Beacon to a darkened landscape

Continued from yesterday

Palitha PELPOLA

The Murunkan Vocational training centre is located in the heart of the town, close to the police station and the school. More than 70 youth enrolled with the centre have lost their both parents to the war, bereft of parental love and homely life they are left to the mercies and care of the Don Bosco Catholic clergy. However, most of these youth belong to another religious belief. They are Hindus. But there is no attempt whatsoever on the part of the Don Bosco Catholic priests to convert them to Catholicism, leaving where religion truly belongs: each individual's private domain.

When we arrived at the Centre, the computer class was in progress, a young woman and a man were conducting the class. When I asked them as to how they learnt their training, they said that they were sent to India for the training. The arts and crafts department had quite an array of exhibits, consisting of various kinds of dolls, linen and ladies dresses. Some of the major machinery for the carpentry and lathe departments is being awaited clearance from the port. The progress is on schedule and we were very content with the pace at which the work was going on. Farther Pinto addressed the student body at the Chapel premises and explained to the students that the day for the ceremonial opening is nearing and that they no longer needed to be anxious about the commencement of the regular activities of the vocational centre. I spoke to them and stated the broad outline policies of the Government in particular and the specific purposes of the Investment Promotion Ministry and the Board of Investment.

After lunch with all the staff of the centre and Farther Pinto, we set off to Mannar to buy the famous dry fish of area. The Mannar town was bustling and very business-like atmosphere was prevalent about the place. The dry fish yard was extremely busy with the vendors and buyers haggling over prices and the quality of the fish. We were among the few stray visitors to town.

The journey back to Colombo was not without any deviation for we decided to take the Mihintale route and in fact, made a stop at Mihintale. When we climbed the Aradhana Gala it was twilight, the most magical time in the dry zone; a cool breeze caressing our bodies and a aroma of dry foliage and soft earth was most intoxicating. From the top of the Aradhana Gala we could see that the sun had retired for the day, after long, hard hours of energizing all living beings, man and animal alike. We made at attempt to identify the Ruwanweliseya dagoba in the far distance, but could not spot it for it was covered by a mist of rain, like a drape fallen across from the heavens, guarding the sacred relics that are enshrined in the hallowed well of the stupa. It was a fitting finale to a substantial journey, I thought, as we rode into the gentle night, proceeding towards Colombo. Concluded

The writer is Advisor to Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion Ministry