Daily NEWS Srilanka

Certain actions portraying humanity in the name of humanity itself go unseen to most people and is thus buried in the process. 

A particular vendor selling quids (bulath viti) was rejected by his family and relatives after his death and on that occasion there was nobody to shoulder responsibilities of taking care of his dead body at which point a group of three-wheel drivers who used to patronise this vendor had come forward to accept his body and had even volunteered to attend to his final rites
and accompanying procedures. This incident is reported from Anuradhapura. 

This person Nandasiri (71) by name who is better known as Gale Mama or 'Bulath Viti Mama' was selling bulath viti in front of Anuradhapura Old Bus Stand, it is said. He had suffered a heart attack last 30th and was admitted to Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital for treatment by the youth three-wheel drivers near the shop. On being admitted to hospital he had closed his eyes forever and his relatives at the address of Nagollayaya, Galewela were notified about the bereavement in which instance his wife and daughter who appeared there had refused to accept the body to everyone's ashtonishment and they had said that Bulath viti mama had neglected them and therefore his death was not a reason for them to be sad about. 

It was after that his dead body was accepted by the President of Eksath Three Roda Sangamaya and its members who had humanity etched in their hearts and had volunteered to to attend to his funeral proceedings thereafter. A certain member of the three-wheeler society had this to say: "We went in search of his kith and kin to Galewela. We met his wife, daughter and grandchildren. Brought them to Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital for the postmortem. But since all of them refused to accept his dead body, we at the society decided to get together and attend to the customary procedures and see to his burial. 

Having collected the money which Mama had in his possession we too got together and pooled in the balance monies necessary and thus attended to all related matters at the funeral parlour and brought the corpse to the spot where Mama used to sell the quids. We attended to all customary funeral proceedings and brought down a Buddhist monk and after merit was bestowed on the body Bulath viti Mama was buried after necessary customary procedures were performed.   We are also making arrangements to shower merit on the deceased and to have a sermon conducted for him after 7 days. The Secretary, the Treasurer including other members of our society all gave their support in this connection". 

Even at the moment when Bulath viti Mama was being buried at Anuradhapura Wijayapura Nisala Nimnaya (Wijayapura Cemetery), members of his family had kept away while the three-wheel driver mallila who happened to share the quids equally with him with feelings of sorrow and happiness alike came forward to take a hand in rendering their duties.

(Information -- Mahesh Wijeysuriya, Anuradhapura)