are closed, barricaded and us wanting to get back home are stranded not being able to board a bus on the usual commuting roads. We then end up looking for other options to commute even if it means walking to the other end to reach the rail station or to the next town to simply be able to hop on a bus and head home. Such days we end up reaching home later than usual and such days are becoming very common. 

this is just the icing on the cake !!! 

Can you imagine what the cake tastes like ?

Kanji aka Kandha

 A handful of rice cooked in water, with a only a pinch of salt added, was the only food in Mullivaikkal  back in 2009. The civilians were trapped on a narrow strip of land during the last stages of the war. They had no access to supplies of essentials and whatever that was available in scarce quantities were supposed to be alarmingly high. A survivor’s tale accounts how a coconut had cost LKR 2500. That along with all other essentials were luxury then.

The only food that could be consumed for survival was this simple porridge locally referred to as kanji.

Since it originated from the village of Mullivaikkal the village name was prefixed to kanji. Today Mullivaikkal Kanji has become a symbol of surviving a bloodied era.

A reason to reflect on surviving the brutality endured by thousands who paid the price of egocentric heroism.Nothing gained, but losses in abundance.

Fast forward 13 years later, that ghastly finale is now, for some, a showpiece and decoration of foolish pomp and pageantry.

Today there is no war fought with weapons,                                                            But we fight a different war,                                                                                        A battle to simply be able to carry on a normal life

Instead of sounds of high artillery and armoury                                                          All we hear are cries for justice and equality.                                                      Instead of sights of blood and gunshots

All we see are raised arms and wide open mouths in protest                                  Of a failed system, unequal and corrupt governance                                              All we see are waving flags, musical pleas, slogans and marches.

We live challenging the same haunting shadows of scarcity of food and alarmingly rising prices of essentials.

The country’s list of luxuries include fuel (all types), cooking gas along with staples such as rice, milk powder, sugar, vegetables, fruits,

We have endured countless tragedies,                                                             Battled an assortment of ignorant mishaps                                                             To come this far                                                                                                     and still battling against the same reasons

We are so adept in figuring out                                                                         What’s next and the next ball of mess rolling our way

After seeing the countless posts about the humble Mullaivaikkal Kanji                    Is it not obvious that the simple kanji is again likely to flow our way ?