Ranjit's rice field at Hingurakgoda
The "kade" (village shop) at Meegoda
Don't we dream of changing our hectic lifestyles and getting back to the basics? Leaving the drudgery, the monotony, the stress and strain of modern life for that of a simple farmer, to start an ethnic restaurant, to write that great book lurking at the back of our minds? But, we are tied down by responsibilities, by family, the need for financial stability, and a hundred excuses to keep the status quo. We soldier on. Another day, another dollar.
Ranjit Hulugalle has actually realized his dream of becoming a farmer in rural Sri Lanka. Ranjit attended boarding school and university in Britain and lived a life of ease and luxury in Britain and the USA. His last job was that of Country Manager for Dilamh Tea in Britain. In London, he drove a Jaguar. Now, he has given all that up to become a son of the soil. He lives simply, without electricity or running water in Sri Lanka's rural north central province and drives a battered Tata truck to take his produce to Colombo.
Ranjit inherited a 10-acre coconut plantation near Colombo and sold the coconuts, king coconuts and other produce at a small "kade" (see photo) on the land. He later bought a 5-acre plot in Hingurakgoda, where he mainly grows rice (see photos). This land is surrounded by small farms like his as well as by wildlife, including elephants. In his blog titled "Dream into Reality", Ranjit narrates the joys and travails of running these farms, with delightful accounts of the rural people he meets or works with. He even lists the selling price of his produce. I read his blog because it brings calmness and serenity to my own life.
So, if you wish to share Ranjit's experiences, go to my favorite blog http://rajaratarala.blogspot.com/
I did not know that you have a blog!
ReplyDeleteIt seems you treasured calmness very much, as you mentioned it both in this entry and your previous email. Maybe that is why you work at CUHK, a rather quiet university in Hong Kong.
'16-seater “light” buses driven by speed maniacs' <-- Haha, they are quite a symbol of Hong Kong to my mind. They are attractive to people for their high speed and flexible routes. They serve 24-hour since so many Hongkongers work and play at night. They were blamed and became much more strictly censored when people realized the importance of safety. To those who do not drive, light buses part of life in Hong Kong.