Water Monitor in rice bowl

M Nelson PIYARATNE, Kataragama group cor

A group of pilgrims to Kataragama had the shock of their lives when they discovered a water monitor (kabaraya) in the rice bowl of the meals served to them at a local eating house.

The weary pilgrims had sat at the table in the hotel and ordered a meal of rice and curry for lunch. The rice was served in a large aluminium rice bowl along with the smaller dishes of curries.

When a female member of the group opened the rice bowl, she started screaming kabarayek, kabarayek and fell on the floor toppling several chairs in her attempt run for life. When the others looked at the rice bowl, they saw a small crocodile like specimen buried inside the rice bowl. The mudalali and several employees of the hotel, armed with clubs and stones chased the creature adding to the mayhem. The pilgrims after a heated argument with the mudalali, left the place with their meal untouched.