Anil's Ghost

Ananda finds work restoring an ancient statue of Buddha. Rather than being destroyed by the war, the statue was looted by impoverished locals looking to sell materials for food and supplies. Ananda employs as many locals as he can to assist him. If he provides jobs, perhaps he can circumvent future damage. He reflects upon his role as an artist. He does not believe that his job is to be original, but to reconstruct what others have done before his time. The Buddha upon which he works has overseen many conflicts and periods of peace. He must restore the eyes, though he does not fully believe that the act makes the statue a god. Faith is not something Ananda observes. The day he is to paint the eyes, Ananda wears Sarath’s shirt underneath his ceremonial costume. Once the eyes are complete, the statue will once again be Buddha. He will look over the people and the passing of time. Ananda readies himself to begin the ritual, looking out over the land as his assistant reaches up to steady him.