Thushari Mallawarachchi turns bad luck into positive earning:

Challenging the fortunes of life

Text and picture Ganga Illeperuma

Thushari is a commonly seen to those who use the narrow pavement near the Lake House roundabout every morning. Come rain or shine she is there with her two-month old baby boy and her two and half year old elder son to sell lottery tickets to earn her living. She comes there to make some money to feed her two babies. Her husband is in prison, she has no other relatives to turn to and she definitely does not want to beg on the street

Lottery booths are everywhere, blaring out the familiar refrain ‘adai adinne’ (drawing today) along with high-volume music and enticing passers-by to part with at least Rs.20 to try their luck for the multi-million rupee jackpots. They can sometimes be a nuisance to road users, especially those who seek a little peace and quiet in the concrete jungle to keep their worries away.

Thushari Mallawaarchchi with her two chilren

Yet, not all lottery sellers are like this. There is a rare breed of lottery seller who does not use loud music via megaphones to attract punters. They rely on the kindness of strangers to sell lottery tickets – and keep their hunger pangs at bay. Thushari Mallawarachchi belongs to this category.

Thushari sits on the pavement every day with her baby in the lap while holding out a variety of lottery tickets to every passer-by, wooing them to try their fortune hidden in the magical numbers. There’s no megaphone in sight, there’s no booth, there are no decorations. Fortune may have slipped her by, but there is a fortune in her hands for those who wish to take a chance.

Thushari is a common sight to those who use the narrow pavement near the Lake House roundabout every morning. Come rain or shine she is there with her two-month old baby boy and her two and half year old elder son to sell lottery tickets to earn her living. She comes there to make some money to feed her two babies. Her husband is in prison, she has no other relatives to turn to and she definitely does not want to beg on the streets.

The little baby is crying. What does he want? Milk.., father.., shelter..or what? If his mother sells all the tickets both babies can smile and be happy because their lives depend on the number of tickets which she sells.

“We live in Madampitiya, Colombo 15 in a rented house. My husband is a ticket seller. After he went to prison I started on his job. I was already familiar with the business anyway. So every morning I come with my children to this place to sell tickets. A lot of people pass this way, so I usually sell more than 100 twenty rupee tickets for various lotteries per day. What I earn is enough to look after my babies on a given day,” says Thushari.

A passer-by- throws a five rupee coin on her lap. She refuses to take it. “I don’t want money but if you can please buy a ticket...”. The words were polite but stern. Her eyes tell a long story. But not many read it in this busy city. However, a few realize that she is not a beggar and treat her with more respect. There are kind people who buy several tickets daily just to help her, not necessarily with any hope of cracking the huge jackpots on offer. Sometimes those tickets bring them luck but in most instances it is a gesture of charity. It is their kind hearts that keep her going.

Some even offer her packets of milk and clothes. Some people have even asked if they can adopt her children but she does not want to give them away. In a world where some heartless mothers are known to abandon or even kill their children because they are unable to feed them, Thushari is an inspiration to all mothers who struggle to make ends meet.

She tries hard to bring up her two babies and make them learn to live in dignity. The children seem to understand the mother’s thoughts - they do not trouble her when she sells tickets because they seem to know they will lose their daily bread otherwise. Life is hard for all three of them, but Thushari does not want to give up on the joys of life easily. Fortune really does smile on those who honestly strive to make a living.