A bitter - sweet tale
Nimal Wijayatunga - Eheliyagoda special corr.
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A woman making Asmee. Pictures by Eheliyagoda special
correspondent
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The women make traditional sweet Asmee creating curves with treckle
but their lives are mostly bitter, ridden with hardship and struggle to
live.
Nearly 60 housewives belonging to labour and farmer families in
Ganegoda, Amupitiya, two calm and charming villages situated in the foot
of Maligakanda make Asmee as a self-employment.
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Asmee. ready to be sweetened |
These courageous housewives daily prepare this delicious local
sweetmeat which has a great demand. Asmee is needed mostly for wedding
ceremonies, almsgiving as well as other functions as it adds an extra
beauty and taste to the table. Making the sweets brings an extra income
to their families, they say.
Suneetha Senanaike said, “we need transport facilities and a
permanent market for our prducts.
We can supply any order instantly. Lack of Davul Kurundu ,a leaf
variety of cinnamon has become a problem.” That particular leaf is used
to obtain a sticky substance called Naanu, which is an essential
ingredient.
She said Davul Kurundu is rare to some extent and due to difficulty
in finding firewood in the village there is a prompt need to switch to
gas cookers. Some housewives in the village have been engaging in Asmee
production for nearly 25 years.
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