Appreciations
View(s):He lived life as a true gentleman
Stanley Patrick Senasinghe
Stanley Patrick Senasinghe was born on March 21, 1938. He was a graduate of the University of Peradeniya. He had a brief career as a teacher, lecturer and subsequently enrolled as an attorney-at-law in the mid-seventies.
He established a lucrative career as an advocate at the Kandy bar. His main strengths were in criminal and civil law and he was a prominent advocate in the High Court of Kandy. He was treasurer and an executive committee member of the Kandy Bar Association.
He was very popular amongst his colleagues. He was full of life with an excellent wit and a reputation for good humour. He was honourable, honest and acted with dignity in his career as a lawyer and in life.
As a father he always gave the best to me and my two brothers Chaminda and Sujeewa. He possessed the fine qualities of being fearless and always acting with integrity. He helped my mother in her social activities guiding her to run the children’s home in Kandy as the president of the Kandy Buddhist Ladies Society.
I thank my father for giving us a good education and for living his life by example as a true gentleman without hatred, jealousy and selfishness. I was fortunate to be his eldest son and I wish him to be our father in the next birth. May he attain Nibbana.
-Dr. Namal Senasinghe
Pioneer principal at Muslim Ladies College
AYESHA RAUF
Ayesha Rauf was the daughter of Mayen Devan of Kannanore, Kerala and was born on June 7, 1914. She was the first Muslim graduate from Malabar State to pass out from the Madras University. She obtained her Licentiate from the Postgraduate Training School in Madras and was appointed Special Officer for Muslim Women’s Education in the State.
She would tell us about the hazardous trips she made by boat to visit some of these schools. In 1943, she married M.S. M.Rauf, a Ceylonese doing business in Coimbatore and migrated to Ceylon in 1944. Her first appointment was at the Govt. Girls College, Maradana. But before three months had passed, Ayesha Rauf was approached by prominent politician Sir Razik Fareed to open an English medium Girls School for the Muslim community. She resigned and took charge of Muslim Ladies College as the Founder Principal – on November 1, 1946.
When the school commenced there was only one qualified teacher beside Ayesha Rauf. She was the first Principal of the school and during her 25 years of service at Muslim Ladies College, laid the foundation for education and emancipation of Muslim girls. During the early years, Mrs. Rauf’s great task was to stress the importance of education to the less privileged. With her gentle charm and unruffled manner, she nurtured and cared for her students, especially those from poorer homes.
To her staff she was a friend, counsellor and advisor. We admired her varied interests. As a politician she was an eloquent speaker in English and represented the Pettah ward at the Colombo Municipal Council. In 1952, she was appointed Deputy Mayor and was the first woman to hold this post.
When she retired in 1971, the school had expanded to accommodate over 1000 students. Many of her students had already graduated and many others were employed in the banking, mercantile and teaching professions. In 1991, a few months before her death, she was proud to see her old pupil – Mrs Kareema Gaffoor return, as Principal of the school.
After her retirement, we kept close contact with her, and looked forward to the reunion meetings on the 7th of June- her birthday. She was a warm and generous hostess. The idea of a Retired Teachers Association was mooted at one of the meetings and the group met regularly at her home. She had become our close friend and confidante. It is a tribute to her that the RTA continues and though the venue has changed we meet at least once a year on 7th of June – our Founder’s Day.
Mrs. Rauf impressed and influenced generations of students and teachers alike. She was gracious, elegant, soft-spoken and caring, and though petite, had strong and determined views on the need to educate Muslim girls. Her task of laying the educational foundation of Muslim Ladies College was successfully accomplished and enabled her successors to build on it and make MLC a premier school. To all of us, she was the ideal emancipated Asian woman.
-Retired Teachers Association, Muslim Ladies College
He always had a joke in his pocket
Dr. Danister Gunaratne
Laksapana is famous for its power station and waterfall. However, the Laksapana village (building site), located just 3 km away from the power station is known only to a very few. We, the Operations Engineers (OEs) resided at the OEs’ bungalow, home to all CEB bachelor engineers at Laksapana.
Our work was on shift basis and everyone was eager to finish his quota and get back to the city/home town. The only non-engineer who lived there was the Medical Officer (MO), considered a demigod by the Laksapana community. Within a few months of my joining Laksapana as an OE, the MO left on transfer. All of us were keen to find out who the new addition to the OE Bungalow would be.
It was Dr. Danister Gunaratne, a smart young man in glasses with a beard and a broad smile. Those who knew him while at the University were elated to see him joining us in this remote location. We called him Gunda and at times Doc Gunda. He soon became a very popular figure among the CEB employees as well as the villagers. Gunda was always immaculately dressed and always in tie when on duty. At Laksapana, a person wearing a tie was a rare sight. We heckled him so much about his attire, but he never changed and insisted that he wanted to maintain the decorum and the dignity of his profession.
Loneliness was part and parcel of Laksapana life. Evenings become even worse with the incessant rain. In the 70’s when we were living there, TVs/mobile phones were unheard of, radio transmissions were never clear, telephones rarely worked, road access was often blocked due to earth slips and hence there were no newspapers as well. The only link with the outside world during the rainy season was the carrier communication system relayed over the CEB transmission lines. These made all of us faithfully patronise the Laksapana Club every evening like a prayer. Gunda started clubbing from day one and became a very good Billiard player in no time. We remained in the club until it closed at around 10 p.m. and thereafter returned to the bungalow to sleep, as there was nothing else to do other than going to bed. Gunda changed this monotony almost overnight.
Back at the bungalow, with a guitar in hand, he started to sing and dance. He did not allow anybody to sleep before 11 p.m. If anyone was found sleeping Gunda used to knock at his door and inquire whether he was asleep. That virtually ended his slumber and made him join the singing/chatting/dancing session. Most often senior engineers and their wives also joined us.
At these get-togethers it was quite normal for the wives of our senior engineers to impose limits on their husbands’ alcohol intake. The husbands adopted many ways to overcome these restrictions. One of them had instructed Heenbanda, the bar boy to pour two drinks when he ordered one. An innocent newly-wed was overjoyed when she believed that her husband was having only one drink, whereas he was indeed taking only one drink, but a large glass, filled with VSOA. Gunda used to narrate these episodes and many stories adding mischief and humour. His imitation of our fellow OE Krishna’s Sinhala “paadama” — “li.n.da lan…ga si…ta san…nda bal..awa” was really hilarious. All of us looked forward to these late evening sessions, and soon OEs weren’t in a hurry to leave the station after completing their quota of shifts, but stayed a day or two more to enjoy the fun.
Gunda loved the innocent villagers and was very compassionate towards them. He was available to them all 24 hours. We listened to the humorous conversations he had had with his patients, the innocent villagers, who according to him often said “navathinna awa”, in reply to the inquiry of their ailments. I reminded of this when he was about to enter a private hospital few days prior to his demise, although in pain, he just could not resist having a hearty laugh.
After completing my term at Laksapana, I came to Colombo. He too left Laksapana after a while and started a private practice at Hikkaduwa. Even after leaving Laksapana we continued our friendship. Every time I passed Hikkaduwa, I made it a point to spend at least few minutes with him. One day I noticed a board displayed at the dispensary with the message “Poya dinaye nomile beheth denu labe”. Few months later I found him displaying another board, where the message was “Poya dinawala panu beheth denu nolabe”. It was just like Gunda.
He decided to quit his booming practice at Hikkaduwa and move to Galle where he had built a new palatial house. He eventually sold this house and invested the proceeds in a now infamous Finance Company, and lost all his life-time earnings. That was a real blow, but even in that he found some humour after learning that the second owner too had similarly sold the house and had “gifted” the proceeds to the same Finance Company.
I knew he hated charging a fee from poor people for treating them. He told me that he would never ever be engaged in private practice again. True to his word, even though experiencing unexpected financial setbacks, he never started or joined a private practice, but accepted an offer from CTB as a medical officer, where he served until his untimely demise on May 1, 2015.
About six months back I got a call from Gunda saying that he was suffering from a terminal illness. I thought it was another joke, but visited him almost immediately. This time he had not been joking, but told me that his ailment was incurable and there was no use prolonging life with treatment, as that would only make him and his loved ones suffer. I visited him as often as possible from then on and he remained the same light-hearted jovial character, cracking jokes as usual but occasionally complaining about the discomforts.
Just three or four days before his demise, his wife Chintha got him to agree to move into a private hospital. Chintha and children faced the situation with lot of courage and looked after him showing immense love and kindness. This helped Gunda in no uncertain terms to face the inevitable bravely. As a Buddhist I have only one wish-that is to have him as a friend in my future births as well, until he attains the eternal bliss, the nirvana.
-JK
“Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”, a friend who will never be forgotten
BEATRICE BALARATNARAJAH
I knew Beatrice both as a member of our church and also at the Wadiya Group of writers. As a writer she always had some unusual stories often based on cats or dogs and her great sensitivity to both animal as well as human emotions was brought out in a gentle and captivating manner. She was a member of several committees in our church and participated in many of our Cathedral activities. For me personally she served on the tea roster which I draw up for our Cathedral, where every Sunday two or three persons from the congregation are allotted the task of making tea which is served after the service to those present. She was a dedicated worker on this committee for many years.
Whenever we met up in church on a Sunday we would always take the time to have a chat about our friends and families, and she would delight in talking about her children and their love for animals as well! Doggie talk was a common feature in our conversations! We also spoke often on the telephone just to keep in touch. Beatrice was always a caring person and never spoke ill or criticized others.
Beatrice also had a fondness for plants and we often discussed the different types of flowers and fruit trees each of us had in our gardens. I still recall her telling me how she had got this lovely plant which produced flowers in three different colours. It was called ‘Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’ (Brunfelsia) she told me, which describes the changing colours of the blossoms. ‘Yesterday’ was purple, ‘Today’ was pale mauve and ‘Tomorrow’ was white. I also acquired one of these plants as soon as I could and still enjoy the variant hues of the flowers.
Her message on my answering machine on the Friday preceding the day she passed away, was the last time I heard her voice. She told me she wanted to share the story she had written (about a cat) for the Wadiya meeting on the following day-Saturday, March 28. As I wasn’t at home she was leaving this message for me and would talk to me at the meeting the next day, she said. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to attend and was absolutely shaken to hear that she had passed away at home shortly after she returned home after that meeting.
I may never see Beatrice again but her memory will always be with me – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. I know she is safe in the arms of Jesus and is looking down at us even at this very moment with that loving gentle smile and twinkle in her eyes.
-Anthea Senaratne
Unforgettable days in the wilderness
Gamini de S.G. Punchihewa
Gamini de S. G. Punchihewa whose authoritative articles on wild life, fauna and flora, archaeology, folklore, Veddahs and legends appeared constantly in English dailies, tourist and wildlife journals, including ‘Loris’ – the publication of the Wild life and Nature Protection Society passed away on New Year’s eve after a brief illness.
He once told me that he inherited his passion for writing from his father, the late Gate Mudliyar, A. de S.G. Punchihewa of Katholuwa, Ahangama, a writer and an author proficient in all three languages; Sinhala, Tamil and English. In the early sixties, I was a trainee at the Hardy Institute of Technical Training, Ampara and he was attached to the Lands Division of the Gal Oya Development Board when I first met him. We ended up as firm friends as his passion coincided with mine. Gamini worked mostly in the field in Gal Oya, Walawe and Mahaweli regions. This was when major development work was in progress. He had the privilege of accompanying Dr. R. L. Spittel to the wilds of the Gal Oya region in quest of his familiar Veddah friends, characters and locations he described in his ‘ Vanished Trails’ and ‘Savage Sanctuary’ – his most popular publications.
The wilderness of Gal Oya and Walawe regions with its unexplored virgin forest cover was his second home. His ramblings took him through jungle areas, wading through patches of tall illuk grass, combing his way through the undergrowth to come upon ruined dagabas, rare inscriptions, monuments and stone pillars.
The wealth of information appeared in fascinating articles that appeared in English dailies and periodicals. These articles were very popular among nature lovers. He brought to the notice of authorities the magnitude of the wanton destruction of fauna and flora and urged the authorities concerned to establish a National Park in Uda Walawe emphasising on the paramount importance of a sanctuary in the area earmarked for the purpose by the pioneers of the Walawe Project. His dream was fulfilled when the National Park at Uda Walawe was declared by the state.
Gamini shunned arm chair journalism. He had a fascinating technique of collecting data for his lifelong passion and never relied on second hand information. He loved the backwoods of Gal Oya Valley and Walawe basin, rich in history and legend, folklore, fauna and flora. When I suggested that he should now concentrate on compiling a book out of his selected articles that appeared in the dailies he pooh-poohed the idea. It took more than a year to impress on him the importance of publishing the book.His maiden publication came out of the press titled ‘Souvenirs of a Forgotten Heritage’ in 1977. Thereafter, ‘Great Sandy Rivers of History and Legend’, ‘Vignettes of Far Off Things’, Wanderlust’, ‘Splendour of Ruhuna Heritage’, ‘Random Ramblings’, ‘Past Medieval Kingdom of the Lion King’, ‘Kelani Ganga Flows with History and Legend’ and ‘Animals Far and Near’ followed in quick succession; a commendable task of a dedicated journalist.
He had a short stint of about three years as a journalist on the editorial staff of Island Newspapers of Upali Newspapers Ltd.
It is with a deep feeling of loss, that I reminisce with affection about the times we spent together accompanying him on some of his wanderings in the wilderness, gathering information and struggling to unravel the mysteries of a forgotten past braving the scorching sun and the scrub jungle that blocked our paths with nettles and thorny shrubs.
His books will be treasured by the English reading public. His exceptional fluency of expression and wide knowledge of the subject closest to his heart was the hallmark of his success. Gamini left our midst on April 11, 2015 leaving behind his two loving daughters, Chandani and Malathi who tended him with loving care during his brief illness. His wife, Rani predeceased him.
Gamini, you made our friendship memorable with all your lovable qualities which are etched deeply in my heart.
May you attain the Supreme Bliss of Nirvana.
-Thilak Palliyaguruge
A welcome family friend
RANEE MANGALIKA HARANKAHAWA
The Rev H.S.L.B. Welagedera was my primary teacher at Kingswood College Kandy in the mid- ‘50s. Three decades later, Rev. Welagedera’s daughter, Ranee Mangalika Harankahawa was providentially my son Chamila’s LKG teacher at Trinity College, Kandy.
Since then, our friendship remained strong until her death on April 29, 2015 at the age of 73.Ranee Akka’s sweet camaraderie made her a welcome family friend. Her bonhomie with my wife Shantha was legendary. Her days at Trinity were enlivening. She was there like a prayer, at every event and gathering in College. Her cordial relationship with the staff was evident in her ready smile.
Last year Ranee Mangalika Harankahawa was the honoured Chief Guest at the Trinity College Junior School sportsmeet.
The cloud that came over her whilst at Trinity was the demise of her beloved husband, Clarence. Though a bolt from the blue, Ranee Akka’s Christian upbringing enabled her to face fate in the trust of the Lord.
Without remarrying – though eligible and good looking – she plucked up courage to care for her daughter Sandya and son Prasanna…as best she could as a widow. Spiritually, Ranee Akka was a good and faithful Baptist. She gave herself tirelessly to all services of the church. Though somewhat frail later on, she trudged to Baptist Church more than once a week…Sundays were mandatory.
She was unique in disregarding her own health in order to attend to and visit the sick, no matter when and where.
After giving Sandya in marriage she was in the care of Prasanna till she died. He looked after his darling mother with the fondest devotion and love!
“The memory of the Just is blessed” – PROV. 10:7
-Bandula Jayaratne
Such souls are rare in this world
Sandhya Herat Weerasinghe
Sandhya and I were not in the same class at school but in the parallel class as I was in the English Stream right through. However she was a girl who carried herself, even at that young age, with many qualities that we could not match easily and she maintained those excellent qualities right throughout her life, which I always admired.
It is with a sense of loss and sorrow that I pen this personal memoir cum tribute. Several memories were revived these last few weeks amongst many of her loving batchmates/friends when thinking about her and the unexpected end to a very lovable, persevering and charismatic lady who always had a bright smile and looked at life with a positive attitude with never a complaint.
After leaving school we were all embroiled in our own careers and building our pathways in life. However, I met up with her again when our two daughters, Sharadha and Nicola joined HFC together in 1992 and that union continued with much more closeness with their involvement since 1995/96 in athletics for the school and later at national level. This built up our family ties and strengthened our family friendship. We had some heart to heart chats about our children, hers – Chandrishan and Sharadha and mine – Nicola and Romello. Whenever the daughters participated in inter-school meets, be it in Colombo or away, it was either or both Sandhya and me, depending on our work involvements, accompanying them together with a few other parents and of course our husbands Chandana and Roshan. That association and friendship grew amongst our two families as well.
Then again many of our batch ‘Class of 1975’ were re-united on reaching our ‘Golden Years’ to organise the get-together and it was Sandhi who contacted me and requested me to join the Organising Committee to represent the English Stream as we had only a handful of that class in Sri Lanka, the others being Davina de Silva and Karen Nugawela. This enabled all mediums of that batch to continue that camaraderie from around August 2009 planning the Get-together in August 2010 and that re-bonding I am sure will last forever and ever until we all join Sandhi someday in Paradise…………..!
Though Sandhi had strong views on the rights and emancipation of women she was not an ardent feminist. She was quite independent and chartered her own course but did not articulate her views stridently. In a sense she belonged to the “dual” tradition of a working woman cum wife-mother.
Notwithstanding her radical outlook, the legal professional Sandhi was the typical housewife at home cherishing and looking after her husband and children as well as her mum and mum-in-law. She was a caring daughter, beloved sister, loving mother, devoted wife and of course a cherished friend, which clearly means an extraordinary, uncommon, special person!
Sadly Sandhi was afflicted with cancer. Her condition deteriorated rapidly. The pain and agony would have been terrible but she bore it all with her customary grit and tried to be cheerful. Once again her faith was her strength. I am certain she waited for the end with the supreme confidence that she was going to be with God.
I am indeed blessed to have been her friend. She was one who understood me well, tolerated my faults, gave of her friendship and never demanded anything in return. Such souls are rare in this world.
I thank God for Sandhya as she abides with the Almighty. Our thoughts will always be with her family.
May the good Lord grant her eternal rest!
-Eroma Deen