Mapping Mahaweli

Writing the World from a River

"වතුර තමයි ප්‍රශ්නේ!" | "water is the problem!"

Posted on March 8, 2024 by Priyanka Jayakodi

“How many liters of water can you drink per month?” The researcher asked.

“Less than one liter a day, till my next appointment for dialysis” he explained. “It’s the heat. That’s why I stay outside. It is too hot in the house. The asbestos sheets get heated up by 8:00 am. I’ve been sitting on this chair from morning to bedtime for the last 2 years.

“You can’t urinate at all?” the researcher asked.

“No, not at all. I try sometimes but have no luck,” he said.

“The doctors tell me don’t eat this and that, but I eat. I can eat. Water is the problem. If I drink more, I die. I can drink. I want to drink. I need something to cool it down.”