Love’s labour lost

By Suranga Rajanayake

Ambuluwawa in Gampola

This is the story of a 21-year-old Colombo campus girl who went on a fateful trip along with her childhood sweetheart and two other friends to visit a popular scenic spot.

Lasanthi Chathurani of Kumbaloluwa Veyangoda, was the second child born to the Weerakkody family. A second year student at the Colombo University she was studying for the Bachelor’s degree. Her boy friend Janith Madushanka was studying for a degree in Accountancy.The foursome decided to visit Ambuluwawa in Gampola which was a popular location for outstation visitors.

On that day they had left by car around 5 a.m and arrived in Gampola at around 10 a.m.They decided to climb to the top of the Govijana chaithya which is 394 feet high. It is said to resemble the Kalutara chaithya.

When they started the descent Lasanthi had some problem with her feet and shouted to Janith for help. Janith had then carried her and lost his balance and his grip on her. Lasanthi had hurtled face down to the ground.

Lasanthi’s inert body was taken to the Gampola hospital in the same car she came in, but there was nothing the doctors could do to save her.