APPRECIATIONS
View(s):The music will never die as you join the heavenly choir
Jungle Sugumaran Thambyayah
“Kumaran” as he was affectionately called was a sincere, dependable, lovable ‘lifelong friend’ and a devoted Christian throughout his life.
He was the eldest son of Daniel Selvaratnam and Blossom Thambyayah, and dearly loved brother of Arunkumar, Vinothkumar, Jeyakumar and Kumuthini, now living in Canada and USA with their families. He married Thilaka Sinnathamby in 1990 and they were blessed with two daughters Rachael and Sharon.
He was educated at St John’s College, Jaffna, and then moved to Colombo where he became actively involved in the CSI Colombo Church at Wellawatte. He worked as a Director for Pan-Am Foods Ltd. His talents in cricket and music, sense of humour and his genuine friendship kept many of us very close to him.
His passion for music and singing with a guitar in hand was evident in group singing, choir practices, youth gatherings, Christmas carol party rounds, church services, church picnics and the like. Kumaran was a ‘leader’ in all of these, as he knew old Tamil film songs, Sinhala, Tamil and English pop and hymns from the school and church ‘song books’.
Kumaran lived at the CSI Hostel at 39 Fussels Lane, Wellawatte, the residence of the priest-in-charge, which became vacant from 1977 until 1983. Fellow hostellers of different ages among them V. Navaratnam, C.D. Wijayaratnam, Sutha Thevasakayam and his brother Mano, M. Vijayakulendran, Roy Wijayaratnam, Ranjit Wijayaratnam, Brian Simon Rasiah, Kumaran Thambyayah and myself experienced a deep sense of friendship and hold fond memories of this fun loving bunch.
We kept in touch with him and experienced his generous hospitality at reunions. Thilaka always joined such occasions. The weddings of their two daughters were a responsibility he discharged as a loving Dad.
The architects of the CSI cyber carol singing were Kumaran Thambyayah (Colombo), Ponnarasu Thurairatnam (Canada), Arjuna Backus and Dharma Ariaratnam (Melbourne), Pirian Aseervatham (Sydney), David Thambiratnam (Brisbane), with many from the UK joining in every year. It was an event we always looked forward to, but now Pirian and Kumaran have joined the ‘eternal choir’ in heaven.
Goodbye good friend! Rest peacefully and see you on the other shore!
Ponnarasu (Ponna)
The world scarcely breeds people of Amma’s calibre now
Sumana Kumara Menike Senevirathne
“Bruising the grain of all she is,
She kneads a little loaf of bread,
Mingling her life’s strange mysteries-
Loins, bosom, heart and head.
So, through days’ allotted span,
She yields and binds and spends
her truth;
The woman God has given to man-
The everlasting Ruth.”
- May Doney
Caring for elderly parents can be the most enlightening experience of our lives. I cannot think of any other experience which matches this miracle. They impart to you so much affection, patience, insight, knowledge and wisdom, for which you are eternally grateful. This I learned while attending to my mother Sumana Kumara Menike Senevirathne’s needs, during her brief illness resulting in her untimely death.
It was no drudgery. It was a privilege and absolute joy. Nursing Amma was like nursing an angel. I regret I could not tend to my late father, since Amma took it upon herself to care for him.
Amma, known to everyone as “Menike” was the beloved wife of Hemachandra (Hema) Liyanage, my father. They were the parents of us three sisters, Gayani, Ajantha and myself, and the grandparents of Gayani’s daughter, Piyumila. Amma was also the mother-in-law of Padmakumara and Maithripala.
Amma was the epitome of the industrious rural housewife. She would rise at dawn, sweep the entire garden, prepare breakfast and serve us a piping hot meal and engage in garden work until lunch time when she would rustle up that meal too. Her day ended quite late and she was the last in the household to go to sleep.
When we were young, she was our seamstress. Come rain or shine, Amma also did our marketing, and each time never failed to bring home something scrumptious. I am not embarrassed to confess that I waited for those goodies and thoroughly relished them even when I grew older.
Amma believed in a sheer hard work ethic. She managed the domestic affairs of our home with determination and insight, and kept the family going through confusions and calamities. She was the solid frame holding us together. Quite a few school-aged boys and girls have been boarded in our home and she mentored them too.
She had a mischievous sense of humour, an attribute of typical Sinhala Buddhist village folk.
Her understanding of Buddhist philosophy was excellent, leaning towards its principles.
Hailing from Warakawa, Nawalapitiya, she was extremely proud of the village virtues that she was raised on. She reflected their beauty in her being and conscience. The world scarcely breeds people of Amma’s calibre now.
May Amma and our father, Hema Liyanage, attain the Supreme Bliss of deathless (Ajaramara) Nirvana.
Kaamini Liyanage
Did I ever tell you you’re my hero?
Gertrude Sunethra De. Silva Wijeyeratne
I think I was about three or four – you were sitting on a branch of a shady cashew tree keeping me on your lap showing me how to eat cashew apples. I realized how beautiful you were, like a doll with long hair beyond your knees. As the years went on, you taught me what true honesty, beauty and simplicity were.
I grew up hearing stories about how you had to protect yourself from this wicked world without a mother’s love. Living in school hostels and coming to Colombo at the age of 18 years to work, finally as a secretary in a reputed company and travel abroad. Helping your near and dear with love and care.
Being a faithful loving wife to your husband giving love, care and protection to me and your beloved granddaughter, teaching us the values of life, of respecting and honouring each other and how to live in a multicultural and multi-religious background in an honest, simple, modest way. You were an iron lady who showed who you were silently – a respected and honoured lady. Finally, your family lived in a happy nest that you built.
September 11 is important to both of us. No one can help me to overcome my thoughts and feelings about you Amma. I see how my family tries to help me overcome the loneliness. I love you, respect you, honour you and I miss you. Thank you for every sacrifice you made for me and for our family.
I am your only child. I still remember you telling me that ‘Amma’ is the most beautiful word in the universe that you want to hear. That is true Amma.
Did I ever tell you you’re my hero you were everything, everything I wished for.
Thank you for being a real mother from the day I became yours and to our loving family.
May you attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana
Your loving daughter
Lakmini Sunethra De. S. Wijeyeratne
The ex-bank employees’ club was his passion
L. JOHN DEEPAL PEIRIS
When I learned that my elder brother Deepal had suddenly died of a heart attack in the morning of September 16, 2015, it took me several hours to get my bearings.
Had he lived, he would have celebrated his 67th birthday last March 18th. Deepal never failed to wish someone on their birthday. He meticulously kept a record of all his dear ones’ birthdays in his diary. In fact his last telephone call, probably less than an hour before he died, was to wish a former colleague on her birthday.
His friends in Australia gathered in the middle of the night when the news reached them. The only consolation was that his death was almost instantaneous.
He remained a bachelor and looked after our father very well until his death in 2O14. He did everything possible to make him comfortable, attending to his meals and needs. Suddenly and shockingly, he himself died nine months later.
He had his entire school education at Ananda College, Colombo. Both of us would recall interesting incidents concerning our teachers at Ananda. He was taught by Mrs. Green Jayewardene, Tissa Seneviratne, C.M. Weeraratne, B.S.E. Galappaththi, N.K.B. De Silva, S.A.G.A. Dharmasena, S.U. Medagama, Perdetta Dias among many others.
When he was about 13, he theorised that a cashless world was possible. When I asked him how, he said each person`s account would reflect credits and debits on all transactions. This was decades before it was thought possible.
Soon after leaving school, he joined the then Grindlays Bank in 1975 and worked there till 1999.Thereafter he joined another foreign bank where he worked until retirement in 2013. He was highly respected in the banking sector and was the first manager of the Grindlays Rajagiriya branch.
He travelled widely and his last visit was to Australia where he met many of his friends and colleagues who had migrated there over the years.
Deepal was an extremely honest person who would go to any lengths to keep a promise.
He was mainly instrumental in forming the Grindlays Club of ex-bank employees. The club was his passion and he was deeply committed to developing and expanding it. The night before he died he had returned home from a club meeting. He was the President of the area Lions Club and was involved in many social service activities.
Your life was a blessing,
Your memory a treasure,
You are loved beyond words,
And missed beyond measure
May he attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana.
L. Hemal Ranil Peiris
We still feel your love
Chandra Jayasinghe
Her memory is a treasure
We all hold on to so dearly
We still feel her love
It comforts us all sincerely
Her strength and kindness
Given to many very cheerfully
Will guide us to goodness
Always so willingly
May she attain
The supreme bliss of Nirvana!
Aruni Jayasekera
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