Colombo: A NovelColombo is in the throes of an explosion. Its face changes continuously, its vices are legion, its future as yet obscure and its paths speak of sunlight as well as of shadow.-' Carl Muller begins his quasi-fictional portrait of this beautiful, war-torn city by describing the great battles fought over it by European colonizers-. In AD 1505, a Portuguese fleet blown off-course took shelter in Galle, overthrew the local kings, fortified Colombo and decided to stay. The Dutch came along, ousted the Portuguese, made Colombo their capital and ruled till the British arrived and sent them packing. Muller intersperses the tales of the past into descriptions of the battles that are being fought in Colombo today"political battles in which vested interests play a major role as well as battles fought on the individual level in the struggle to survive: young women and children turning to prostitution to earn an extra buck, people begging in the streets to make ends meet, unemployed young men turning to crime in frustration, students demonstrating against atrocities, lovers pining for nightfall in order to push away loneliness if only for a few moments... Written in Muller's lucid style, Colombo: A Novel is a chronicle of a city's trials and triumphs. |
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Page 36
... boat crews in the harbour he watches with eager eyes . Even in the 1930s passengers used to be landed by catamarans ( flatboats ) seating up to ten . The wharves were lined with pony carriages for the passengers , rickshaws for those ...
... boat crews in the harbour he watches with eager eyes . Even in the 1930s passengers used to be landed by catamarans ( flatboats ) seating up to ten . The wharves were lined with pony carriages for the passengers , rickshaws for those ...
Page 275
... boat and gunned the motor . They worked with large rubberized torches . It would be a job well done when they have dragged the stuff ashore . A job well paid for too . The man in charge , Nelson , was an experienced swimmer and diver ...
... boat and gunned the motor . They worked with large rubberized torches . It would be a job well done when they have dragged the stuff ashore . A job well paid for too . The man in charge , Nelson , was an experienced swimmer and diver ...
Page 276
... boat , like a peacock's tail . At the reef there would be more work , getting each cylinder across . ' Get that fucking boat away ! ' ' Go to hell ! ' Nelson yelled , his voice lost in the wind . ' What's that ? ' But they were off soon ...
... boat , like a peacock's tail . At the reef there would be more work , getting each cylinder across . ' Get that fucking boat away ! ' ' Go to hell ! ' Nelson yelled , his voice lost in the wind . ' What's that ? ' But they were off soon ...
Contents
Under the Umbrella | 3 |
The Leafy Mango Tree | 14 |
Shabby People | 23 |
Copyright | |
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Angelbeck arms asked become began bodies bring British building called carried Ceylon child Church close Colombo coming Company dark door dragged Dutch East established eyes face father fire followed force Fort Galle garden Gate girls give given Governor guns hands harbour head hold hour hundred India island keep kill king knew lake land later letter light live London looked Malays marched mother moved never night officers Pass Pettah police political port Portuguese road seemed ships side Sinhalese Sri Lanka stands station stood Street taken tell thing thought thousand told took trade tree turned wait walk walls watch wife woman