Lots, journalists mostly, are referring to the coming together of the UNP and the Sirisena loyalists of the SLFP as a marriage. The chief protagonists, needless to say, are Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesinghe. Some term it a ‘shot gun’ marriage. I prefer to classify it as a marriage of convenience. There was the ‘bridegroom’ Maithripala and the ‘bride’ (not blushing nor modest) Ranil and they decided to cohabit. To continue with the metaphor; the dowry the ‘bride’ brought to enable the marriage to take place were the UNP votes. And why was the groom eligible? Because he was destined, if the two came together, to be Head of this Paradise. Who was the match maker or kapuwa? Why the ex Prez Chandrika B Kumaratunge. Who was the bride’s maternal uncle who solemnized the marriage and chanted astaka? The Most Venerable Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera. (No disrespect is meant). One benefit to the groom was that his and his immediate family’s heads were safe and a grave being dug by a set of evil brothers was unused. Where did the couple honeymoon? A very snap one at the Audience Hall in Independence Square with many present. Where did they move to live? Propitiously to the best abodes in town, though the groom moved to a safer location than the Prez’s residence in Fort, Colombo. The bride moved to Temple Trees where s/he had been earlier in a single state.
Separation
Now the word goes around their separation leading to divorce is imminent. Some say it gleefully while a former head and family pray for it at devales and black hooniyam places. Some want to be wise owls and predict the future. Others in the majority are disappointed, disheartened and discouraged – such a fine marriage going on the rocks. A few hopefuls say, No, they will pull together. There is too much at stake to let petty or even major tiffs and arguments put the two asunder. Menika’s considered opinion is that both are influenced and damaged by members of the two extended families. Why are many Sri Lankan marriages with the couple living in this fair isle endangered? Too much interference by relatives, and often the influence is damaging. A couple marries while they are abroad or contracts a marriage in Sri Lanka where one spouse lives locally and the other abroad. They live abroad. The bet is they will live happily ever after. Was their union more blessed? No, they depended on each other in a strange land. Even if they had lived for long in a foreign country and were treated like outsiders, distant cousins by the natives of the land, they survived. They have no relatives interfering in their business both by word of mouth and actions. So, depending on each other economically, physically and emotionally, they pull along fine.
Where is the solution to the big marriage that is wobbly, or at least seems wobbly just now? To get the couple to work together as amicably as when they started out, the relatives and help karayas on both sides should not interfere; not trade insults and accusations. Leave the two alone and they will surely patch up differences and carry on the co-habiting to the union’s destined demise. They know full well what’s at stake. The stability and unity in the country itself is threatened. They are also basically wise and tolerant. There is a terribly bad growling wolf at the door with a whole gang of them. Yours truly likes the marriage to continue post 2020 too. Who knows, the two might remarry after a short period of separation.
A grouse
A TV channel that was Menika’s favourite, especially, for news broadcasts, has fallen out of favour. Not that it matters one jot to the said Channel. Why the change of attitude and heart? This particular Channel is still flogging the dead horse of bonds. The horse died some time ago, the Channel beat it and beat it ad nauseum. Now the horse is pulp (not pulp fiction but smashed), but the flogging goes on. It’s directed at a leader who fortunately gives the impression of not caring a damn. Menika avoids that Channel now.
In any case she is going to be out of TV watching for a couple of days. She’s going Galle-wards to enjoy literary sessions and drama and very much else at the Fairway Galle Literary Festival. She had a taste on Monday 22nd evening when a very happily married, young couple sat beside each other at the same piano in the ancient Dutch Kirk - Wolvendaal Church in the Pettah – and played brilliantly musical scores ‘for four hands’. It was wonderful. They’ll be performing in Galle too.
So she will be away for a couple of days from the hurly burly of politicking in the local government elections, seeing that bearded face on TV screens ensuring the campaigning and elections are as clean as possible in this land of ours. Away from the horse flogging and the pundits pontificating on the disintegration of the unity government of blue and green. Let not the bulath kole hold hands with the pohottuwa and contract a marriage!
Bye for now, a very temporary now.
Menika