Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

16  August  2019

Common Security for the Prime Minister and  the Citizen

The tuk-tuk driver who brought me back to the hotel from Nallur temple asked me whether I would be checked when entering the hotel (North Gate by Jetwing) – which has been common residence for the Prime Minister and I over the past two days. I said I did not think so because they had so far not done so. Within a minute I was proven wrong. One security officer in the PM’s team said ‘bag’. The other looked at me and said ‘sorry madam we have to check your bag’. I opened the little sling bag for their inspection. The second officer took a quick look – and said it was ok. I was not in any way upset that I was put through the search process. What bothered me was the inconsistency. Whether such inconsistency is based on persons or time – it confirms lack of reliability in process. Yesterday’s with me was time based.  I was not checked before but I was checked last night and by male officer. They did not check the  body. They checked my personal bag. If I were a - terrorist – I would note this and carry any device on my body – as LTTE’s Thenmoli who killed India’s PM did. Where common belief is weak – our energies are channeled through narrow pathways of cleverness. If I were not common Sri Lankan – I would have beaten the Security Officer who initiated the search through clever game of ‘catch me if you can’. Where we know that the other is cleverer than us – we need to develop strong belief to influence the mind.

Yesterday, I wrote as follows about my previous night’s experience - in my article headed ‘Sri Lanka’s One God confirmed by the Elephant’ :

[During the festival, while I was listening to the Divine rendering by Prasanna Aiyer one of two little boys standing next to the Lion started talking. I was disturbed by these boys yesterday and hence decided to stand in front. They came after me and climbed up for vantage view. That was ok – so long as they were praying. But one of them kept talking and I turned around and said to him to be quiet during poojah. The mother said ‘he is a kulanthai/little child’ I turned back around and said to her in my mind – that if he was old enough for the authorities to ask him to remove his shirt – then he had the duty to be quiet during the ceremony.

That ‘talk’ I had with this mother was silent – mind to mind. To the extent of her own belief in Murugan she would have read my mind in her own form.]

Last night I went to the same spot where I had the above experience. A little later a lady carrying a little girl of about the same age as the above boy was standing in front of me. The little girl was asleep. I made way for the mother to sit on the Lion-platform where the boys stood the previous evening. One of my mind talks was that the mother of the boy who said her son was only a little child ought to have then carried him. I was therefore touched by the sight of this mother carrying the little girl.  The young mother declined the seat and continued to stand. Then the young mother started saying ‘I forget your exact name…..’ I then said ‘I am Gajalakshmi’. The young mother said ‘I could not make you out at first but when you smiled – I was sure it was you’. Then the penny dropped! This young lady was the one who in 2010 alerted me during Nallur festival procession  that I had not taken off the ‘sleeves’ pinned to the top I was wearing. The practice here is to pin  the sleeves to the back – so we had the option of wearing it as sleeveless or with sleeves. I was new to that practice and hence did not notice the sleeves. I asked the young lady to take it off for me and she did. I felt a surge of appreciation that this young lady cared about me to alert me. The following day I waited for her and gave her my business card. Her name is Kavitha. I did think often about Kavitha when I went around Nallur temple this time also. It’s like an anniversary to remember that I had caring extended family in Jaffna. Yesterday Kavitha came to the spot to confirm that I had been ‘right’ in disciplining the boy and his mother who was of about the same age as Kavitha. The boy came yesterday – but with an older looking lady who left him on the Lion platform and went to stay at a distance. The little boy prayed for a little while and later when he started playing – I tapped him on his back and said ‘be quiet and pray’. The boy listened and followed. I thought to myself that that was because his pampering mother was not with him.

If Jaffna mothers had been as disciplined as Kavitha who is a teacher – our investment in education would have been better preserved. Order in Due Processes confirm the heritage that we carry within us. It was the disorder in Jaffna Courts that led me to write my book ‘Jaffna is my heritage and not dowry’. This means I inherit the liabilities with any assets residual after the previous structure changed.

I read in news that the war-time President – Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa had stated that LTTE leader was highly disciplined. But both – the LTTE leader and President Rajapaksa lacked investment in intellectual discipline. Now there are reports in intellectual circles that inequality and mental illness are connected. Those of us who fought against intellectual inequality outside merit become strongly balanced mentally. But it must not be used selfishly if it is to benefit our whole environment.

It is this sharing that was lacking in the government which lacked common belief in lawful (intellectual) governance. Usually belief happens through the express pathway when we suffer together. That I believe is what really protects me in Sri Lanka and particularly in Jaffna where the education system is the worst affected common victim of war. Through this article written in Jaffna – I belief I am making strong contribution to repairing and restoring that system. It is the duty to of the Prime Minister to open the channels of listening to such folks whose belief actually protects the good governor. If he is indifferent to it – and the believer in commonness hurts – he would become the victim due to lack of belief.  To the extent the security is for him – it ought to be also for the citizen in the PM. Hence the PM ought to not have more than the citizen in him. Then Belief will naturally take care of the PM through the citizen in him.