Memoirs of a Tiger
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One day, Ravin and Sri were standing at the top of their garden. They were observing the activities on the road. Ruben Singho’s younger son came up to them and asked, “What are you looking at?”
Not realising what was on Ruben’s son’s mind, Ravin answered, “We are not looking at anything special.”
Ruben Singho’s son was expecting a more apologetic answer. Ravin’s answer was defiant. “Don’t give me any trouble, okay,” he said and pushed Ravin hard.
Ravin stumbled and fell. When Ravin picked himself up, Ruben Singho’s son was standing against Ravin menacingly. Ravin’s arm shot out and connected with the son’s mouth. The boy looked shocked, and blood dripped from his lips. Ravin and Sri took to their heels and hid in their respective houses. About five minutes later, Ravin came to a window and looked out. He saw the boy’s father, Ruben Singho, striding towards their house. Some of his men stood at the top of the lane, and one of them held a lit torch of cloth soaked in oil and tied to a stick …
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About the Book
Ravin Cumaraswamy sits in a chair in the Colombo Airport in Sri Lanka, a country ravaged by civil war and the sinister activities of rebels to the north. With two hours to wait until his flight back to his home in London, Ravin falls asleep and dreams of his early childhood in Colombo nearly fifty years ago.
Life was much different in Colombo during the 1950s. While growing up in a suburb where children played marbles and adults enjoyed tea at the local shops, Ravin explored the remote corners of his suburb, Kotahena, with his best friend, Sri. But even then, tension began to rise in a country that was struggling to find its true identity. Ravin studied diligently, but as soon as the Sinhala Only Act was passed, his friends slowly began applying to universities in England. But with no one in his family to pay for his voyage overseas, Ravin believed he would be trapped in Sri Lanka forever.
Memoirs of a Tiger shares the compelling journey of a young man who embarks on a journey through the villages, towns, and countryside of Sri Lanka and provides an unforgettable glimpse into the colonial history that would eventually dictate future events.
About the Author
Ajit Arabindhan Muttucumaraswamy has worked in Sri Lanka, England, and Papua, New Guinea, as an attorney and accountant. He is the author of two other novels. Ajit and his wife, Rachel, have four children and live in London.