MERVIN GETS INTO RAGE ... OVER A JOKE PLAYED BY CHANDRIKA AT KELANIYA TEMPLE

During the past few days the former President Chandrika Bandaranaika attended a number of festivals on behalf of her 70th birthday.

In the process, an incident is reported where former Minister Mervin Silva who got the news that she was to come for an Ashirwada Pinkama held at Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara, wanted to 'add some marks' and his efforts had ultimately ended up with eyes getting red. The incident as reported, is as follows: Though Mrs. Bandaranaika was expected to arrive at Kelaniya holy land in order to attend this pinkama at 6 in the evening, it was learned that it was past 8 in the night when she had come. The former Minister Mervin Silva had been anticipating her arrival from 6 in the evening and had been staying there all that time. 

After Mrs. Chandrika came there, she had walked towards the Buddha Shrine in the Bodhi Pooja procession carrying the gilanpasa and lamps etcetera. On that occasion although Mervin Silva had trekked behind her, she had conducted herself as if she had not noticed him. Though Mervin Silva on a number of occasions tried to say something to her in many instances, she had given a deaf ear to whatever he said and Mervin Silva had then limited everything to words mumbled by him. Mrs. Chandrika who attended to all duties connected to the pinkama kept on ignoring what was said without taking any notice. 

In any case at the end of the Ashirwada Pinkama, when she happened to go to the Kelaniya Vibhishana Devalaya, Mervin who came face to face managed to have a tete-a-tete with her. Mervin Silva who went behind her had entered the Devala too and had turned towards her face and said, "Ah .... I am the one who made these things here .... you know madam?" At that point Mrs. Chandrika had brought on a smile to her face and had replied saying, "After you made the Vishnu Devale, gods in Kelaniya went away". With this statement Mervin's face had turned sour, it is learned. He had felt as if he could not stay there any longer. Mervin who lost his temper over Chandrika had quickly dispersed from Vibhishana Devale .... murmuring something to himself. But nobody had heard those words.