Sunday Times 2
‘Flickering fortunes’: Growing up in old Ceylon
View(s):
Rev. Marc P. Billimoria
“History with its flickering lamp stumbles along the trail of the past, trying to reconstruct its scenes, to revive its echoes, and kindle with pale gleams the passion of former days.’ This quote from Sir Winston Churchill explains why understanding history is not always easy. Cold, hard facts on a history textbook cannot describe the way people lived in the past and give detailed insight and analysis of bygone eras.
The title of Lakshman Ratnapala’s book ‘Flickering Fortunes’is derived from this quote. An account of his experiences growing up in old Ceylon, ‘Flickering Fortunes’ ( part one of a trilogy), was launched on January 28 the Jubilee Room of the Galle Face Hotel and in the author’s view is neither a memoir nor an autobiography but rather a reflection of his past.
Mr. Ratnapala had his education at S. Thomas College, Mount Lavinia and studied Law at the Sri Lanka Law College while also working as a journalist at Lankadeepa. Having served as the Director for the Americas at the Ceylon Tourist Board, he joined the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) of which he became the President and CEO before taking an early retirement. Mr. Ratnapala currently resides in California.
Mr. Ratnapala was unfortunately absent at the launch due to ill health but in a video message played at the event, he explained how he was inspired to write a book on his experiences. On a long plane ride, Mr. Ratnapala had looked out the window and felt inconsequential amidst the great terrain he saw below. He had written on a notebook the words ‘I am’ – which had led to him questioning who he was, what he was and where he was.
Minister Sarath Amunugama
His attempts to answer these questions led him to write the book. He appealed to his readers to ‘pick up the book, read it and write the words “I am”. Then you will come up with answers that will lead to discoveries’.
In his keynote address at the event, Minister Sarath Amunugama described his experiences working with Mr. Ratnapala while he was at the Department of Government Information. Mr. Amunugama’s assessment of the author was that ‘of all the Asians in tourist associations, I’d say Lakshman was the best’. He also felt that the book gives good insight into the political history of the country and relates many ‘inside stories’ of the political events which took place in the 1950s.
Speaking at the launch, Rev. Marc P. Billimoria, Warden of S.Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia said that although Mr. Ratnapala didn’t call the book a memoir or autobiography it has elements of both. A student of history himself, Rev.Billimoria found that even he was unaware of some of the historical information given, such as the different terms of marriage mentioned in the book. He added to Mr. Ratnapala’s recollections in the book of the way things were and stated that ‘back then it was not who you knew but what you knew that would help you get ahead’.
The Warden was also gratified to see the emphasis Mr. Ratnapala laid on his roots, especially his pride in being a Thomian. Rev. Billimoria felt proud that ‘in 165 years we (STC) have produced men in the calibre of Mr. Lakshman Ratnapala’ and believed that he would be a great role model to the existing generation of Thomians as well.
‘Flickering Fortunes’ is available at Vijitha Yapa bookshops for Rs. 1,300 and on-line at Amazon for $39 (inclusive of shipping and handling).