Carnival, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

The 'Well of death'. A bicycle, a motor-cycle and a go-cart were being ridden in turn round the interior walls of this wooden 'well'. Quite a crowd was bthere to pay for the tickets to watch the show.

'Rotti' being prepared.

Toys for sale.

Plastic balloons for sale.

Sights at a carnival, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

The 'plane ride'.

LED lighted toys for sale.

The 'gram-seller'.

The 'saara-vita' - betel seller, man, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

The 'Saara-vita' seller.

The illumination for the tray is done by a small acetylene flame issuing from a hypodermic needle. The acetylene is generated by water dripping on calcium carbide and is led to the needle by a cut plastic tube from a discarded intra-venous set.

The 'saara-vita' containing a betel leaf, arecanut, tobacco, spices and coloured coconut scrapings. The price was Es.30/- each.

Old 'saara-vita' seller fast asleep before his ware. The acetylene lamp is burning bright illuminating his tray.

'Scorpion orchid', home-garden, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

'The dew on the flowers has come with the dawn' - Home garden, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

Beach road, Wellawaththe, Sri Lanka.

Some old photos, Sri Lanka.

A 'stock' - 'Dhandu kandha' S, with a voluteer 'in place', Eknaligoda walawwa, Kuruwita.

 During the British Colonial period these were used by the Village Headmen to punish offenders. A lady in her 90s told me that when she was a young bride, she had felt sorry for a man from the village who was put in this by her newly married husband who was the Village Headman. She had felt sorry for the offender and had unlocked him and made him go away. When the husband arrived home he was furious and locked the young bride on the 'Dhandu kandha' for a few minutes. Feminine charm had obviously not worked.

A hospital kitchen at Mulangaavil, Mannar.

The fire-place was on a platform made of mud and stones. Firewood was used in the cooking. The wall had a weaved mat with holes to hold the coconut shell spoons. The elevated platform on the left served as a bench.