Voice of a Pedestrian

The sun was setting by the time I reached Nugegoda. The people waiting to board the bus were polite enough to allow me to step down first. I hurried down, seeing their impatient faces to get in. The people waiting for the bus together with the teenage boys hanging around, watching the young girls pass by made me think of a beehive buzzing around. I worked my way through the crowd and finally reached the pavement.

It had been a long day at work and I was tired. All I wanted was to get home and take a relaxing bath. As usual, I took the bus back from work and that journey made me more exhausted.

Of course, travelling in a bus during the rush hour is not a cinch. Stepping into the bus itself needs so much energy. Finally, wiggling our way in, one has to struggle further to move through the crowd. With the conductor’s yelling Passata yanna (move backward) or issarahata yanna (move forward), you dare not pretend you did not hear him, else, he will shout out clues for the others to recognise who he is referring to.

The honking of cars, vans, and buses, hustle and bustle of the people and from screaming to greetings signalled the end of another eventful day. I felt the dust sticking to my face. I felt unpleasant, and unclean. I felt the heat, which bounced off the tarmac as if it could not take any more from the blazing sun.

Polluted air and the heat made me walk faster away from this tired city. Not only I, many pedestrians around me, felt the same. They did not want to spare a second to raise their head and offer a smile. “They too have their own quota of problems in life,” I thought. I walked faster as fast as my exhausted body could manage.

All of a sudden, I realised that someone had stepped on my slipper from behind. “Oops”, I looked back. “Sorry,” said a woman with a carelessly wrapped saree around her and with a sheepish smile on her face. “That’s okay.” I made it simple. I did not want to continue with the incident. After all, it was a mistake. I gained my pace again. I had no time to spare since I had a long walk home.

The traffic on the pavement was intense. Men and women wearing elegant office wear were racing against one another. With a blank thought, I followed them. Occasionally turning my head to the right and left, I looked at what hangs on the shop-windows, and then lazily changed the idea of shopping.

Lost in my thoughts, I realised that my ‘autopilot’ had stopped my walk. There was a couple walking in front of me deeply sunk in their world. Their speed almost stopped my run home. The girl was wearing tight blue denims with a purple top and matching hoop earrings while the boy wore a black T-shirt and grey denims. Both of them had books in their hands and the girl had a black bag on her left shoulder.

I tried to overtake them from the right but failed. Then I tried to overtake from the left, and I failed again. I had no choice but to tap the girl and ask “Excuse me, can I pass?” Exchanging puzzled looks with each other, they moved aside. They looked annoyed. Not wanting to be rude to them, I smiled a little while passing. They did not even bother to look at me!

The sunshine was fading faster than I thought. Even the vendors were getting ready to go home. While my eyes wandered around them, I faintly heard a whisper, “Lassanai,” (Beautiful).

Realising that someone had commented on my looks, I did not know whether to take it as a compliment or as a useless comment from a loafer. After a seconds thought, I decided to ignore that. 

The honking continued and all the vehicles were lined up at the traffic lights. I stood facing the pedestrians’ light. Vehicles were racing in and out to every direction of the junction. While waiting until light turned green, I could not resist watching the people who risked their life to save a minute or two by crossing before the right time. Are those timesavings worth as much as their lives?

I failed to think of an answer. I desperately wished if one of those people could give me the reason. Why do they risk their lives without choosing to wait for two minutes? It puzzled me so much. Without confusing myself further, I looked at the blank sky, wondering how long I will take to go home!

The Confused Writer

She gazed into the computer screen perhaps for the hundredth time for that day. Still, the writer, in her, failed to type in an appealing tale. Her usual nature of writing has left her. After a relaxing stroll in the garden, she settled back in the writing seat, believing the walk would have helped to relieve the tension, and allow free flow of ideas. She remembered how her friends came to the rescue with various topics. ‘Horoscope: Facts and Lies’ and ‘I am not writing a single article from today and how her witty fiancé suggested that she should write about ‘How foreign tours are important for career development’, following her ruckus over his recent foreign tour. Finally, when she turned to her editor for salvation, she had other ideas and wanted her to write on something related to fashion. Having spent the weekend with books,  Katie Byron from The triumph of Katie Byron, Catherine Earnshaw, and Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights, haunted her days and nights. The moment the writer started working on the Fashion Article, she heard tiny voices speaking at the back of her mind. “You adore us a so much, don’t you? We well worth a mention in your writings too,” voices said. After that, concentrating on the fashion article became the toughest task of all. Giving that up, again she started soaring off towards idling. Day became night. Still, slumped on the bed, she thought what she should write. A minute or two might have passed; she realized that instead on her bed, she was sitting comfortably in the audience of a theater in New York! Wondering if she had gained magical powers to teleport, she looked around. The stage curtain moved and a girl appeared behind it. “Janani, in vain you could not find a topic still!” she exclaimed.  Her beautiful pansy blue eyes sparkled like stars and her golden hair hung down her back. The writer could not believe her own eyes, Katie Byron stood before her! Her memory had disturbed the writer’s thoughts day and night. She realised that her figure matched well with the description gave in the book, making it easier to identify her as the writer wanted to give her deepest sympathies to Katie over Denise’s death. However, before that, stage lights dimmed and the writer disappeared from the theater. She fretted for not being able to reply Katie. Later, she prayed the girl would not think she is being impolite of her. The next moment the writer found herself standing on an isolated hilltop, and the cold breeze made her body numb. She looked around, except for one or two trees here and there, the place looked empty and quiet. Within minutes, she realised wherever she was she was not alone. “I have more visitors,” thought the writer. Isn’t that the gorgeous, but pale looking girl, Catherine Earnshaw? Catherine had a company too: Heathcliff, the one to whom she loved dearly, but never married. The writer recognized the rough look Heathcliff gave her. However, the stare failed to frighten her. “He cannot be cruel to me as he did to Isabella,” she argued. Foolishly, Isabella refused to believe the words of Catherine and Nelly about Heathcliff. She got herself into trouble on her own. Sometimes, the writer feels sorry for him too, though his cruelty destroyed a whole generation. The uneducated soul became a beast because of the love he had for Catherine. With all struggles, poor Catherine had to embrace death in her young age. Amid these thoughts, the writer remembered Nelly’s words about the ghosts of Heathcliff and Catherine roaming around the hilltop. Hence, she decided to stay away from them. However, she badly wanted to see the graveyard of Catherine, Linton (Catherine’s husband), and Heathcliff. The surroundings became darker, and it suggested an arrival of a storm. She hurried to the graveyard. Before she could reach there, she heard a big noise. The next minute, she found herself on the bed instead of the hilltop, and saw her books on the ground. Apparently, her thoughts during the sunlight hours had turned into a fantasy dream. At the end of the day, somehow she managed to write an article for publication.

Dreams Do Come True

Most A/L students who pursue the Physical Science dream of entering the Engineering Faculty at the University of Moratuwa (UOM). Unfortunately, for many, this dream never comes true.

Being accepted to UOM requires a lot of hard work, talent, and some luck. Nimantha Thushan Baranasuriya, who is a Software Engineer at Eurocenter DDC Ltd., was one of the lucky ones.

Through his hard work and talent, he was able to fulfil this dream of being accepted to UOM, where he worked harder still to be the best. He was the mastermind in beating all the other whiz kids and winning the ‘Most Outstanding Graduand of the Year 2009/2010’ and the ‘Top of the Computer Science and Engineering batch’ at the General Convocation, held recently, at which he graduated as a computer engineer.

“Royal College, Panadura, was my first school, where my mother taught. I was a student there until I moved to Sri Sumangala College, Panadura in 1993,” said Nimantha.

He won the ‘Best School Boy Award in 2004’ for his academic and extracurricular achievements at Sri Sumangala College. “I played badminton and table tennis for the school sports meet and most of the time I became either the champion or the runner-up,” he said.

He also joined the Radio Club because of the love he had for electronics. “I even did some inventions such as electronic code locks for doors, cobweb sweepers and burglar alarms,” he said.

“Until recently, I had the electronic code lock for my room door and the cobweb sweeper, which had a brush rotating with the help of a motor. This impressed my cousin, who then wanted one of her own,” he added.

His school life had always been exciting, as he recalled, “This happened when I was in Grade 12. The ceiling of my classroom had an opening and some of my friends and I used to climb through this to explore the ceiling regularly. The roof of the building was so high; we could even walk on the ceiling without having to bend. It was like our secret hideaway. One day two of my friends and I went up in search of a ball. By that time, our Physics teacher walked into the classroom and we were trapped in”. “We could not climb down until he left the class. The opening of the ceiling was so large if the teacher looked up, he would have definitely seen us. Anyway, we stayed there without making a noise until he left. That day we learnt our physics lesson while being there”.

Nimantha, who got through his A/Ls in his first attempt, entered the Engineering Faculty of University of Moratuwa. Although he wanted to be an Electronics and Telecommunications Engineer, the subjects he learnt in his first year changed his mind and his new interest developed towards Computer Science and Engineering.

Therefore, when they were given the opportunity to select the field they want to follow as their major, he decided to pursue being a Computer Engineer.

“The three years I spent in the Computer Science and Engineering Department were the best years of my university life. We participated in many other fabulous events other than the studies,” he said. He had not wanted to become a bookworm and had participated in many events at the University. 

Among them is the Speak Olympiad intra-university speech contest organised by the UOM Gavel Club - which is an affiliate of Toastmasters International - where he became the first runner-up in 2008. He was the cinematographer and co-editor of the teledrama they produced in their second year.

He has also took part in many CSR projects and was a drama mentor for a group from their junior batch at the University. His love for tennis made him join the University tennis team.

“It helped me a lot to remain physically fit with the hectic study schedule we had,” he explained. “I consider being selected and being able to complete the project in the Google summer of Code 2009 as one of my biggest achievements,” added Nimantha. “Google Summer of Code is a global program that offers student developers stipends to write a code for various open source software projects. Thousands of students from all over the world apply and only a handful gets the opportunity to participate. My project proposal was accepted in 2009 and I worked on creating a new module for an open source medical record management software called ‘OpenMRS’,” he said.

Not only the knowledge and skills, he also found his lif’s e partner at the University. She is also a Computer Engineer from his batch. He was one exceptional student who invalidated the saying Loven ekek ek deyakata vei samatha (A person excels in one thing). He is talented in many ways. 

All through this journey his parents, teachers, and lecturers were there to guide him. According to Nimantha, all his achievements are a result of the guidance and the support given by them. His parents have never forced him to do anything, and he considers it a blessing. “Even the support I got from my lecturers was fantastic. They were supportive. I could always turn to them for advice whenever I wanted. More than lecturers, they were mentors and friends for my batch mates and me,” said Nimantha.

“Time Management is the key to a successful life,” he advises the youngsters. “Also whatever your dream is, try your best to pursue and never ever give up.”

Internet Addiction

Loneliness - The lonely souls will meet their friends, relatives, and lovers online. It provides a way of connecting to people much faster and cheaper. With the latest technology paying only the internet charge, you can talk and see people who live across the globe. With the increase of dating sites, internet also enables virtual relationships with added privacy to the user.

Social Network Services have invaded the lives of the younger generation today. They are connected to these sites all throughout the day, and with the latest mobile technology, connection on the go is secured too. Things like status updates, writing on the wall, or poking a friend has become important tasks in their 'to-do' list for the day.

Not only these, nowadays search engines have become the 'Mr. Know all' or if you want 'Ms. Know all' for many. They search anything and everything in there. It can be the way to spell a simple word or a recipe or may be how to build a house too! The Internet has become the place where you can find anything whether it is good or bad. With this popularity gained by the Internet, now we have a personal disorder called 'Internet addiction'. Let us take a closer look to see what this disorder is.

Internet addiction defined

Internet overuse, pathological computer use or the problematic use of the computer that interferes with the day-to-day life is defined as the Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD). The University of Texas has published some tips to help a person to identify whether he/she is an Internet addict. Read the list below and see if any of these statements actually describes you.

1.You have mixed feelings of well-being and guilt while at the computer
2.You make unsuccessful efforts to quit or limit your computer use
3.You lose track of time while on the computer
4.You neglect friends, family, and/or responsibilities to be online
5.You find yourself lying to your boss and family about the amount of time spent on the computer, also about what you do while on it
6 You feel anxious, depressed, or irritable when your computer time is shortened or interrupted
7. You use the computer repeatedly as an outlet when sad, upset, or for gratification.
8. You develop problems in school or on the job because of the time spent and the type of activities accessed on the computer
9. When you are not on the computer, you think about it frequently and anticipate when you will use it again

Cause of internet addiction

In many families, while parents are busy at work, neglected youngsters tend to spend their lonely hours at the computer. Parents also encourage this as a way of keeping their children occupied.

However, did they ever think that internet, the sweet nanny, could also be a monster one day? A habit that started for the convenience of the parents can go to the extent of a personal disorder due to many causes.

Depression - Teenagers tend to face many problems more than the children of other ages. Physical changes, changes in their feelings, and friends can lead to depression.

If there is nobody they can talk to, naturally, they will turn to the internet monster that is disguised as a sweet nanny. Even, the children who are low esteemed or having a history of addictions are also in danger of being internet addicts.

Hunger for information - People, who are always on the lookout for knowledge, will spend hours reading articles related to their favourite subjects. At the end of the day, it may lead to an unorganised life.

Social disorder - Some people find it difficult to interact with others in the real world. They don't get the attention or the respect they want from the others. Then as a result, they turn to the internet to live in their fantasy life online. They build up their own image in this 'internet world'. This affects real life relationships a lot. What if, one-day people stop meeting each other in real life, and then start seeing them online? All shops and cafes will be closed, and then the world will be a boring place to live.

Tips to help

While reading this if you felt this article describes you, do not worry! You are not alone. Many people are addicted to the internet nowadays. Let us give you steps to overcome this addiction. It is not hard to get over this addiction. If you could identify that there is a problem like this, you have solved the problem 50%.

* Try to identify the reasons for the addiction. Go through the causes of addiction again. See if any of those apply to you. If so, treat that first. If you have depression, see a psychiatrist. They will treat you to get you out of the depression.

* Learn how to handle stress. May be stress in school, or work may make you stay on the internet for long hours. Even the angry feelings, those you cannot control, may keep you out of the real world. Learn how to manage those feelings.

* Do you find it difficult to get on with people? Feeling excessively shy or the feeling that you never can understand people may keep you out of real life and enter the virtual world through the internet. Talk to your elders such as parents, grandparents, aunts, or uncles who are close to you. They have experienced life more than you. They will tell you what needs to be done.

* Spend more time with your classmates and neighbours. Engage in sports activities or join a volunteering mission, where you can spend time helping people. This may reduce the time you have to spend on the internet

Most of these tips are given here are to try out yourself, but you can also get some outside support as well. Remember, internet addiction is not a crime it is just a disorder. With a little help, you can get over it. If someone you know is an internet addict, help them to find their way out of it. They need your help.

Too much green tea.......

One day while going through the food stock at home, I found an unopened mysterious packet. I, being inquisitive as always, opened it to find green tea brought down from Japan. I was delighted and fascinated by the taste and the smell of those tea leaves.
As a result, I drank many cups a day regularly. It took some time for me to realise that I was becoming weaker and sleeping less. It was then that I assumed that it was because I was working too much, and never suspected green tea had something to do with that, until a colleague of mine told me about it. Later, I learnt that too much green tea and too little sleep will make you feel like a zombie.
Green tea is considered one of the best herbals that prevents many diseases such as coronary artery disease, hypertension, and cancer. It also helps minimise damage and speeds recovery after a heart attack.
Most importantly, it is one of the best ways to melt away those unwanted fat layers in our body. Then how could our friend of ours be our enemy?
According to the ancient sayings, take any health food excessively, and it is likely to turn into a poison. Many researchers in Asia recommend having three cups of green tea a day. However, due to mineral overdose, caffeine intolerance, and side effects, some people might have adverse effects.

Caffeine intolerance

The most common complain of green tea is caffeine intolerance. The amount of caffeine that ends up in your cup of green tea will vary according to the amount of tea used, the length of time the leaves are infused, and if you drink the first or second infusion.
Usually, the caffeine content in green tea is half the amount found in coffee. Therefore, moderate consumption does not cause much problem to many. If you are sensitive to caffeine, be on the alert about symptoms like loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal pain, heart palpitation, restlessness, sleeping problems, irritability, tremor, and skin rash, convulsions, ringing in the ears, confusion and frequent urination. Those suffering with anxiety should be extremely cautious as it can be worse. In addition to this, if a diabetes patient is in the habit of drinking green tea, they have to monitor their blood sugar carefully.

Nutrition Overdose

The tea plant collects aluminum, fluoride and manganese from the soil. If consumed for many years, these minerals can also be harmful. According to a research, a middle-aged woman who drank 17 to 33 cups of double-strength a day and was diagnosed with skeletal fluorosis. Though this is a very unusual example, it does highlight the dangers of drinking too much green tea.

Side effects

Those who have sensitive stomachs should take some extra care when drinking green tea as it can cause indigestion. It also causes problems in absorption of non-haeme iron, which makes an anaemic person’s problems worse.  Pregnant women shouldn’t take green tea in their first trimester.

Avoiding bad effects

Green tea was used as a valuable herbal for more than 2000 years. Therefore, even though it has some side effects, we shouldn’t give up drinking green tea. What we should know is how best to drink tea.


Do not drink the tea in full strength - Usually one cup contains maximum of three grams of tea leaves. However, some people might brew as much as 15 grams in a cup. This is not at all a good idea for those who have a sensitive stomach. When you drink tea in full strength, the caffeine content also goes up, which causes insomnia and polyphenols that can over-stimulate the production of gastric acids and cause stomach upset.


Do not drink tea on an empty stomach or with meals - Drinking green tea around meal times or while you are having the meal can cause indigestion, reduces the absorption of iron, and reduces absorption of Vitamin B (which is the main cause for beriberi). The alkaline nature of green tea tends to conflict with the acids produced by the stomach. It is best to drink green in-between meals or about two hours after you have eaten to avoid complexities. Drinking green tea after a meal prevents the absorption of nutrients helping you to lose weight but you should be careful as it stops all nutrition from going in.


Don’t drink tea with medications or when suffering from fever as green tea can interact with some medicines - Therefore, as a safety precaution, avoid drinking tea for at least two hours after taking medications.


Some of the best green tea around is the Lipton Green Tea range that is available in supermarkets and stores so grab your dose of green heaven but remember that too much green tea and too little sleep can make you feel like a zombie!

Life is out of control!

I decided I'll miss my class for the third day in a row. I'm lazy and not in a mood for studies. I took a pen and a paper to write something. Without an idea for a topic I'm just scribbling. Week didn't go well for mr. My sleeping patterns has changed drastically. I tend to sleep a lot, even during the day. As a result I'm sleepy the whole day.

My mind is off my studies. I hardly remember what is a regression or how to design an experiment. Even without prior notice, my enthusiasm for studies has left me for good. Now, here I am like a free bird who feels like I have nothing to do at all, but to sleep the whole day.

Spending my money like a queen, who has enough wealth to feed thousands, has become a habit. My credit card bills, telephone bills are sky high, even before the end of the month. I don't know what will I have at the end . I'll just cross my fingers hoping for the best.

Life is out of control! Somewhere something has gone wrong. The restrictions I had for myself has loosened. The self control I had for my self has vanished. Instead of thinking from the brain, I entertain my heart's desire.

Tomorrow is the deadline for the article, I still don't know what to write. I have ideas for two articles, but I'm not yet ready to start working on any of those. My weak heart has taken a decision to postponed those for the holiday. Heart came out with a reason too, to which brain could not say no. " During the holiday I'll have more time to work on those". Anyway, these days my brain has no say against the heart, who is in power.

Now, I sit and think what to write next,  but I still continue with it. I don't want to stop writing. Looks like I've gone mad, but I believe everyone is. Most of the time at  home, I'm locked in my room. I hardly have anyone to talk to.  I'm on my own. So, when I'm away from home, I laugh, I dance and enjoy with my friends, that's my nature anyway.
I have company now. So, I've stopped writing. I didn't want anyone to poke their head into my writing. So, I stopped writing.


"See ya. Bye" She walks out. Again I'm alone in the staff room writing the crazy confession of mine. Oh! That reminded me about the book about my grandparents I'm suppose to be writing. I forgot all about it. Last week I lied to miss, saying that I'm writing it regularly. I was used to write it everyday, until the day I got mad with my grandmother. I better start that again. I hope at least the financial benefit will motivate me for that.

Oops! I'm late for a class. got to go! bye bye!

Life wrapped in six yards!!

No matter how you spell it, sari or Ssaree, still dominates the choice of dresses for Sri Lankan women. Whether she is a Sinhalese, a Tamil, a Muslim, or a Burgher, for a formal event she will wear a sari. A sari is an unstitched cloth about six yards in length. According to Buddhist and Jain literature, the word ‘sari’ is an evolution from the Prakrit word ‘Sattika’.
Some of the ancient Tamil poetry such as Silappadhikaram and Kadambari by Banabhatta describes women in Indian saris. Robert Knox in his book ‘An Historical Relation of Ceylon’ (1681), describes women who wore saris during the King’s Era, “Govi women were distinguished by the wearing of their cloth which they wore to their heels, one end of which cloth the women fling over their shoulders, and with the very end carelessly cover their breasts.”
The sari is popular in many other Asian countries too such as India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan. Nowadays, women wear saris in a range of different styles, which have evolved from the original style due to various influences from diverse cultures. In Sri Lanka, the two popular ways of draping the sari is the Indian style and the Kandyan style.
The Kandyan style, which is also known as ‘osariya’, is mostly popular in the hill country region of Kandy. The traditional Kandyan consists of a full blouse, which covers the midriff completely, and is partially tucked in at the front. However, modern intermingling of styles has led to most wearers baring the midriff. The final tail of the sari is neatly pleated rather than free flowing.
This is rather similar to the pleated decoration used in the Indian style. Though local preferences play a role, most women decide on style depending on personal preference or what is perceived to be most suitable for their figure. There are even the ‘made-up osariyas’ where one can just fit and fold the pieces together with minimum hassle.
My first encounter with a sari is seeing my mother, who is a schoolteacher, wearing saris to school. When I was a child, most of the days my first sight in the morning was, her draping a sari. Not only had my mother, also my grandmother, who was employed at the Education department wore a Kandyan to work. Both of them were experts in wearing their own style of sari. I grew up in an environment where all the ladies close to my heart wore saris very often. The rainbow colours of saris have always fascinated me. So, just as most little girls, I also was used to wear Amma’s saris when no one was at home, which has been a secret to everybody to date.
My first very own experience of wearing a sari was when one of our family friends decided that I was good enough to be her bridesmaid when I was 14. After graduating, I was appointed as a teacher. My mother, who owns the biggest collection of saris out of all the people I know, agreed to lend me some of her saris. Therefore, the trouble I had to undergo in preparing saris to wear was a minimum.

For me, a teacher is someone who wears a sari. Despite that belief, my appointment as a primary teacher in an international school did not require me to wear saris to school. Still, I wanted to wear, which I did for the first few weeks and gave up due to a mixture of personal reasons. Time passed by, when one fine day again I decided to wear saris. With that decision, many things around me changed; mostly the attitudes of people. Whatever we say, people still have an admiration on women who wear saris. The number of men, who used to mutter various things to my ear when I am on the road, was decreased in a notable number. In offices, I got preference among others, and people went out of their way to get things done for me, something that never happened in those same places when I was in trousers.
Many women choose other casual dresses over the sari because of the convenience. But the sari still continues to maintain its charm among women. They are becoming so captivating day by day that it is hard to eschew from them. For many traditional women saris are their one of the most prized possessions. They have become a staple attire of women’s wardrobe.
But, for many women with busy lifestyles, running around with a sari is no easy task. However, a sari brings out the curves and lines of a woman that fascinates the people around us. A sari can make anybody look gorgeous. Whatever is your size or height, the sari is there to make any woman more feminine.
People might say, ‘We are modern thinkers’ but from the bottom of their hearts they still like the woman who is wrapped in six yards.