I can still remember the day, I was first admitted to the village school. I was taken to the school by my grand mother, treading the lane between a vast stretch of paddy fields and climbing the steep hill behind the church. The school was just opposite the church.

I carried a bag containing the slate, slate pencil and kindergarten text book and also a bunch of beetles wrapped in a piece of paper. The beetles are green leave of a creeper, used as a custom to offer somebody as a gesture of honour and also for chewing mainly by aged people in past with little quantity of lime and tobacco and a piece of ariconut.

I was taken direct to the Head Teacher of the school. As I had been taught by my grand mother, I offered the bunch of beetles to him in both hands and bowed him by lowering at his feet. He taught me first two letters of the Sinhalese alphabet and laid foundation to my lifelong studies.

Present day in this changed society, children have not seen even beetles and they are not taught about the importance of honouring elders. No regard is given to any customs or formalities.


On the Christmas day after attending to midnight mass, our first duty early in the morning was to go in search of our Holy Parents, who had undertaken to preserve our spiritual life at the time of our christening ceremony. But today, almost all the children are unaware of their Holy Parents and also most of their close relations.

Likewise, all aspects of life are changed vastly out of which, above are only two examples. More and more changes are to be anticipated in future, which will directly affect the full society.