The Therapy

Copyright © 2010 Dr. Sripali Vaiamon

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Cover design by- Paul & Naomi Leanage

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ISBN: 978-1-4502-0766-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4502-0767-6 (ebk)

iUniverse rev. date: 02/11/2010

Contents

FOREWORD

Main Characters.

Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

FOREWORD

By Dr. Buddhadasa Bodhinayakae

Sripali Vaiamon has been a prominent broadcaster from early nineteen fifties and he was attached to the Commercial Service of Radio Ceylon. He was the Head of the Sinhala Channel during which time I had the privilege of participating in one of his most popular children’s program-quiz kids. He has been a colleague for nearly fifteen years while I too had the advantage of broadcasting one thousand radio and TV mixed programs, initially as a medical student and subsequently as a qualified Pediatrician and a Consultant Psychiatrist in the UK.

Sripali has demonstrated his writing skills all the way through novels and radio drama scripts - particularly on detective productions such as maraka ranga and light comedy serials such as Coffee Kiosk (Kopi Kade). He was also a popular narrator of anecdotes to a wider Sri Lankan radio audience with the series of Story Teller.

Sripali broadened his knowledge in mass media communication in Germany having undergone an intensive training course. During this period one of his lecturers, Dr. D. Eckhardt, who possessed a profound knowledge in Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism paved way for him to involve in research activities on Buddhism as well as on other religions. Subsequently he has produced three volumes under the title Views on Buddhism for which he has taken 30 years to compile. This profound effort has been recognized and conferred him with a doctorate.

His far and wide travells in eastern and western countries has helped him to acquire a wealth of information, particularly relevant to world religions. This experience and knowledge he has incorporated in his latest literary masterpiece The Therapy in the form of a novel.

‘The Therapy’ fundamentally has a fascinating plot in which the author delivers a delicate conspiracy with two dimensional characters of diverse ethnic groups, concentrating on a female character, Dr. Sarani, a Sinhala Ayurvedic general practitioner, who happened to be a beauty queen and a male character Vije Thornton, a British sportsman, an Assistant Superintendent of a tea plantation in the central hill country in Sri Lanka.

Vije meets with a motor car accident and by coincidence Dr. Sarani, who works at her father’s private clinic, saves his broken leg without having to amputate it. The chemistry between the two personalities seemingly develops into a romance somewhat similar to a reverse process of Romeo and Juliet where there were no impediments or restrictions from the home fronts.

The couple enters into wedlock according to traditional customs and migrates to Maldives Islands where Vije became a successful businessman and an owner of a star-grade holiday resort.

His wife Dr. Sarani opened up an orthopedic clinic initially and later migrates to Canada. Much later it comes to light that she is inflicted with HIV virus from her own brother-in-law which complicates matters and turns into an explosive scenario ending up with a shooting incident where her husband was taken into custody as the prime suspect. The court of law imposed him with the death sentence to execute on the electric chair in accordance with the new enactment of the Penal Code which was introduced as deterrent to curb the escalation of homicides in Canada. On the day of his execution he had a dramatic release from the jail when the catastrophic tsunami devastated several South Asian countries including Sri Lanka and Maldives and the drama continues keeping the reader in suspense.

The novel is a dazzling anthropology interwoven with the main story where the author attempts to reveal how the intricacy of human existence amidst multifarious religious traditions have become an unprecedented problem in the world with everyone getting subjected to some dissension due to their ignorance on certain aspects of individual religious practices.

The author, through this novel, attempts to drive a message that those who profess their individual religion should understand the core of every religion as unique. In doing so the author has strove hard to convince the readers to motivate individuals to fully comprehend their own religions and to live amicably with fellow human beings, thereby endeavoring to sustain peace and unity among themselves.

Author’s message is particularly a pep tonic to the younger generation to activate the objectives he has underlined in his book. It is profitable and advisable, therefore, for the responsible parents to procure a copy of this book and display in their bookshelves.

Sripali Vaiamon after his retirement in Sri Lanka, migrated to Maldives and subsequently to Canada, which is a multi media, multi cultural, and multi national country and it is ideal according to him for religious minded, peace loving people of his caliber.

Dr. B. Bodhinayakae - MBBS, DCH, FRCPsych.

London, UK

Main Characters.

Vije Thornton - British sportsman who was graduated in the U. K. He preferred to serve in a tea plantation in Sri Lanka, where his daddy was employed earlier. Later he becomes a Resort owner and a Project Manager of an Off Shore Drilling Plant in the Maldives.

Livy Thornton – He was the former Superintendent of the Glendale Tea Estate in Sri Lanka. After Tea Estates were nationalized by the Government he returned to England and employed at the British Petroleum.

Mrs. Thornton – Livy’s wife. She is a retired nurse, vociferous reader and a wild life enthusiast.

Michael Thornton – Vije’s brother employed at Rogers in Canada. Later became an owner of a Restaurant.

Dr. Sarani – Vije’s wife. An Orthopedist by profession. She is a Sinhalese. A beauty queen who is an ardent Buddhist. With extensive research with her daddy discovered a sure cure for HIV virus and a medication for painless child birth. She is a well read woman.

Vedamahaththaya – Sarani’s Father. A renowned physician in the hill country of Sri Lanka and a lecturer at the Ayurvedic medical college in Kandy. He is well versed in Sanskrit.

Kathy Thornton – Lecturer at the Toronto University in Canada She is the wife of Michael Thornton. She is a Protestant and by origin a German nationality. She is a daughter of a lecturer at Deutche Welle Training Institute. Cologne.

Barbara Saunders – Teacher at the St. Augustine in Brampton now reading for PhD. on World Religions at Cornell University. A well educated Catholic.

Dora – When she was a toddler she was a neighbor of Vije. After leaving Sri Lanka she too had the education in London and passed out as a doctor. She got the opportunity to come back to Sri Lanka for her internship.

THE THERAPY

Introduction

Background of the country where the story originated

This is a piquant plot of an inter-racial love legend cropped up in a private clinic of lush green tea planting region in the hilly terrain of central Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka had a 26 year terrorist war with the most ruthless terrorist outfit of the globe, known as LTTE or Tigers which was proscribed as a terrorist organization by 33 countries in the world. It was led by Velupillai Prabakaran, a character identical with Dr. Gobbels in Nazi Germany who said if a lie is repeated several times people will believe it as a truth.

Prabakaran was surprisingly able to hoodwink his own Diaspora in foreign soils. From several countries in the West and Australia LTTE was getting over 25 million dollars to sustain the war, as such he did not want to give up the war although sometimes back a political solution was offered. He was adamant that he must have a military solution so that he could continue the war and get millions. He not only ruined the entire northern region where Tamils were living from the 13th century but grabbed Tamil children into his carders who could not possibly fight with the security forces and had untimely death. Their lonely parents now stranded and weeping as their future is bleak.

Tamil Diaspora in foreign soils praised him as a hero all these days. When they realize sooner or later will treat him as the most wicket traitor of the Tamil community. Instead of funding Prabakaran if the Tiger leaders in foreign soils had allowed the Tamil Diaspora to utilize those money for the betterment of their living conditions or donate to their kith and kin in northern Sri Lanka to uplift their living standard would have been million times better.

Prabakaran was gunned down along with his key leaders on the 18th of May 2009 and totally scourged terrorism from the Island. President proudly proclaimed, irrespective of ethnicity everyone now could live anywhere in the country under one standard and one legal system with single identity in harmony and peace.

Country was under Western rulers such as Dutch and Portuguese and the last was British. British occupied for 150 years

Marco Polo, the Italian traveler who visited Ceylon in 1921, had made a comment with an admiration to say Ceylon undoubtedly the finest island of its size in the entire world. Fa-hien in the 5th century visited the island and remarked that this country is an oasis, prosperous and happy, its people are well to do.

They all have received the Faith, and find their amazement in religion.

This island situated at the southern tip of the Indian sub-continent. It encompasses an area of 65,633 sq. km. Paleolithic human settlements have been discovered by renowned archaeologists from about 35,000. Eco Team has hitherto discovered 19 caves in the hill country where these ancient inhabitants have been associated with. Sinhalese are the majority in the country. They are 80%, out of which 75% are Buddhists. Tamils are 15%, including Jaffna Tamils, Batticalo Tamils, Up country Tamils and Muslims are 8%. Official languages are Sinhala and Tamil. English is the commercial and link language.

Sinhala is existing from immemorial time. It appeared first in the second book of Mahabharata, the reputed Indian Epic commenced its compilation according to Internet 900BC. Subsequently it appears in several ancient Sanskrit classics, such as Markandya Purana, Mathsya Purana, Bhagawatha, Brahath Sanghitha, Jaina Canonical works and in an eulogy of king Samudra Gupta. The term Sinhala is Sanskrit, in Pali Seehala, Prakrith Sainhala and during the period Buddhism was introduced to the Island, in 247 BC, the language of the country was Illu or Hela.

Four major tribes just prior to this period were Yakkas, Nagas,Devas and Raksas. In combination of the four tribes (four-Sivu +Hela) became Sihala which became synonym with Sinhala when Hela and Sanskrit got mixed up.

Sri Lanka was the first Asian Nation to have a female ruler, Queen Anula (47-42 BC) Sri Lanka also had the first Prime Minister in the world, Mrs. Srimavo Bandaranayake. Sri Lanka was famous for best cinnamon which is being used from the very inception for 4711 eau de cologne in Germany. Egyption has imported cinnamon and goraka (garcinia cambogia ) to be used for mummies. During British period tea, rubber and spices were principle products. Presently cricket is the popular game in the country which was started by British in 1832. Local cricket team has won the world cup in 1996 and Asia cup in 1986, 1997 and 2008.

Ships from Babylonia, Syria Gujarat via Sri Lanka had sailed up to Java in ancient times Sailors anchored at Mahathitha or Manthai (Mannar) ancient port in the Island and collected Commodities such as gems, ivory and spices.

Sri Lanka is the only country in the world where there is a documented history in two chronicles viz. Deepavansa and Mahavansa covered well over 2500 years.

In the 6th century BC Vijaya an Aryan trader with 700 people from Gujarat have landed in the island on the day that the Buddha was demised. Archeologist, Siran Deraniyagala confirmed from excavation, that there was a civilization in the island 300 years prior to their arrival. According to Siran Deraniyagala Anuradhapura in the North Central province was a well developed city in 600 BC. Vijaya may have arrived in this era. Advent of Vijaya is given in an art work in Sanchi in India. He was supposed to be the first monarch in the country.

It is the historical background of the country in brief where this sensual love legend was started. Above descriptions may be useful to comprehend the arguments interspersed in the story on inexplicable situations of the world religions, ethnic conflicts and political mismanagement in the country.

Now let’s focus on the kernel of the story. Vije Thornton, a British Christine, Asst. Superintendent of a tea plantation in the hilly town of Nuwara Eliya, met with a car crash and the right leg was fractured in two places. Without resorting to amputation it was cured within a short span of time by an Ayurvedic orthopedist Dr. Sarani, who was an ardent Buddhist, a beauty queen. Vije was able to participate in a car race in two months and became the first. Her love affair develops amidst a rival, a childhood acquaintance of Vije, who is also a European, an intern in the Hospital, Dora, is the only daughter of the Chief Administrative Officer of the British High Commission in Sri Lanka. Duo got married and moved to splendid Maldives where he became a proud owner of a five star Resort and Project Manager of an Off Shore Drilling Project. Sarani opened up an Orthopedic Clinic.

She discovered after conducting research, a remedy for painless child birth with which she became famous all over. Subsequently brewed a sure cure for HIV virus. She buried it in a pot in the compound of the Resort to mature in six months.

After the first child, her mother-in-law in Canada had a nasty fall and fractured her arm.

She was pregnant but had to fly immediately. It was in winter and there was a deadly storm at the Toronto Air port but plane was landed with lot of jarring and difficulty.

She was compelled to stay with mother-in-law and circumstances forced her to develop an undue affair with her brother-in-law who was inflicted with HIV. His wife, several women and Sarani was contacted with the deadly disease. He was shot down and Sarani’s husband was taken into custody as the prime suspect. He was imposed with the death sentence to execute on the electric chair in six months, according to the new enactment to the Penal Code introduced to curb ever escalating homicides in Canada.

While Sarani was in Canada a series of discussions were taken place with the educated characters of the story who were conversant with Protestantism, Catholicism, Islam and Sikhism on inexplicable situations in world religions, ethnic disparity and political mismanagement which have been scripted in simple crispy dialogues for readers to gather lot of information without any impediment to the main story. Dr. Sarani was appointed to the Brampton Hospital as a guest physician and a separate ward was built for her to treat patients with Ayurvedic system for orthopedics and pregnant mothers who wish to have painless child births.

Sarani had a kidney operation and became severely ill mainly due to HIV virus which was not revealed to anybody except to one friendly doctor. She was adamant to keep it as a dead secret until her HIV therapy is matured.

When she became gravely ill doctors sent an ambassador to Maldives to unearth and bring it over. At that time Dora got a transfer to Maldives hospital and was looking after Sarani’s Clinic and as well as the Resort in addition to her official duties in the hospital. Vije got a dramatic release in six months and returned home. When he arrived Sarani was bedridden and doctors and others were watching the tsunami occurred in Indonesia which affected Sri Lanka and that area. Immediately Vije arrived he embraced Sarani and gave a lingering kiss.

In the rush he saw in the TV, Maldives Airport and his Resort are inundated, Dora is clinging to a tree and lost her grip. He screamed in an ecstasy. Sarani realized she will never get the greatly expected Therapy and succumbed to a phenomenal mental shock.

Later Vije got married to Dora and had four boys. When they came to Sri lanka to participate in a function where her daddy got a promotion as the High Commissioner, she got a shot at her leg by a terrorist who launched a massive attack at the Colombo Airport.

When doctors decided to amputate her leg Vije has taken her to Sarani’s former Clinic in Nuwara Eliya where she was gradually recovered.

Sri Lanka with the massacre of LTTE leaders were enjoying a massive victory celebration in front of the Independence Hall, where Ambassadors of several countries pledged to offer colossal assistance. One of the political parties submitted a petition to British Foreign Minister claiming 150 billion Sterlings as compensation for the 150 years British occupied Sri Lanka. He got terribly bewildered but High Commissioner came to podium and announced that British will undertake to spend the requested amount on an excellent road net work to go with the colossal pledges offered by so many countries.

Crowd applauded and cheered loudly.

President was in a jubilant mood. British Foreign Secretary approached him and said, Don’t worry, Sir. Time will solve all the problems

Worry? President had a hearty laugh and said That word ‘worry’ is not in my vocabulary He patted on his shoulder. Then he said you deserve the Nobel Prize for Peace" crowd applauded while a fabulous and brilliant fire work display started right round the Independence Hall. With that came the story to a grand and poignant climax.

N. B. –In addition to the dramatic story in this novel the controversial matters embodied in discussions, among the main characters perhaps may not be agreeable with your personal consciousness. You have the full liberty to argue with your own profound wisdom and arrive at meaningful decisions. Please give progressive outlook for your sensible thinking What the author with his lengthy experience endeavored by these discussions are to suggest to minimize the perplexity in the existing Religious Scriptures and ameliorate them to suit the present era for the benefit of the educated younger generation and thereby bring about amity, unity and fraternity among all the citizens in the global society free from dissensions, frictions and atrocities. In the first instance if you come across something not agreeable with your personal views. Pl. read further you will get the same sequence in different words, in a different context which I am sure would be agreeable to you. Religion is a very sensitive subject as such I do not wish to argue openly pros and cons on the controversial matters embodied herein.

I humbly request you to peruse intelligently and make an attempt to comprehend. If there is something do not digest you may reject it. I wish to acknowledge all the competent authors from whose recognized literature I have borrowed valuable ideas to share with the discriminating readers.

Change in the society is always paramount for the betterment of the mankind. CHANGE was theme of the election campaign of Barack Obama, the very first black President in the USA. In his very first speech to his administrators taking entire globe into consideration, he eloquently articulated that he treats every one as his friends and not enemies.

This is the very theme the Therapy is embodied with, where the author expects each and every one in the 21st century to live in fraternity, unity and peace irrespective of cultural roots. That CHANGE is very essential. The old literati, George Bernard Shaw, who always lived with a younger mind said, those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything. The opinion of John F Kennady was – Change is the law of life, and those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future. So you may concentrate on what is the most appropriate. Barack Obama on the second day of the G 20 Summit held in London on 2nd of April,2009, expressed his deep concern on the nuclear weapons which he might have thought devastate the entire world within a short span of time. It is a damn fact!

May I take this opportunity to thanks who endeavored me to accomplish this exercise for the sake of younger generation in the globe, viz. Sherwin, Bimal, Champa, Charmaine, Upali, Naomi Natalie and particularly Angela Shryock, Jessica, Carolyn, Brian and rest of the members of the staff who rendered me all the possible support to get this book published at iUniverse. I cannot possibly forget the members of the staff of the publishing unit without whose indefatigable efforts this book would not have been released so early.

This is a work of fiction. Resemblance to any actual person, events, or localities are entirely coincidental.

The Author.

Chapter 1

Car crash

It was a beautiful crispy morning. The golden sun in the eastern sky pierced its lukewarm rays through the pastel color clouds with glittering lines at the edges and absorbed into thin mists spread over the lush green tea plantation in the hilly terrain of the central region of the island of Sri Lanka.

Although the scenario was intrinsically fascinating the cold blowing moved slowly right across the region intermixed with mild aroma of the tender tea (Camellia sinensis)leaves popped up with morning sun-rays whispered a pleasant inspiration which forced Hinni, the servant boy of the Superintendent’s bungalow of the Glendale Tea Estate, to cover himself with a thick blanket from shoulders to ankles after his morning ablution. He stood on a rock at the backyard of the bungalow admiring the beauty of the rising sun. It was an indirect compulsion for energetic people to wake up early and engage in day to day activities without wasting their precious time. Hinni was eagerly waiting till he gets an order from his masters to engage in any domestic activity that he could perform.

Hinni was a village lad of about 18 years and was employed at an Auto Engineering Works in the area. He was discontinued by the owner as he was stammering and gets provoked for slightest thing if a customer tries to fool at him.

He has the tendency to clash with customers. When he was discontinued he was engaged as a domestic servant at the Chief Superintendent’s bungalow.

Vije recommended Hinni as he has some experience on motor vehicles and hence he may have the capabilities to assist the Transport Supervisor to look after the fleet at the Estate.

Mr. Vije Thornton, got up early morning came toward the backyard and saw Hinni is just standing looking at the sunrise. He ordered him to take the jeep out of the garage and clean the interior, wash thoroughly as he has to go to Colombo for the practices of a forthcoming car race.

I am going on a visiting round to the factory and will be right back. After washing, park the jeep in front of the foyer.

He agreed and rushed to the kitchen, had a cup of tea, put the blanket away, prepared soap liquid into a bucket, drove out the jeep from the garage to the backyard, cleaned the interior well and starts washing underneath and sides with the hose. He rubbed the sides with a brush, particularly the lower portion and cleaned with soap suds that dislodges the tenacious grease here and there and did an excellent job. After wiping the whole body of the vehicle he parked the jeep in front of the foyer of the Estate bungalow.

Having being supervised the activities at the factory Vije Thornton stepped out to look at one group of tea plucking damsels with rattan baskets on their backs picking tender leaves with their slender fingers very actively and gathering them into baskets,under the supervision of a Kangani. ( labor supervisor )

He was looking at them for a few minutes, waved his hand appreciating their hard work and returned to the bungalow. He saw Hinni besides the jeep wiping the windscreen and noticed he has done an excellent job. He thanked him and went in as there was a telephone call.

Hello

Hi Vije! Good Morning

Good Morning to you

"Have you any intention to go to Kandy today to watch the day Perahera? (Procession – An ensemble of traditional dancers, acrobats, elephant parade and variety items with which ceremoniously carry the Tooth Relic of the Buddha. Kandy Esala Perahera is the most magnificent annual pageant in Sri Lanka)

As a matter of fact I am getting ready to go right now.

At that moment butler who had ironed a few shirts and pants brought with the traveling bag. He tucked the receiver in between his left shoulder and the ear and starts dumping pants, shirts and other paraphernalia into the traveling bag. From Kandy I have to proceed to, Rowlands in Colombo. Tik Aiya has modified my Mini Minor. He assures that I could achieve the first place in the Standard category.

O, what a good assurance! Berty expressed in an admirable tone and greeted congratulations.

Thank you.

You are welcome!

He called Hinni, handed over the traveling bag and asked him to toss it into the jeep.

Aren’t you willing to accompany me?

That’s the very reason I telephoned

I can pick you up at the Getambe junction at ten, and when we proceed to Colombo we could stay at the Galle Face Hotel. We have to do plenty of practices and on Sunday early morning we may dash to Katukurunda. You can be my pit assistant.

Excellent, I’ll be at the Getambe junction sharp at ten.

Okay. Berty. Bye!

He thanks Berty again and starts sipping a cup of tea brought by his butler and advised him that he is coming back on Sunday night and then stepped out. He opened the door of the jeep. At that moment Kangani, accompanied a tea plucking woman who has fallen down and knocked her head against a rock. She was bleeding profusely.

He informed the Chief clerk of the tea factory. Ordered him to get down an ambulance and send her immediately to the hospital. He informed his factory manager who was there that he won’t be back till Sunday night.

He has already notified the Chief Superintendent. He then got into the jeep and sped past along the rugged rear road of the tea estate as it is closer to the main road.

He screeched to a halt at the gate and started tooting the horn impatiently as the gate was closed and watcher was missing.

In a minute the watcher returned in a rush and opened the gate.

Vije reproached the watcher and warned him not to leave the point without prior permission. He released the clutch, engaged the gear and drove the vehicle round the corner with a roar and drove pretty fast in the downhill although the road was misty.

At a short distance he noticed a row of ducks waddling like buxom Caribbean women and crossing the road in lethargic pace with their young ones. He suddenly applied breaks. The jeep skidded and knocked against the corner of the parapet wall of the Vedamahaththaya’s (physician‘s) house, with a thundering noise. It plunged into a precipice of about fifty meters, like a boulder of a landslide knocking at several protruded rocks and got wedged in between two rocks, and crushed like an ostrich egg.

All those who heard the noise as a bomb blast, ran down to the spot. Vedamahaththaya who saw the accident through the window of his house rushed down, attempted with the others to pull the debris and the body. They were miserably failed. Vedamahaththaya sent a message immediately to the nearby timber mill requesting to send an elephant with a mahout and two or three ropes. The elephant was able to pull out the wreckage. Some recognized the deceased as the Assistant Superintendent of the tea estate and they sent a message to the factory.

Body was pulled out with difficulty but cautiously then Vedamahaththaya checked his pulse and pronounced he is not dead. He is only unconscious.

They made a makeshift stretcher and raised him up to the road. By that time The Chief Superintendent and a few others had arrived with an ambulance.

Vije Thornton, the Assistant Superintendent of the Glendale Tea Estate, who had met with the mishap, was taken to the Nuwara Eliya hospital. Cuts and bruises were all over his body and bleeding. They suspected he had several fractures and dislocations. Incumbent doctor of the hospital, Dr. Weeraman, in consultation with the Chief Superintendent of the estate, made arrangement to get down a specialist. Dr. Carlo Antonies, famous surgeon of the general hospital, Colombo. Meanwhile Vije was administered with a saline and a sedative to reduce body pain.

Dr. Dora White, who is undergoing an internship, volunteered to attend to the patient, as he knows him from childhood. Dr. Antonies in an hour arrived by a helicopter. He checked the patient with utmost care and several x-rays were taken.

He ordered intern Dr. White to dress the cuts and bruises but not to touch the fractured areas. His right leg was fractured in two places, at the thigh and just below the kneecap and on the left arm near the wrist.

He had written on the bed ticket to transfer the patient to Colombo, as his leg has to be amputated.

Incidentally Vije Thornton is a handsome, robust youth of mid - twenties, with a proportionate body and a complexion of slightly tan. His hair is somewhat brownish. But eyes are blackish and attractive. He is having a cleft chin which denotes a mark of dignity. It may be hereditary, as his dad, Mr. Livy Thornton is also possesses same features.

Livy Thornton was a former Chief Superintendent of the Glendale Tea Estate in Nuwara Eliya. When the tea estates which were belonged to Europeans were taken over by the Government of Sri Lanka under a Nationalization Scheme introduced toward the mid - nineteen seventies, Thornton family had to bid good bye to Sri Lanka. They returned to their home country, England. Livy got an appointment as an Administrative officer at the British Patroleum. Vije with his brother Michael had their education in London. The present Chief Superintendent of the Glendale Tea Estate is Mr. Susil Jayaweera.

Vedamahaththya with Mr. Susil Jayaweera, visited the hospital around 12’ o’clock. The incumbent doctor along with them entered the accident ward to check the condition of the patient.

At that time Vije has regained consciousness and Dr. White and two other nurses were dressing the wounds, cuts and bruises.

Vedamahaththaya looked at the x- ray prints and glanced at the bed ticket. He kept his hand on the forehead and uttered." Oh, no, no, this must not be done! Oh my God!

I can give you the assurance doctor; within three months I will completely cure his fractures. This is a simple thing for me. I have treated more serious cases than this."

What has happened Vedamahaththaya what has happened? Vije was inquisitive and got frightened.

Oh! Nothing to get excited Sir, in three months I will completely cure you!

I have my car race on Sunday.

I know Sir, after a few months you will be all right to take part in car races or any other sports events. I know you are a sportsman. Vedamahaththaya tried to comfort him. He went little further away with the doctor and the Superintendent.

Doctor, do not allow to amputate his leg. He is a sportsman, what is the use of his life without a leg he repented.

More than my self my daughter is an expert for fractures and dislocations. With our therapeutic treatments it is quite easy to cure these fractures. Potentials are immense.

18th century physician, Dr. Samuel Heinemann, founder of Homeopathy, once said Western system of medicine often hurt or kill patients instead of healing them. Without any hesitation you entrust him to me; I do not require any payment.

What is your comment Superintendent?" He inquired earnestly.

Yes, yes, I can depend on Vedamahaththaya. I can provide all the necessary requirements.

I am agreeable too, doctor said However I will inquire Doctor Antonies, because he is a very strict person. By now he must have gone to the General hospital. I’ll contact him right away and get a decision now itself. He departed.

Little while later, he arrived with an affirmative answer.

Superintendent agreed to provide all the necessary requirements as described by Vedamahathaya and engage two male attendants to serve day and night at his private clinic. Dr. White too obtained permission from the incumbent doctor to visit him and check his position daily, provided Vedamahaththaya has no objection.

Vedamahaththaya said it is perfectly all right. But, advised her to give a call before she comes.

When he was transferred, he instructed his assistant to prepare necessary herbal medicines and splints until his daughter arrives.

Vedamahatthaya was bit worried because therapeutic treatments are likely to get delayed, as Sarani will not come soon due to her functions.

Sarani has got through her Ayurvedic medical final and official results were out today. In view of that there is a celebration for all those who were in the class. In addition there is a beauty queen contest where Sarani is a prospective candidate.

However, Vedamahaththaya advised his chauffeur to go and pick her up right away and convey the message of the accident of the Assistant Superintendent who is also remotely known to her.

Sarani, The bright and promising daughter of the prominent physician of the locality who got through the final with colors also was selected as the beauty queen. All were congratulating her while the chauffeur approached and conveyed the message.

Eventually she thanks all of them and pleaded excuse, as circumstances do not permit her to stay any longer. A person known to her has met with a grave accident and needs her services without delay. She waved them and departed quickly.

Vedamahaththaya is a popular personality in that hilly region of Nuwara Eliya. He is from a hamlet called Kuruvita in the region of Adam’s Peak. His name is Jeevaka Mananadeva who is about 50 years but looks much younger.

Every one used to address him as Vedamahaththaya. He is a native doctor. He studied medicine under a Buddhist monk at Maho, in the central province. He learned Sanskrit in order to read books on medicine which are mostly on ola leaves (young leaves of a tropical plant) and in Sanskrit. He studied Sanskrit also from his teacher monk, and subsequently at the Sanskrit College in South India from where he brought the recipe of medicine for fractures and dislocations. With further research he reinforced the strength of the recipe by adding various local ingredients. Now he is a well experienced orthopedist, who has cured hundreds of patients with the assistance of his daughter, Sarani who possess a strong aura in her hands.

Sarani learnt everything about the accident and the position of the patient on the way from their driver. She got down from the car, immediately, entered the treatment room with crown and flowers in her hand.

Oh! See what happened to me Sarani, I have my car races on Sunday. Vije was almost crying.

Don’t worry Sir, so long as we are here nothing will go wrong. She said firmly.

Vije introduced Dr. White to her and she inquired What are these flowers and a crown in hand?

O! I passed my final and also became a beauty queen at a contest today. I’ll change my dress and will be right back to relate all these with a smile she said flatly and quickly went out of the room.

She had a change hurriedly, meanwhile Vedamahaththaya’s assistant, Banda, entered the treatment room with the medicinal preparation; oil, banana leaves and all other requisites. He benignly requested Dr. White to be at the sitting room. She was served with a soft drink and day’s papers to keep her occupied.

Sarani entered the treatment room. On the explicit instruction of Vedamahaththaya she gathered all the required medicinal preparations and with the help of Banda applied medicinal oil wherever necessary and starts touching and adjusting fractures.

It was slightly painful to Vije, which