Former planters of Maskeliya/Upcot District on memory lane visit
View(s):Ex planters of the Maskeliya/Upcot district calling themselves ‘The Mascots” revisited their former plantation homes in a memorable visit on February 22-23.
After “morning muster” at Lanka Commodity Brokers in Rajagiriya, a group of 42 members and their wives departed on this journey.
“While Manik Pereira, Ravi Wickramasingha, Lucky Ratnaweera, Gnana Samaratunga, Sarath Sirisena, Chandana Jayasekera, Dushy 
Perera, Sarath Jayasekera, Ashley Fonseka, Maithri Liyanage and Jayantha Dassanayake were accompanied by their wives, Devaka Wickramasuriya, Winston Rupasinghe, Randy Mcleod, Harin de Costa, Kingsley Candappa, S. Srikumar, Tilak Ratwatte, Dilanjan Soysa, N, Durairaj (who had travelled from Canada to take part), Dushantha Delwita, Upali Wijesekera, Manukula Fonseka, Ranjit Perera, Manoj Pathiraja, Suresh Mathangaweera and Thilanka de Zoysa chose to travel single. Mr. & Mrs. M. Balendran of Kelaneiya / Braemore fame joined the group at Maskeliya,” the ‘Mascots’ said in a note recollecting the visit.
The events commenced with a cricket match against the “Future Mascots”, a team comprising of the planters of the district. The Mascots was led by Ashley Fonseka while the captain of the “Future Mascots” was Hemantha Kahatapitiya, with the former losing the encounter by a few runs.
“The gala dinner at the Maskeliya Club on 22nd February 2014 was a night which would never be forgotten. The camaraderie that prevailed and the nostalgic stories related were unbelievable,” the Mascots said. On Sunday, 23rd February, members who had been billeted on the estates they had worked on previously, were taken around the properties by their respective hosts. It was a trip that cannot be forgotten and will be spoken of for many years to come, the ex planters said.