The rain dance
View(s):At the American Embassy cocktail party, Pyotr and Vasili from the Polish embassy were enjoying a drink. Pyotr, who had just arrived in Colombo, had raised the subject of cricket.
“Well, I have been here only for a month and don’t fully understand the ritual,” said Vasili, “but I believe it is some sort of a rain dance. In earlier times, they used to have religious chanting to invoke rain, but this dance -brought from England during colonial times – is generally considered more reliable.”
Pyotr, who knew about the English weather, agreed.
“In England they need a chant to stop the rain,” he chuckled.
“Well, it really works,” said Vasili. “Most times, as they begin to dance, the rains come.”
“The President,” he continued, “who is really concerned about the people, built, at great expense, a huge stadium for dancing in an area which is very dry. In September this year, although it had not rained for 8 months, the rains came as soon as they began to dance.”
“The people thought it was a miracle and the President won an election soon afterwards.”
Boris from the Bulgarian embassy, who had just joined them and had been in Sri Lanka for some time, agreed.
“They take it very seriously,” he said.
“The dancers are carefully selected for their dancing skills and are national heroes. They dress up in fancy colours, sometimes with paint on their faces, and dance till late in the night. They have built grounds with lights so that the dance can continue if needed in the night, till the rain comes.The occasion is covered by national TV and everyone watches with a patriotic fervour. ”
“When the rain comes, they all go off the field but wait patiently in case the rain stops or reduces to a drizzle; then they come out and start dancing again till the rain becomes heavier.”
“There is a Board of Control for the dance with a Minister in charge. Some newspaper critics charge that the Board,to justify their positions, unfairly arranges dances during the rainy season, but this is vehemently denied by the Chairman and the Minister.”
“Other friendly countries send dancers to Sri Lanka, so that they can have mixed dancing, considered more effective since other gods can also be called upon.”
Pete, from the American Embassy, who had overheard this conversation, joined the group.“It is only a game,” he said,“like our baseball.” “They have two sides one out in the field and one inside.Each man that’s in the side that’s inside,comes out and when he is out, he comes in and the next man goes in until he is out.”
The listeners nodded politely. They knew Americans liked to pretend they knew about most matters, and maintained a diplomatic silence.
“When they are all out,” Pete continued, “the side that was out comes in and the side that’s been in goes out and tries to get those coming in, out. When both sides have been in and out, that’s the end of the game.”
After he left, Boris suggested that they all get another drink.
“I can’t quite follow all those comings and goings,” he said,”but I still feel that the main purpose of cricket is to bring rain and keep this country green.”
The other two nodded in agreement.
Sivali Ranawana (a frustrated cricket fan)
Follow @timesonlinelk
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