Return to "Pondside"

The house as seen from the road


I am back in Hong Kong after three weeks in Sri Lanka during which I did quite a lot of traveling. Friends are surprised at this because Sri Lanka is quite dangerous, with a civil war raging and bombs going off in towns and innocent people being killed. But I haven't faced any danger. Maybe I've been lucky.

We made a beeline to "Pondside" because it is where we can relax the best. After the heavy rains in recent months, the land was green and the mango, jak, and cashew trees were heavy with leaves and branches. Numerous birds and squirrels were to be seen. On the negative side, the pond was covered in algae and an edible water plant (called "kang kung" locally, a type of water spinach). This was a popular food during earlier hard times, but villagers, prosperous with remittances from relatives working in Italy, don't care for it now.


Looking towards the pond. Those are cashew and mango trees.

We like "Pondside" mainly for its tranquility and the fresh produce that comes from the garden. Because the house is about 50 yards from the road, we are not disturbed much by traffic which consists mainly of bicycles, motor cycles, and tuk-tuks. We can observe the passing scene without drawing attention to ourselves. The garden, rife with mangoes, papaya, jak, cashew, coffee, bread fruit, and vegetables, all grown organically, provides fresh and tasty food, cooked lovingly by Padma. What more can one wish for?

Prasanna is proud of his motorcycle

We do have electricity, running water, and a fridge at "Pondside" but we don't have a radio, a TV or a phone. No BBC, CNN, ATV. No worries about wars, the stock market, or the price of oil. This leaves us time to chat with Padma, Prasanna and the occasional relative or neighbour who cares to visit. We do have few relatives left in the village. My cousin Marie, her husband Bandara, and their son Charles and his family live a few hundred yards from us. Other relatives such as Ignatius, his sister Georgiana, and nephew Chryshantha are also nearby. When they see our car parked at the house, they drop by for a chat and a cup of tea.

Padma, Maduranga, and Prasanna

Not much had changed since our last visit. The two boys are taller. The second, Maduranga, is mischievous but is also good at his studies. The cow should be giving milk now, but, despite two artificial inseminations and one attempt with a stud bull, she is not showing signs of pregnancy. Padma, who was looking forward to the milk and the cash it would bring, is disappointed. We may have to buy another cow.

The huge "kumbuk" tree near the pond. It must be over 100 years old.

The magnificent kumbuk tree is the landmark at "Pondside". Kumbuk timber is light but hard and is prized as the best wood for fishing boars. We get regular offers from boat builders but wouldn't dream of cutting it down. Because it's rare in the area, people come from miles away to peel a piece of its bark for medicinal purposes. By the away, while at Ratmale, I saw miles and miles of kumbuk trees growing along the bunds of ancient tanks. More about that in another entry.

Maduranga, the younger boy, is good at his studies.

Village life is full of gossip, disputes among neighbors, and "Pondside" is not immune to these intrusions. Unfortunately, Prasanna appears to be prone to jealousy, and, despite warnings from me, has a tendency to become abusive towards his family. Padma had a nice brood of chickens which she kept for eggs and also sold for meat. When she was away visiting relatives, Prasanna had sold the lot to "teach Padma a lesson" and bought a mobile phone with the proceeds!

Tarzan, the "Pondside" dog

Tarzan usually roams the neighborhood but during our visits tends to stay at home and guard the house.