Nalini’s colourful canvas of life
Being born to an affluent, aristocratic family in Kandy some 80 years ago, there was nothing strange in Nalini Senanayake’s father decreeing that his only daughter, after finishing school, should paint, write poetry and play the piano.
The least he may have anticipated was that the apple of his eye for whom he designed an elegant, leisurely life of indulgence in the confines of her drawing room, would get tossed into the rough and tumble of politics – even briefly, that Nalini, a young wife in her early twenties then would climb election platforms and deliver fiery political speeches. Nalini had made at least 250 speeches from platforms while in the 1952 election campaign.
What made her leap into politics? Nalini had just married her cousin Wilfred – a member of the famed Senanayake clan of Botale Walauwa and a founder member of the UNP who was contesting Mirigama electorate at the 1952 General Elections. But when she discovered at his first election meeting that making political speeches in Sinhala was not his forte, Nalini, the lawyer’s daughter, impulsively grabbed the mike and on behalf of her husband made her first ever impromptu political speech. Nalini thereafter, found herself being invited by UNP admirers to speak at election meetings throughout the island. She spoke till her voice went hoarse.
However, with her relatives strongly urging her husband to leave politics, Nalini too withdrew dismissing calls for her to contest instead. Ask her even now to repeat her performance on a political platform and her finger goes up mechanically and she bellows “mithrawaruni………………..”
Nalini had a brilliant school career having come first in class throughout at Kandy High School. Though she studied in the English medium, in two years she studied Sinhala, her texts including classics such as Saddharama rathnavaliya and Salalihini Sandesaya which gave her competence in the Sinhala language. Winner of the then coveted Mallet All Round prize, Nalini was hailed as an all rounder during her years at KHS from 1933-1945. She was also in the first historic KHS netball team in 1944 and held every position – House Captain, Games Captain and Head Girl ahead of her time.
Her aspiration however to enter the University was snuffed out as her far-seeing father didn’t want to risk “a danger” with his high spirited daughter. Nalini says he wanted “good marriages” for his three sons.
Having forsaken a University career, Nalini turned to art not merely to indulge for pleasure as may have been designed by her doting father, but as a serious subject. She travelled to Colombo from Kandy twice a week for exclusive art lessons from the famed Harry Pieris and ended up as the first woman to exhibit at the prestigious all-male ’43 Group.” Her water colour paintings exhibited at the Royal Drawing Society in London and at the Ceylon Society of Arts in Sri Lanka received rave press reviews.
In fact, Nalini, who launched her son Senaka Senanayake’s art career at the age of 7 and saw him reaching the top rungs as an artist globally and in Sri Lanka, is the third generation in the family to take to art. Her maternal grandmother, Rose Attygalle Dunuwila, as far back as 1888, had done portrait painting under the German artist Oertell who was in Sri Lanka at the time. Nalini’s father, Edmund Wijenaike, who may have been relieved to see his progeny reverting to art after a hectic flirtation with politics, had left funds for her to set up an Art Gallery in Colombo which Nalini pursued but which was scuttled in its last stages by political undercutting. Senaka, with the launch of his Art Gallery – Sharika, is promoting artists of low-income groups fulfilling his grandfather’s vision.
Nalini’s art career in the meantime, took a backseat as her domestic responsibilities became all encompassing. Nalini and her husband saw to it that the world class artist, more importantly, obtained a Degree from Yale in Fine Arts. Her only daughter, Dr. Nelu de Silva, was one of the youngest to get a PhD from Cambridge, London.
Nalini still gets starry-eyed when she talks about the love of her life – Wilfred – an encounter which began with her urge to see the Nehrus who were being hosted at Temple Trees on their first visit to the then Ceylon. With the First Lady – the wife of Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake being Nalini’s aunt, Nalini, chaperoned by her maid, travelled to Temple Trees. While waiting to meet the Nehrus on the spacious garden, Nalini suddenly needed to rush to the washroom. She felt a creature crawling on her legs when her relatives asked a “tall and handsome cousin” to show her the washroom. Nalini got rid of the creature and when coming out of the washroom quite leisurely she found him still waiting for her outside. Two days later, the “cousin” was on her doorstep in Kandy with a marriage proposal!
Once her mission was completed towards her family, Nalini, took to things she is passionate about. She went to five dancing teachers to learn dancing rather late in life only to be turned out of every class. But with dancing in her DNA, the rejections did not deter her from shaking a leg and ending up as theDancing Queen at her old school events. She wanted coaching in table tennis which was once again refused as she was 65. She did not give up and by 75, she had a cupboard full of trophies she got as winner in numerous table tennis championship tournaments and was even asked to represent Sri Lanka at national level in China in the veteran category.
Art, music, sports, dancing and poetry have made Nalini a celebrity. Her determination has made her worthy of emulation– the younger members of her Sports Club hail her as the most elite lady and the “mascot” of their Club.
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