Dr Sarath Obeysekera

These days I am in London for a medical procedure under National Health Service .In order to help the back pain among all other ailments, I visit a Sauna nearby run by the Local Council. When you sit in the Sauna in almost 100 degrees of heat , but very dry air  and  heat helps muzzles to relax .Then you take  very cold shower to create a create muscles spasms .

During the Sauna session you meet many Eastern Europeans (who may stop coming to UK after Brexit) .I generally speak to them though they speak poor English. Among Russians Ceylon Tea is my identity of Sri Lanka. When you say that I am from the country where best teas is produced, they identify it as Sri Lanka.

That day I was speaking to few people from Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran and also from Turkey. I almost guessed their origins monitoring their accent and mannerisms but they could not guess my origin .I told few of them that I am from an Island Nation surrounded by the sea where the Best Tea is grown but most of they could not guess .They were ignorant of our existence. One gave a ludicrous suggestions that I am from India or Pakistan and some said I am from Kenya or Tanzania or Somalia despite the fact they do not have the Best Tea and that they are not Island Nations.

One ludicrous answer after many tries was that I am from Tamil-Country and the Afghan Man uttered a filthy Tamil Word Punde” telling that few many people of my country  are working with him .This is how Sri Lanka which is multinational and multi religion known in some part of the world .

May be our Trade Mark Tea is not yet known all over the world and the world may be thinking that Tamils are the only people living in Sri Lanka

Our Trade Mark Tea should be more publicised.