Appreciations
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We
will never forget her Her death is an unbearable loss for those who loved her. I can still remember her beautiful smiling face. Chandrani was born on February 14, 1947 (Valentine’s Day). She
was a devoted Buddhist and social worker, who always helped the
poor and helpless and was with me in all my religious activities.
She
was often softer and more feminine than she appeared. She
had lifelong youthfulness, the quality of a gazelle that leaps to
and fro, charming and attractive. She was very self- reliant. Her
untimely death was a big blow to us. The jewel of our family is
gone. Our tears will never dry. May
she attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana! Upali Sirisena A life
that earned love and respect
You were a person of few words who never spoke ill of others. A gentleman par excellence who lived an exemplary life. Your mild manners won you the love and respect of all those whom came in contact with you. There were many instances where you displayed the highest respect for the feelings of others. When you were entrusted with any work you did it with the highest sense of commitment, dedication and devotion. The respect and affection that you earned from your near and dear ones is ample testimony to the successful and exemplary life that you led. You were a loving husband to Amma and a dutiful father to the four of us. You never neglected your obligations towards the welfare of our family. We still remember with gratitude how you waited impatiently near the doorstep to receive us when we came home for the holidays. We all waited eagerly for these occasions as it gave us immense pleasure to be with you. As Municipal Commissioner you served Trincomalee, Batticaloa and finally your home town Matale. We still remember how the people of Batticaloa loved you and respected you for the work that you did to improve the town of Batticaloa. It was a time that the LTTE was never heard of and how happily we all lived together as one family. We have lost our noble father but your memory and love will live for ever. We pray that we meet you again in our journey of sansara and finally may you attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana very soon. Your loving children Dhammika, Sandhya, Samantha & Sudarashanee A scholar
who worked for the people He was appointed as Public Service Cadet after training in administration. He functioned in various Govt. Depts. and Ministries as Director, Commissioner and Permanent Secretary. His forte was co-operative development which he developed in Ceylon when D.S. Senanayake was Prime Minister and continued till the period of Mr. S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike. He was appointed Director General of the South Asia Co-operative Alliance based in New Delhi. He worked for Buddhism with the co-operation of the Maha Bodhi Society of India and Sri Lanka then. When he retired, he came back to his ancestral home in Weligama and took part in religious, cultural and co-operative activities. Capt. L.B. Lanka (Wilbawe) Jayaratne He
synthesized western values and time-honoured village ways In Merrill's head, seemingly divergent strands of thought were in constant conflict. He entertained with equal enthusiasm the values of the West as well as our own, time-honoured, village ways. Yet he could readily venture, as Elliot says somewhere, "beyond the opposites", and emerge with an acceptable mean. His decades of dedication to controlled mechanization of rural agriculture in Sri Lanka is but one example of this useful synthesis. Merrill lived simply. He never "showed off". He dressed minimally, and he was at pains to conceal his very substantial grasp of history and politics, of art and agriculture, and, not least, of letters. Yet in trusted company he would come out with dazzling nuggets of narrative anecdote, grown from his vast experience in the field. On my visits to Sri Lanka, I had the privilege of being accompanied by Merrill on various inland excursions. I found these enormously educational. He wasted no time in debunking the grandiose views I proffered him in jest and provocation. Having brought me summarily down to earth, he was also quick to open my eyes to little-known aspects of rural life, pointing out their immense significance and beauty. I was last with him some months back. He was a little frail then, and bent on his red and yellow acquired stick for balance. Walking the streets of Kandy, he was nonetheless giving me serious instruction on the natural history of mangoes and papayas arrayed on the pavement for sale; and for good measure, throwing in bits from Maupassant and Mandela as well. I hear him still. We are much the worse for his passing. He will be sorely missed. Ivor Tittawella |
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