{"quotes":[{"text":"We divided ourselves among caste, creed, culture and countries but what is undivided remains most valuable: a mere smile and the love.","author":"Santosh Kalwar","tags":["caste","division","love","smile"],"id":6203,"author_id":"Santosh+Kalwar"},{"text":"Maggie was ten years younger than him. Being cross-cousins, they lived in the same compound, in the same two houses that still existed. When their parents told him to take her for his wife, there was nothing for him to think deep into the matter. They simply obeyed their parents. Accordingly, she came over to sleep in his house. In this, manner they remained as man and wife for a period of over thirty years.","author":"Swarnakanthi Rajapakse","tags":["caste","cinnamon-gardens","cousin-marriage","cross-cousins","culture","drummers","sinhalese","srilanka","village"],"id":21686,"author_id":"Swarnakanthi+Rajapakse"},{"text":"Killing life in whatever way, will drag you along the hell's way.","author":"Swarnakanthi Rajapakse","tags":["caste","cinnamon-gardens","culture","drummers","karma","sinhalese","srilanka","village"],"id":26014,"author_id":"Swarnakanthi+Rajapakse"},{"text":"Her heart filled with boundless love that surged anew for her father. She felt like rushing to him and planting a quick kiss on his cheek the way she used to when she was a small girl. However, these villagers are not in the habit of kissing their offspring after they grow up. They show their love and affection by stroking their heads, addressing them in endearing words and blessing them.","author":"Swarnakanthi Rajapakse","tags":["caste","cinnamon-gardens","culture","drummers","parents-and-children","sinhalese","srilanka","village"],"id":28893,"author_id":"Swarnakanthi+Rajapakse"},{"text":"We are united by our common fears and divided by our individual freedom!","author":"Ramana Pemmaraju","tags":["caste","caste-system","caster-chronicles","fear","freedom","group-mentality","herd-mentality","life-philosophy","sect","society"],"id":80132,"author_id":"Ramana+Pemmaraju"},{"text":"Families could often trace their lineage back several centuries. Their livelihood was earned from drum playing, a service considered to be dis-respectable. As members of a low caste, the drummers were forbidden to build decent houses. There were allowed to build wattle and daub huts, and to live rent-free on their patrons' properties. The right to own the country's land was restricted in this manner, a vicious condition that arose through tradition and was reinforced by law. Patterns of financial power and political hierarchy existed hand in hand.","author":"Swarnakanthi Rajapakse","tags":["caste","cinnamon-gardens","culture","drummers","sinhalese","srilanka"],"id":80405,"author_id":"Swarnakanthi+Rajapakse"},{"text":"Even though we are supposed to be low caste and poor our vote also has the same value and validity as that of great people.","author":"Swarnakanthi Rajapakse","tags":["caste","cinnamon-gardens","culture","drummers","sinhalese","srilanka","village"],"id":80711,"author_id":"Swarnakanthi+Rajapakse"},{"text":"Yes, we have to seek redemption! Redemption from the divisive politics based on caste and religion, redemption from the corruption which is eating our lives like termites, redemption from misery of poverty, redemption from the sins of our venal politicians. We need good governance and accountability. An individual has to fight for the things he rightfully deserves. People do not need crutches of any kind if the basic conditions of nation are conducive to their growth. It’s ridiculous; people are first deprived of basic amenities, denied their dues and then offered carrots to benefit the vote bank politics.","author":"Madhu Vajpayee","tags":["caste","corruption","politics","poverty","reservation"],"id":83097,"author_id":"Madhu+Vajpayee"},{"text":"If their horoscopes are not compatible, this marriage is out of the question.","author":"Swarnakanthi Rajapakse","tags":["caste","cinnamon-gardens","culture","drummers","horoscopes","marriage","sinhalese","srilanka","village"],"id":108077,"author_id":"Swarnakanthi+Rajapakse"},{"text":"The villagers considered it lucky to make the New Year's first money transaction with her because she was a prosperous person.","author":"Swarnakanthi Rajapakse","tags":["caste","cinnamon-gardens","culture","drummers","sinhalese","srilanka","village"],"id":119349,"author_id":"Swarnakanthi+Rajapakse"}],"pagination":{"page":1,"page_size":10,"total":42,"pages":5,"next":"?page=2\u0026page_size=10"}}