Oil magic and Sri Lanka's quest for black gold

Oct 5 (KT) IN SRI Lanka's age-old tradition, oil is considered both a bane and a blessing. Even today, people go to the kattadiya, a man who claims he has special relationship with deities, to get charmed oil, which, they believe, has the capability to heal any sickness, cause the downfall of an adversary or even bring a person under a spell.