Snapshot of Colombo at close of 1899...
The roads - still gas-lit but shortly to change over to electricity are muddy and unsafe. There are robberies and an ever-present danger of being run down by trolleys. The ancient Historic Dutch Fort at the posh beachfront community tells that we were an embattled town in the world.

The holiday season is in full swing but nobody is making a big deal of the coming of year 1900. Cakes, candles and chocolates are selling exceptionally well. One confectioner reports that he sold 1,932 pound-boxes of the cheaper candy, the 34-cent box, on the Saturday before Christmas. At high-end store at Main Street, a finest quality English worsted suit with fine French lining costs Rs. 20, extra-quality boots are on sale for Rs 4.

There are concerts aplenty along with temperance meetings and even the old grand Tower Hall is an unborn creature. Admission price for ``the great Date with Devil,'' is 10 cents, all seats. A Saturday Military Concert plus Moving Pictures costs 15 cents for the top gallery, 25 cents for reserved seats. For the great English pianist Rafael Smith, prices are as high as 75 cents.

Y1.9K is not a hefty deal to worry or nothing to put finishing touches to the outgoing century. Nobody ponders how this slip of a blip on a chip made out of sand has potential to create such havoc in the globe. Nobody cares about falling hair, teeth, face-lift, stocks or rising cholesterol level or mortgage rate.

World peace was not a cynderalla story but not a fiasco as today. World did not constantly nurse serious injuries to its peace and harmony. If at all, the artillery power was fundamentally based on simple mechanics and heated gun powder. These never flew thousand miles to hit an unwanted, completely missed target in Babilonia.

Moon was something to worship only, let alone stepping on it to find the density of oxygen or to fine tune a completely crummy telescope on that. Only lab we know belongs to Einstein, let alone the sky lab. We were ruled by the British, the nation who unseated Dutch in the previous century and no big deal about it.

Baggy pants and shirts dominated the cricket scene and no body bowls 95 miles per hour at somebody's head or no red hot Muralis to twist the ball right angles to freeze hitters in the middle.

There is no other drink available than hot coffee on the menu. No beer, no wine, no spirits, no pop. Only spirits to talk in town are from the backyard distillery in behind little hut, where the roots are peeled and scraped, rubbed with a coconut shell, chopped into chunks and run through a manual grinder. The pulp that emerges is mixed with water, then strained through a cheesecloth rag which looks like it's been used to change the oil filter on the family car.

People not once expressed the regret at being unable to order chicken through their remote control. There is no satellite dish over the bar. Day was plain, uncomplicated and innocent. Life went untouched by ill feelings and coming to town is a big deal. The centerpiece of the spectacular show of life is the harmony and peace.

The missionaries of all religions who ventured in the century in to town put an order to emotions. They were venerated and respected. Old Grand Street church near the market or the historic Buddhist temple near the old railroad were symbols of religion. The capital values inherited for 2000 years never showed signs of failing.

There were no teens hanging out near Victoria bridge who doesn't know whether they are going or coming. Everybody young and old, men and women did their part. There were no elaborate indoor firework displays to turn the century mark at mid-night or mega-events at the Gall Face Center Stage with Tragically Hip doing their deafening drumming.

The clock at GPO ticks on. The global village grows more interconnected and more fiercely competitive and dangerously delicate. The challenge of the 21st century will be to keep a special feeling called 'human dignity' in a world changed beyond recognition. Somebody will write the snapshot when 2099 comes, possibly not me. Those contents could be very stylish, fatally dull or technically thrilling than this.

Grandma wrangling with laptop, camcorder, cell phone and all other gizmo in one piece is not far off. Space trip will be an annual vacation package from the next door travel agent. We may have enough human diversity to start another LACNET branch in another planet.

Whether it is Kashmir to Saturn or Grosny to Wanni, regardless of what happens or where it happens, lets hope it is more peace loving and less hazardous.