Appreciations
|
|
|||
|
He
was a model of simplicity and humility It was at Royal College in 1947 Form 1B that we met. Since then our friendship grew stronger with the passage of time sharing common interests. He was popularly known as "Gamma" and got on well with his mates. He loved to share jokes, although he was sometimes a very quiet listener. Since leaving college in 1958, he started as a creeper at Geekiynakande Estate at Neboda and carried on as a planter for some years. He then started a finance company, where he did well for many years. He was a kind hearted and understanding boss to his employees. Thereafter, he looked after his family properties for a while and went into full retirement. He occupied himself walking long distances, reading Dhamma books and looking after his beloved wife, who needed his support. We knew him as a patient person, full of compassion and straight in his dealings. In a nutshell, he was the hallmark of simplicity and humility. He loved cats and wildlife and on many occasions he spent much time holidaying with our families at the wildlife parks and enjoying get-togethers at up-country estate bungalows. Gamini
cared for his two sons and educated them well. He also cared for
the elderly and devoted time to looking after sick monks at his
family temple. May you be well and happy wherever you are born and continue a peaceful journey through Sansara, leading to the blissful state of "Nibbana". A friend A
dedicated planter I have come across many keen estate superintendents but never such an absolutely devoted planter - straight as an arrow and never fighting shy of calling a spade, a spade. Eardley Hermon used to start his day in the wee hours of each morning - hardly being driven. He preferred to 'to do his rounds' on foot - cross country, through the tea and rubber fields. Many a time I have personally trudged with him starting at 6 a.m., ending up at 3 p.m. not across the proverbial hills and dales but through carpets of tea, through 'leader' drains, along field boundaries and climbing over huge boulders strewn across the rubber fields. A 'hands-on' planter he believed in getting his assistants too to do likewise. And so I had to pluck the required poundage with the pluckers. The 'Dorai' himself would weigh the leaf to check whether I had a few pounds passed on by the two champion pluckers. Mr.
E.A. Hermon loved his workforce. And he personally knew each one
of them. He would never fail to check on their humble abodes; water
services and sanitation was a 'must' along with 'compost pits' next
to all 'lines'. Eardley Hermon reigned over Poronuwa Group for some 27 years. Generations of planters 'made it' under his tutelage. His cost management was legendary whilst always maintaining an absolutely 'clean' weed-free estate. He would come down on you like a 'ton-of-bricks' if ever your fields would have even one flowering weed sticking out above the plucking surface. Fields were ever ready to receive fertilizer as a result. Planters of such dedication are indeed a dying breed now. Thoughts of those glorious days of planting came flooding into my mind when I stood at the gates of Kanatte to receive the casket of my beloved 'guru'. Next to me was a cricketer of yesteryear - Berty Wijesinghe, who spoke of Eardley's cricketing talents as a top-class wicket- keeper. "Eardley was the best 'keeper' I have come across - at any age" confirmed Berty Wijesinghe [and that says a lot!] who also represented S. Thomas' College, Mt. Lavinia along with Eardley Hermon in the 1930s. As the casket was being lowered that December '05 morn, I could only reflect on the life of Eardley Hermon, born October 31, 1920 to the well-known Herman planting family. A dapper, Thomian sportsman - a brilliant wicket-keeper/batsman and boxer. Joined 'planting' during WW 11 when Ceylon was under the British. A dedicated 'Finlay-Planter' to the very end, until the State took over the estates in 1975. The past 30 odd years of his life made him get closer to God. Eardley was a 'regular' at the Anglican churches of Nugegoda and Mirihana. He loved his family and was indeed proud of each one of them. Dyan Seneviratne A tribute
to an exceptional father You were more than a father to me. You were both my mother and father, looking after my children, feeding them and taking them to school and tuition classes without any fuss. You were deeply religious, a vegetarian and devout Buddhist who never missed observing "sil" on Poya day. You were not scared to do the right thing even at a cost. You were courageous enough to advise even a senior monk to do the right thing at the right time. You were a noble father, worthy of emulation. Born in the hamlet of Nindana in Ambalangoda, you did not have the opportunities that we and our children enjoy today. You were a "born engineer" and entrepreneur with all the necessary skills but without a formal training. I remember how marvellously you designed and built the cinnamon oil mill all alone in our premises. I was too small to understand your skills but I know today you need good engineers, architects and contractors to build such a structure. You knew how to get along with people of all walks of life. You were simple and unassuming and always cheerful. You enjoyed every moment of life and won the hearts of everyone. Even though you migrated from village to city, you never forgot the cultural and social values of the village and continued to maintain those values to the end of your life. Your strong personality was an inspiration to me. You were a tower of strength to me and lifted my spirits when I was in trouble. I wholeheartedly wish you attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana within a short period of time as you wished in your life. Rupa Wickremaratne Humble
and humane He left an indelible mark in the corporate and social fraternity of Mother Lanka, and was greatly loved by all and sundry. He was Chairman of the Sri Lanka Jaycees Senate, District Governor of the Rotary Club of Colombo, Vice Chairman of the National Chamber of Commerce and President of the Sri Lanka India Society. Even now in these organizations and other institutions Uncle Rohan, is still remembered with love. I remember once when I attended the funeral of a fellow Jaycee friend of mine, who died under tragic circumstances, I was surprised to see Uncle Rohan there as he was such a senior Jaycee. This speaks volumes about his humble and humane qualities which was his trademark. It was against the grain for him to speak ill of anyone or hurt anyone's feeling. If a person spoke ill about someone else he would smile and say, "let's forgive and forget". May Uncle Rohan's soul rest in eternal peace, and may he attain the supreme bliss of eternal happiness, peace and the blessings of the Triple Gem, in the world beyond. Amyn Chatoor A
businessman who was foster father to all the poor children in his
neighbourhood Born in Galle in 1918, he was the eldest son of U.A. Simon de Silva, the doyen of jewellers in a city internationally known for fine jewellery, and of Soidahamy. In 1947, he married Lakshmi Achirawathi, the youngest in a family among whom were the late D.A. Devendra, the late D.T. Devendra and Dr. D.W. Devendra. After marriage he wished to be an independent businessman, and so he came to Colombo and set up Savoy Jewellers. "Savoy Jewellers" was a shop with a difference. It specialized in "Ceylon Stone" jewellery. His fame spread by word of mouth, yet he kept a quiet, modest shop and advertised only in the "smalls" in the newspapers. He could be trusted. He was honest. He was welcoming. He was the man you could deal with, with confidence. He built up a group of clients who would never go to anyone else. He was considerate too, to those who brought him items for sale. Though sometimes they were of low quality, he did not turn the man away, but always bought something, absorbing the loss. And yet he remained in his first shop, did not try to expand it. It remains so yet, although he himself passed away in August 2004. He was not merely a businessman. He was a charter member of the Lions Club of Dehiwela-Mount Lavinia to which, on becoming President in 1981-82, he donated Rs. 10,000. The ideals of Lionism and the teachings of Buddhism ruled his life. The list of his good works is long, but worth meditating on. He was the foster father of all the poor children in his neighbourhood. Every Sunday, they would queue up for their milk and biscuits. Lunch was also given on every Poya day. At Christmas and Vesak, they were given a festive lunch and new clothes. He took the lead in his club's efforts to build an orphanage. As a Buddhist, his deeds spoke louder than words. He built a meditation centre for the patients at the Colombo South Hospital; shrine rooms at Buddhaghosa Maha Vidyalaya and Kalubowila MMV; the "Asana" for the Buddha image at Dharmapala Vihara, Mount Lavinia, of which he was a dayaka; a pavilion for the exposition of the relics brought from Kapilavastu in India. He also gifted a 2-ft. tall karanduwa to Jetavanarama Vihara, in India, to enshrine Buddha relics, and another to replace it. Leelamani Wijesena, Geetha De Silva, Jayanthi Jayaratne and Dr. Vasantha De Silva. |
||||
Copyright © 2001 Wijeya
Newspapers Ltd. All rights reserved. |
