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‘In my ten years of tourism, I’ve never met anyone like them’
View(s):Tour guide Dulaj Thilakarathne recalls memorable time with the Joshi family who died tragically in the Air India crash
By Dilushi Wijesinghe
Dr. Prateek Joshi, his wife Dr Komi Vyas, and their three children had promised their Sri Lankan tour guide, Dulaj Thilakarathne, whom they came to call family, that they would be back once again to travel the island, relive memories, and reunite with him.
The Joshi family lost their lives in the tragic Air India plane crash on Thursday. For Dulaj, the grief is still raw. “I even checked 10 minutes ago to see if by some chance would have survived by God’s grace” he told the Sunday Times yesterday.
Last year: The Joshi family on a tour of Sri Lanka with Dulaj their guide
Dulaj first met the family through MySL Travels where he serves as a tour guide. The Joshi family arrived in Sri Lanka on October 20 last year and stayed until the 29th. He took them across Colombo, Nuwara Eliya – where they spent two days – Ella, Kataragama, Bentota, and Pinnawala.
“They told me they felt like they were at home. They were expecting to be treated like foreigners, but instead, we became like family,” he recalls. They spoke in Hindi throughout the journey, a language Dulaj is fluent in.
He says the twin boys, especially, became attached to him. “Whenever their parents scolded them, they would run to me. I treated them like they were my own” Dulaj says.
What struck Dulaj most was their simplicity and kindness. “They even gave money to beggars. They were so compassionate. And even on the days they followed a vegan diet, they always made sure I was fed first.”
“I felt like I was on a trip with my own family. That’s why this shocked me so much,” he says.
Even after the tour ended, they kept in touch – texting, calling, sometimes video calling. “They called to wish me on special occasions like the new year, the Deepavali festival, Christmas and so on,” he says. “I was looking forward to their return in December.”
When Dulaj heard of the crash, he says, “I can’t explain the sorrow I felt. Even today, when I drive the vehicle I took them in, I feel their presence. I constantly remember the moments I spent with them. It’s hard to control my emotions.”
“I called both their numbers after I heard about the crash. There was no answer. Then I saw Facebook posts. They don’t post much themselves, but people had tagged them. That’s how I found out they had passed too,” he said.
On June 17, Dulaj and a few of his friends in the tourism field will host an almsgiving at a temple and at a children’s home in memory of the family.
“In my ten years of tourism, I’ve never met anyone like them,” he says. “They bowed to me, held my hands and thanked me. They didn’t treat me like a driver or guide. They treated me like one of their own. I don’t think I’ll ever forget them,” Dulaj says.
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