What’s Going On ?

Many, especially the diaspora, keep calling friends and relatives in Colombo to check on what is happening in Sri Lanka prior to making plans to visit during Avurudu and Easter.  When told of the shortages that are being experienced, including gas and fuel and the need to be in queues to buy them, and the daily spiralling costs of goods deter them from visiting . 

The call, of course, is to validate what is on social media.  All of us who are on social media are made aware of the misery people are undergoing and the cursing that goes on.  This is quite depressing. Most conscientious people have cancelled all their celebratory functions since this is not the time to be having lavish parties, weddings etc.  Apart from it being vulgar and distasteful, it is not correct with the majority suffering. The prices of all commodities have gone up sky high and so have most prices at restaurants and hotels. Most of the places are now only patronised by the cash flushed or those who are on company expenses. No one seems to be talking about hiking wages.

Yet there are huge shows and street fairs going on with blaring sounds and lights where people praise the producers.  As usual, we are fabulous and are the first ever to produce such an event.  The cost to the ordinary citizen is a few more hours of power cuts, which does not seem to bother the organisers of such events.  As much as life must go on where a mere percentage can afford it, it does not have to be publicised on social media to brag about what a wonderful time they are having. One can imagine how they get cursed by the people who are yearning for a gas cylinder and those who are reduced to sharing a buth packet, which also has gone up in price. The Hotels continue with their coffee mornings or high teas to gain revenue.  The glitzy magazines that have nothing to feature and no paper to print them post the events on their digital pages.  The remarkable sights are something else.  At least this provides some of us with light entertainment in these dreary days. The backpacker tourists who are coming in hoards also are happy to post on TikTok and Instagram the plight of what is going on in this country.

Bragatha’s Astrologer has predicted that all of this is happening because Saturn is leaving all the houses after 30 years on the 29th of April.  After that, all should be tickety-boo is what the Astrologer has told her.  Accordingly, Bragattha postponed her daughter’s wedding for July. As much as people are wondering what is going on, life must go on. Sadly, the majority will suffer, while a mere percentage will continue as if there is no tomorrow.

The backpacker tourists who are coming in hoards also are happy to post on TikTok and Instagram the plight of what is going on in this country.