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 198
... looked at each other . The sergeant said , ' Just chase these fellows out . If they are walking about and making any disturbance tomorrow catch and lock them up ! ' Bawa's body was taken out of the drain at dawn . Again , a pencilled ...
... looked at each other . The sergeant said , ' Just chase these fellows out . If they are walking about and making any disturbance tomorrow catch and lock them up ! ' Bawa's body was taken out of the drain at dawn . Again , a pencilled ...
Page 320
... looked upon the rising shore , the palm - swept beaches of the southern bay of Galle where , according to the great Sinhalese poet , Sri Rahula ( Paravi Sandesaya , verse 84 ) ' the shops are resplendent with gold and gems and pearls ...
... looked upon the rising shore , the palm - swept beaches of the southern bay of Galle where , according to the great Sinhalese poet , Sri Rahula ( Paravi Sandesaya , verse 84 ) ' the shops are resplendent with gold and gems and pearls ...
Page 368
... looked on the terrible state of affairs with dumb astonishment . But they showed , at least , some discipline . Eventually , with the news that the British were at the Mutwal river and would soon be upon the Fort , a few Dutch officers ...
... looked on the terrible state of affairs with dumb astonishment . But they showed , at least , some discipline . Eventually , with the news that the British were at the Mutwal river and would soon be upon the Fort , a few Dutch officers ...
Contents
Under the Umbrella | 3 |
The Leafy Mango Tree | 14 |
Shabby People | 23 |
Copyright | |
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