Thursday, May 4, 2017

The little drummer

This is a story about a little drummer.

I have never met a kid so passionate about something, having solid future plans to pursue his ambitions. Udara is a 11-year old. His ambition is to become a traditional Sri Lankan dancer/ drummer, despite his brother's expectations of him becoming a professional football player. Besides compulsively feeling the urge to tap his fingers on surfaces, he loves acquiring various types of traditional drums. Drums can be really loud but thankfully his mother is a patient soul who lets him practice at home.

There's always a huge smile plastered on this 11-year old's face


We came to know this family through my adopted brother. Udara's brother was his best friend in school and later, Udara's mother came to help my mother in the tofu business. His mother is a genuinely kind, caring and inspiring character. Since losing her husband to a cancer when Udara was 4 years old, she's gone through unimaginable hardships and challenges to give her two boys a good education. Things are slowing looking up for this family.

Her hard work paid off with her elder son who is now a full time professional footballer playing for the Sri Lankan Army. He realised at an early age after losing his father that a good education was the only way to support his mother and little brother. He managed to do well in his Grade 5 national exams and got a scholarship to one of the best government schools in Kandy. From then on, he's never looked back. Although he now lives far away and comes home only for the holidays, he's currently channeling his savings to renovate his house. 

Udara's mother works two jobs which means Udara stays alone at home (with his dog Brownie) after school till she gets back at 9 pm. Many years of this routine has transformed Udara to an independent little person left to his own imagination and adventures. He cooks, makes various desserts he learns about from TV or other people, cleans the house, plays football, rears fish and turtles, goes for dancing and drumming classes, rides bicycle, goes grocery shopping on his own, etc. He also participates in various religious processions in the area, like the perahera of the Temple of the Tooth. He's a well known personality in his neighbourhood due to his sociability.

I was introduced to his 2nd freshwater turtle recently

This family is very close to us as we are to them. They are usually the first responders if someone in our family gets sick. We exchange gifts for New Year, share food and go on trips together.

I suspect Udara has a "big sister crush" on me since he completely adores me. He loves coming over to our place and constantly invites me to his place to show his tortoises, fish and this collection of drums, play carrom and ride the bicycle. He happily accompanies me on my "Garden Adventures" to spot birds, tiny reptiles and other animals. While we look for birds high up on the trees, he narrates various stories he's heard from other people. Recently, we invited him to go watch a movie and he told us later that it was his first time in a theater and that he was very thankful for the invitation. I can't tell if it's his upbringing or background which has made him an extremely thoughtful little kid and gentlemanly manners.

The family hopes that he will give his studies as much interest as he gives to his drumming and dancing. I personally think he can do anything he puts his heart into.

Sometimes, even small people can be a big source of inspiration.


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