HOW LOTTERY WINNERS GO BROKE?

The story of Wijesiri ‘Baas’ who had fallen back to his previous state after becoming a millionaire:

Even though a man becomes a millionaire from a lottery ticket, can he remain to be a millionaire without investing the money?
An answer to that question would be the story of Wijesiri ‘mason’ who lived at ‘Eeriyawetiya’ in Kelaniya who had fallen back to the same state from been a millionaire having spent his money lavishly spending for various projects and taking unnecessary decisions in investments.
Wijesiri at Kelaniya had bought a lottery ticket 20 years ago and he had won Rs 8 million. This amount was very huge at that time. Yet, due to his extravagant expenditure and wrong investments, he had fallen back to the same state to be a mason.
His story was published in the Sunday’s ‘Mawbima’ as below:

‘Shanida Wasana’ lottery in February 1992 was won by Wijesiri who had been a resident at Eeriyawetiya in Kelaniya. He had won Rs. 8,115,000/- It would be very much more than that amount in today’s context. Comparing the prize of gold that day and today will give you a clear picture of how much of money he had won. Those days a sovereign of gold was Rs. 3200/- and today a sovereign of gold is Rs.55, 000./-
This money had been handed over to Wijesiri by the late President, R. Premadasa at the Temple Trees. By the time, he won this money he had been living with his second wife, Wasanthi. They have been having a daughter who had been four years old.
He had four children from his first marriage. Apart from the eldest son, all the other children were living with his relatives’. He had no choice other than leaving them to grow up like that. The eldest son who had been living with him was sent only up to grade 4 class. That was not because Wijesiri didn’t want to send him to school. The son was a tough character and it was because the son hated to go to school and that father had no choice but to give in.
Wijesiri had a habit of taking a drink or drugs in the evening from the money he earned..
However, with the news of him winning a lottery, all his relatives have visited him daily with their entire families. Afterwards, he brought back his three children who were living in his relatives’ houses. His relatives visited him expecting to get money from him. He had been providing money to cook meals for his relatives whose visits were very a common sight. Since his wife couldn’t cook alone for the entire crowd, she brought some helpers to help her prepare meals. For a day about 2-4 kilos of rice had to be cooked.
Wijesiri’s friends who use to associate him in the evenings too joined him in his small house to drink and they came home every evening. All these dramas started even before, Wijesiri brought the money home. They brought expensive liquor like the brand VSOA. Even before the money was brought home; many people gave him money for interest. That is how the first two weeks were passed.
Just as the money came to Wijesiri’s hands, first he gave them to his relatives and friends. Initially he bought a bigger house in Makola to live. Secondly, he brought a land from Makola. He bought two other lands and a van with a driver. Because the house he bought was not enough for him, he started to build another house and he finally built a two storey house. Then he realized that house was not enough for his family, he sold that house and brought another house. He had lost about 3 lakhs from that business of the house. Then he bought another house about 2 m away from the first house.
Afterwards he sold the first van a ‘Dolphin’ at a loss. He had been changing vehicles from time to time. He faced losses from every sale of his vehicles. His friends never let him to be alone. They started to go clubbing, casino and racing. He went with friends and they were like his body guards. He was like Minister. All the shop keepers recognized him and they were waiting him to stop in front of their shops as he would buy bags full of goods which was worth about Rs. 2000/- or Rs. 3000/-. Not only that, he used to tip them as well. Thus, he didn’t have to get off the vehicle as the shop keepers used to come near the vehicle. He was given royal treatment.
His wife Wasanthi spent the day thing the about the life Wijesiri was spending. Wijesiri never listened to his wife’s advice and was always on a spending spree. Wijesiri had told his wife to mind her business. Wijesiri was very often invited for functions like weddings, to be the Chief Guest or to be the Attesting Witness. He used to give substantial gifts for these functions and kept on spending lavishly.
For his daughter’s attainment, he only gave a necklace with just one sovereign of gold.  He was the most attracted person in the temple .For the Eeriwetiya School’s welfare fund he had donated a sum of Rs 20,000/-At that time amount was really a large sum. For Wijesiri it was not so.
Wijesir spent a sum of Rs one lack for erecting the tower and the gold plated bell for the Nittambuwa Elawa temple. The weight of which was eight kilos. He spent a further sum of Rs 50,000/- for the renovation activities of the Eeriwetiye Purana Viharaya.
Wijesiri in addition constructed the Buddhist statue and the hall for the shrine room for the temple at Makola, Galpotta Road.This Buddha statue was worshipped by many daily. In the vicinity a ‘dansela’ was organized by the people on their own to which Wijesiri was not invited.Wijesiri was hurt about it and claimed the person who organized to be an animal.
Wijesiri could not escape from his friends. They encouraged him to to go to night clubs,race by race, and casinos. He used to draw a cheque and take money daily and spends them. In the evening when he had no money he used to borrow money on interest at 5 % from money lenders. His friends were ever willing to run about for his matters.
In order to earn money he purchased a lorry for a sum of Rs 6 lakhs. He entrusted the business to his 16 year old son. He had to go to faraway places purchase plantains and sell at a profit. The repairs had to be done constantly as the lorry which he bought has had repairs that had to be done. He decided to sell the lorry at a loss of Rs 3 lakhs. There were many who borrowed money but never returned. Those people ignored him when they saw Wijesiri on the road. This was told by Wijesiri’s wife Wasanthi. At this time Wijesiri had to be admitted to a hospital for treatment of a wound in his leg for a period of two weeks. At that time there wasn’t a cent in the house for expenses. One Mudalali had borrowed a sum of Rs 2 lakhs which he had not returned. When he had requested for Rs 10,000/- at least he had paid only Rs 500/-.Wasanthi whispered to her that the Mudalali who borrowed is living a wealthy life. These types of incidents we have constantly heard.
Once Wijesiri was accused by the Peliyagoda police was snatching a necklace from a woman. He was beaten well and truly even having confessed that he never snatched a necklace. However he had to pay a sum of Rs 6,000/- to get released. This Police officer also had come to Wijesiri’s place and had drinks and had eaten with him.

 This is a peculiar world both of them whispered to themselves. What happened to me Wijesiri had enquired from Wasanthi. When he brought money from the bank he used to lock it up in the almirah and did not allow Wasanthi to even see or touch. He used the way he wanted to spend. He had no measure of things he did. He never listened to me at all. Now all five children are married. They were only given food. No money was saved for them. They come to see us very rarely. This was our ultimate destiny. Wasanthi had quipped that he even had to sell the eight perch ancestral property which Wijesiri received from his parents. Today his position is that after today’s meals Wijesiri has to think how to eat tomorrow.
When he got the lottery he may have thought that the whole world belonged to him. Everything was blown away with the wind. Wijesiri Bass lost everything.
Finally as there was no option or alternative Wijesiri had to go back to his small house in Eeriwetiya in kelaniya with his wife Wasanthi.Then he had to revert back to his former profession as the mason bass with his mason spoon, rectangular wooden balancing stick.
He had to somehow live without dying. The world’s dharma is like this. He had to make up his mind.

Newspaper report: Karunadasa Vidanagama
Photograph: Manjula Dayawansa.