ISLAND OF CEYLON

Evening Star, Issue 22629, 22 April 1937, Page 14

ISLAND OF CEYLON

GENTLE AND TOLERANT FOLK ASTROLOGER STILL QUITE IMPORTANT If I were a Cingalese mother I would bring up my son to be either an astrologer or a cultivator of cocoanuts (writes Henry Baerlein); Both of these professions are lucrative, but the latter has the disadvantage of requiring a certain amount of capital, to say nothing of the technical knowledge in these days when the standard of cocoanuts in Ceylon has been so vastly improved. On the other hand, an astrologer works on traditional lines; from a few Sanskrit and Cingalese books he obtains the necessary rudiments, after which he attaches himself to a recognised astrologer, and finally—when the planets indicate that such a step may be undertaken—he sets up for himself. Of course, no one should' be recommended to embark on this career who is devoid of self-confidence, alertness of mind, and a tolerable flow of unprccise language. There is a good deal of competition caused by the influx of Brahmin soothsayers from India, but anyone of average ability should be able to earn an adequate livelihood, seeing that almost the whole population of the island is anxious to consult the astrologer at every turn. LITTLE EFFECT. It was supposed, some time ago, that the spread of education would undermine the astrologers’ status, yet the injurious effect of education has been slight, for many of the more advanced Cingalese remain among the faithful; it would surprise nobody on the island if a Cingalese Minister, talking perfect and voluble English, were to ask his favourite astrologer as to the asupiciousness of this or that day for the introduction of a Bill before the State Council. Such a client will, although there are no fixed charges, pay handsomely for the astrologer’s advice. Like the more humble supplicant, he will have the delicacy to conceal the coins among betel leaves, which are regarded as having originally belonged to the gods; they are offered as tokens of _ submission to a personage more highly placed than oneself; they are also interchanged among equals at the New Year by way of compliment.

Most of the Cingalese are very conservative. The betel leaf is also used to cover up the doctor’s remuneration, if payment is made in cash. Naturally the Europeanised doctors of Colombo and the other towns are not treated in the ancient fashion, but in the villages the art of medicine is, as of old, in the hands of a man of substance who does , not greatly care if among the betel leaves no cash is lurking. His father and his grandfather will have- been landowners and doctors, tending patriarchally anyone who came to them. If the villager cannot pay in money ho will do so in kind, or he will help to cultivate the doctor’s land. These village doctors, by the way, will, like the astrologers, have studied a few Sanskrit and Cingalese books. The populace has confidence in them, for the ingredients of the medicines are known to everyone, consisting as they do of five or eight or 24 items. If the patient is not very ill the first of these is employed; if the result is unsatisfactory the medicine of eight is brought to bear; and if that should prove ineffective there is the grand remedy of the two dozen components. If the Cingalese parent is uneasy as to the inroads of education which may imperil the astrologer’s trade, that of the village doctor being in the hands of the wealthier landowners, he will turn to the cocoanut which flourishes so mightily in the low country. The products of the cocoanut are so miscellaneous that the Swiss Family Robinson would not have required their ship if a grove of these trees had been on their island. Carpets, brushs, rugs, brooms, matting, biscuits, confectionery, perfumes, hair oil, curios, buttons, studs, and soaps are being manufactured in Ceylon from this admirable

tree. Cocoanut gin, whisky, and brandy have been produced, but are not yet on the market —and personally I should prefer the cocoanut’s delicious, milk. There is also such a thing as a cocoanut Benedictine, but one would not like to prophesy that it will prove a serious rival to the produce of Fecamp in Normandy. Who can help loving a people which arrived, many centuries ago, at such a degree of tolerance that in the Kelaniya Temple, the most sacred place for Buddhist worship in maritime Ceylon— Buddha himself, so it is said, having visited the spot—a corner of the imagehouse is devoted to the Hindu gods because the Buddhist kings were wont to take their wives from Southern India.

SIXTEENTH CENTURY INCIDENT. It is painful after this to think of the behaviour of the Portuguese in the sixteenth century. Kelaniya’s revenues were allocated to the Franciscans for the building of Roman Catholic schools, and the Captain of Colombo, Diago de Melo, burned the temple in spite of the resistance of the villagers who rallied to its defence, a number of them being driven into the river and drowned. _ Gentle afe the Cingalese, but not devoid of the competitive spirit. Their diminutive, pale-brown oxen that one sees in the towns drawing a twowheeled cart which appears much too big for them—these little animals are capable of moving at a much greater speed,’ and out in the country they will trot surprisingly. It has been discovered that the Cingalese oxen or bulls have endurance and speed in inverse relation to their size. Steps are therefore taken to prevent them ffom growing; a favourite method is to provide the young creature with toddy, a very potent fermented liquor that comes from the palm tree. One also hears of whisky being administered. And the tiny creatures, not much larger than a St. Bernard dog, put up very fine performances.