Appreciations
View(s):Akka, you were my beloved guardian
Chandra Jayanthi Kalubowila
My beloved sister Jayanthi left us on March 5, last year in the United States, leaving all her plans and hopes to join us permanently in Sri Lanka. She had her education in Hanwella Rajasingha Madya Maha Vidyalaya. After getting through the Grade 8 scholarship examination, she had the opportunity to join Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo. But her stay there lasted only for one week; she did not like to be away from the family and live in a congested town. My father had to bring her back home.
She was born as the eldest in our family of nine siblings. After reading her horoscope, our family astrologer had said, “Don’t worry Mudalali, your daughter has brought prosperity and joy in her hands.” My father was very happy and used to remind us of this till his death. She did her studies well and was very quiet at home. She always dedicated herself to the upbringing of our family.
My mother was a good dressmaker, and my sister was also clever in all types of knitting such as beeralu, knitting sweaters with lace etc. Later she followed the Kathleen Diploma in dress making. She made elegant dresses for the five girls in our family.
After getting through her A’Ls, she got a job at People’s Bank . She met her beloved husband Somasiri Kannangara (Sunil Aiya) while working there. They had 4 children – 3 boys and a girl. She decided to give up her job and to devote herself full time to the kids. However, she was also worried about the decrease in family income and started cultivating vegetables and fruits in her home garden as a hobby too since she was a great enthusiast of agriculture. When I visited her once she told me “I cannot ask Sunil Aiya to bring everything, therefore I cultivate a lot of things needed for our family.” She cultivated her garden very methodically with flowers and vegetable beds around the house and fruit trees such as rambutan, mango, Naminan, mangosteen, durian, Jak, Del, guava, orange and Karapincha, pepper, cinnamon, ginger and other medicinal plants too. The well, in the corner of the garden was always full of water.
She was very keen on discipline and did everything perfectly. I can vividly remember once I rolled my nightclothes and placed them under the pillow – she punished me and corrected me. Since then I used to arrange my bed immediately after waking up.
She was the one who admitted me to Hanwella Central College enabling me to do A’Ls in the Commerce stream. That later helped me to become a Finance Director of a Government establishment.
When I was in the university she always helped me to dress nicely. She could turn out any pattern I described to her.
When I visited her I used to walk around the garden and enjoy eating the fruits, and collecting various things to take home. She was very keen to donate to the poor. When she visited her parents for the New Year she would bring parcels of food and clothes for the neighbours.
After winning the green card she had to migrate to USA. It was very difficult for her to decide to leave Sri Lanka. However she lived happily there helping her elder sons Milinda and Shirantha and educating her youngest son Chamila.
She had a bad experience due to the untimely death of her only daughter at the age of five from dengue. At the age of 69 without her knowledge a deadly disease had developed within her. She had planned to celebrate last new year in Sri Lanka but that was not to be. Although she was away from us she was happy with her husband and three sons around her and they took care of her during her short period of illness .
Dear Akka you were a wonderful sister. I wish you to attain supreme Nirvana. Till then we will meet again in sansara.
Chooti Nangee Padmini Kalubowila
She stood tall among coconut growers
Irani Peiries
The news of the death of Irani Peiries nee Dias brought immense sadness to her relatives, friends and more particularly the coconut growers. She was ailing for some time with a terminal illness and right through derived comfort from her faith in religion and continued to be cheerful which concealed the pains, which were inevitable with her illness.
She was the daughter of Percy Dias, who for long years was the Chairman of the Wattala -Mabole Urban Council, which duties he carried out with honesty and a high sense of discipline. He owned a large acreage of coconut plantations around Divulapitiya / Minuwangoda area and was for some time the President of the Dunagaha Coconut Co-operative Society, which for years and still is the largest manufacturer of coconut products within the Coconut Co-operatives.
With such a background, it is not surprising that some his children became dedicated coconut planters. Two of his children, Irani and her brother Ranjit Dias were closely involved in the Coconut Growers Association of Sri Lanka from its inception nearly 25 years ago. Irani was Treasurer on two occasions, each time for three years and later for three years, the Secretary of the Association.
She performed both tasks with devotion and a high sense of duty, and gave her best. By the time she relinquished duties, the association had grown with a membership exceeding 1000, the organised body within the Plantation sector. Her brother Ranjit Dias was an office bearer of the Association at its inauguration and continued to hold various posts until his appointment as its President. He still continues to be the livewire of the Association and now serves as the honorary Editor of the quarterly magazine of the Association.
On a personal note, Irani was the Secretary of the Association when the writer was its President in 1992 and 1993.It is with a high sense of gratitude that the writer recalls the prompt assistance she rendered in helping to perform the tasks in steering the affairs of the association.
She was married to Keerthi Peiries; they were a loving couple and very understanding. He was supportive of her involvement with the association. They were blessed with two sons who are married and well settled in life and one of them continues the family tradition of managing their coconut property.
Coconut growers will long remember her devoted contribution for their betterment. May her soul rest in peace.
Denzil Aponso