While the seven families who lived in the Rathugala cave held onto their traditions for a little longer, living in the jungle and hunting and foraging for food, they gradually mingled with Sinhalese farmers and Muslim traders from nearby towns. When food was scarce in the jungle, Gunabandilaatho"s parents cultivated grains like corn, finger millet, mung beans and black-eyed peas. "We slowly started losing our way of life," he said.