Appreciations
View(s):To those hostel days at Dharmaraja College
Dhammika: Second from left in 1975
Dhammika Ganganath Dissanayake
Goodbye Dhammika, my childhood friend!
It was on January 13, 1966, I saw you lying on a C dorm bed, homesick after your father left you at the Dharmaraja College Hostel. That was 54 years ago when both of us became boarders for the next ten years. Soon we came to know you as the son of Wimalanath Dissanayake, the famous film director of Patachara fame and editor of Silumina who was also an alumnus of Dharmaraja.
Dhammika had lost his mother at a very young age and he came under the motherly love of Matron Seetha Mohottigedara whom he adored as mentioned many times in his famous column ‘Pani Walalu’ in the Sunday Lankadeepa. We were fortunate to grow up in this over 40-acre salubrious Lake View Hill.
The 1967 Hostel Day was memorable because his father brought famous artists who performed for us. I am sure it was requested by Warden B.A.S.Wimalachandra who had taught Dhammika’s father too.
Dhammika, I remember you singing during a term-end Literary Association meeting – the song was about “Amma” and at the end of the song, your eyes were filled with tears making all of us tear up. Then at a weekend meeting you sang, “Bandaranaike Weera Putha…Wedi Thibba..” You also played the thabla and used to play the rabana during trips. You were a regular contributor to the hostel wall paper “Eliya”. You helped all of us in doing the drawings for our Scout log books.
Even at a young age you had liberal views and used to stress the importance of democracy when many fellow hostellers had communist ideas, which was the fashion then.
I only met you three times since leaving College, the last being in 2007 at Anura Wijenayake’s 50th birthday. When you became Chairman of Rupavahini, I sent a letter of congratulations and you sent me a reply thanking me, but we met through your reminiscences of Dharmaraja in the column ‘Pani Walalu’ on Sundays.
May we meet again as Dharmaraja Hostellers!
Anil Ellepola
Thank you for being a father who led by example
Prof. Charles Senarath
I write this reflection for what would have been my father’s 81st birthday August 17.
My father’s motto in life was always be kind and always be connected to your Creator. His own father was a strict disciplinarian and with that upbringing my father resolved at an early age to be kind to everyone he met. To me, his daughter he was always ready to help me in whatever way I needed. Even though I am well into adulthood he always wanted to protect me as a father. One last vivid memory is where he said ‘Duwa keep these masks with you’ just before leaving after a holiday in January.
He was always there to offer advice, pray together on Skype or step in to help me. A remarkable quality was that he treated everyone with the same kindness and respect. He had patience and understanding to deal with the most difficult people and difficult situations. A favourite Sinhala song, sung passionately by him many times including to university students ran along the lines, ‘Whoever you are, wherever you are, you will always be my brother’.
Recently when home-schooling my son, I was reminded that it was my father who instilled in me the love of learning and from whom I learnt the basics of chemistry, physics, and mathematics. He was a much-respected teacher who impacted thousands of students who came under his wing. One of the most delightful activities for him after retirement was participating in the many student and university related functions which he always made a point to attend with much eagerness. He took pride in taking his grandson on a tour of his university and his department on a recent visit to the University of Moratuwa which was a second home to him.
His funeral service was conducted with very few present due to the curfew in the country. However, he and my mother always made it a point to attend the funeral of people known to him and conduct a prayer service. My father was highly duty conscious and would do whatever he could to help and be of service. He was an active member of the Y’s Men’s club of Moratuwa, Maris Stella OBA Colombo branch, Fr. Peter Pillai memorial scholarship committee and various other social committees.
Though the last few weeks of his illness were difficult and the loss was greatly felt, we as a family hold on to the belief that as we now gather to pray, my father is by God’s side. For a daughter, a father’s loss is painful but as I navigate through life, I will keep in my heart my father’s legacy and his words to me of his core beliefs. These words from my father were recorded in a video message two months prior to his death. “I believe, I am divinely guided. I believe, I will always take the correct turn on the road. I believe, God will make a way for me when there is no way‘’.
Thank you Thaththi for being a good father and for being a person who led by example. We will treasure your legacy and always remember you with love, joy and gratitude.
Nisanthi Senarath
With love in my heart I remember you
Victoreen Hassan
August 25, marks the 12th death anniversary of my beloved wife Victoreen. We spent a happy and peaceful wedded life caring for and loving each other. Fate has been unkind, and I had to lose her and it broke my heart.
My days and nights have turned so lonely since God called her. It broke my heart to walk beside her on that fateful day she was laid to rest.
Special memories of Victoreen always bring a smile to my face. I thank my lucky stars we found each other as we were so sincere and faithful to each other. Victoreen, there isn’t a day that passes without you being remembered as we lived a joyful life and though now physically separated to know we will meet again someday is my only comfort. My heart aches in sadness and my silent tears still flow, as what it meant to lose you no one will ever know. Although you can’t be here with me, we’re truly not apart as until the final breath I take you’ll be living in my heart.
Victoreen, to hear your sweet voice and see your tender smile was a consolation in my life. Just to sit and talk as we used to do would be my dearest wish on this your 12th death anniversary. Thinking of you today and always, as I still love you. The day I first held you and kissed your sweet face are precious memories time cannot erase.
All I have are memories and a photo in a frame of a wonderful wife I am proud was mine. In silence I cry, as each lonely hour and day passes by. For all you gave me, through the years, for your time, your love, your prayers, your patience, caring, sharing, and all this and more I still love you.
Finally thank you dear Victoreen, for the generous sacrifices you made for me and our children and all the love, care and affection you showered on us. Darling Vicky, our special years will not return, but with the love within our hearts you will walk with me always.
Till we meet again.
Sadly missed by your loving husband M. Kamil A. Hassan
Our Mum, our hero, teacher, mentor and best friend
Clare Vilathgamuwa
My Mum was the nicest person that anyone could wish for. She passed away on August 28, 2012. Eight years on and I am still struggling to come to terms with it. Visions of her final moments come flooding back to me as she died at home in front of me. I didn’t know it was the end as she just closed her eyes and smiled sweetly having finished her breakfast. Her death was so sudden that the grief and sadness is still profound in our hearts. As I reflect on my mother’s life, I am blessed with incredibly happy memories and so is too my entire family.
Mum grew up in a loving and privileged family. Her well to do parents from Kochchikade boarded her at St Joseph’s Convent in Kegalle where she had the company of her sisters. In school she excelled in tennis and athletics. She also learned the piano. Mum came from a musical family and she used to tell us of the many sing-songs they had at home in the evenings by the piano. Her two older sisters – one who later became a nun were music teachers in piano and violin.
Dad would always reminisce about the day he first went to see mum. He was on the staff of St Benedict’s College, his alma mater. He was also a violinist with the Colombo Philharmonic Orchestra. On that visit my mum had played the piano and he was given a violin to accompany her. Both had taken an instant liking to each other and when dad was leaving, he says he saw a tear falling down her face and thought this is the girl for me. During their courtship Dad was inspired to compose music and songs dedicated to mummy which he sang until his demise. Their life together was a beautiful love story that spanned over six decades.
What I will remember most about my mum is how she loved my dad. Their undying love for each other till the end was an inspiration to everyone who knew them. Mum gave every encouragement in Dad’s career and Dad completed his degree from the University of London and retired as a Director of Education.
Mum was blessed with four children. She made a loving home for us. We all loved her very much and looked up to her for everything as we knew “mum knows best”. She was our hero, teacher, mentor and best friend. She instilled in us that education is the greatest gift in life. She was very proud of our achievements. Mum was also blessed with six grandchildren and two great grand children all of whom were her adorable darlings.
Mum was an incredibly happy person. She was bubbly, cheerful and always smiling. She took pleasure from simple things in life. All the small miracles, a sunny day, a flower in bloom, a full moon at its brightest, a plane that flies in the sky made her happy and she would always share these moments with dad. She was full of energy and the livewire in the family. I have never seen her sick and lying in bed. Mum’s favourite hobby was taking photos. She and the camera were inseparable and everyone knew it as Mummy’s jolly camera. Her favourite pastime was listening to music with daddy. She also enjoyed watching the news on TV and couldn’t get enough of what was happening in the world.
Mum loved to travel and had travelled widely in Sri Lanka, England and Australia. She was deeply religious and had a child-like faith. She had a litany of prayers to say during the day and would lovingly pray for everyone else who needed her prayers.
No matter how old we are, losing a mother is one of the deepest sorrows a heart can know. For my dad it was heartbreaking to lose someone he loved for so long. Dad often reminisced about his love story with us until his demise in April 2016. We take comfort in the fact that we were blessed and fortunate to have mum in our lives. Though she is no more she will live in our hearts forever and in the hearts of everyone whom she has touched in numerous ways. We know she is our guardian angel watching over us. “We love you mummy. Till we meet again goodbye.”
Swarnamalie Perera