APPRECIATIONS
View(s):A great teacher and award-winning writer
Lalitha Witanachchi (nee Karalliadde)
The first death anniversary of Lalitha Karalliadde-Witanachchi – a Gratiaen Award winner for creative writing in English, fell on September 26 this year. As one of her early students at the Central College Anuradhapura, it was in the mid-1950s, that we had the exceptional privilege of coming within the aura of this great teacher, trainer and later award-winning English writer.
The mid-1950s witnessed an age of transition in Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) with new hopes and expectations emerging after Independence, galvanised by the visionary leadership of SWRD Bandaranaike, the Oxford-trained Prime Minister of Ceylon.
Amidst the far-reaching changes in the country, we who entered the Central College to study in the English medium, had to switch to the Sinhala medium though not unwillingly, to keep up with the strong winds of change. I still remember, Madam Lalitha introducing to us Charles Dickens’ ‘The Tale of Two Cities’. Her voice still rings in our ears…. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness….”. The lines sounded as though characterising what was happening in the country at that time.
Lalitha Witanachchi (Ekanayake Wijeratne Bandaranayake Wasala Mudiyansalage Lalitha Karalliadde) was born to a respected family of Kandyan descent with direct lines to royalty, in January 1927, at Lankatilleke Walawwa in Bandarawela, the residence of her grandfather J.C. Lankatilleke – then Rate Mahattaya of the Udukinda Division of Uva. Her book, “Wind blows Over the Hills” provides not just a feel but also the fragrance of Kandyan village life of that time, despite the scars of destruction caused by the colonial rulers and their lackeys. She began her education at Hillwood College Kandy, and proceeded for her higher studies to the University of Ceylon in Colombo. She excelled at the University entrance examination itself, winning an ‘Exhibition’ award in Geography. She graduated from the University of Ceylon in 1950, with Geography Honours, while offering English as a subject.
She came to Anuradhapura with her beloved husband, Douglas Witanachchi, who had been appointed District Land Officer at the Kachcheri, and who rendered yeoman services to improve land administration in the early 1950s. The Principal of the Central College at that time – another reputed Sinhala writer, E.R. Eratne, was constantly in search of qualified teachers who were sadly in short supply in the area then. He was determined to persuade the young wives of many Civil Officers, who happened to be at leisure at their homes and discovered a few of them – Lalitha Witanachchi, Sriya Jayasekera, and Mrs Meegoda among others like Shakuntala Nadaraja and Nanda Udugama.
Madam Lalitha, was on the tutorial staff at the Anuradhapura Central College, from 1953-1957, coinciding with the years of my own secondary education there. Later, while I happened to be an undergraduate at Peradeniya in the early 1960s, she obtained her post-graduate Diploma in Education in 1963, from the same University. After a long teaching career from 1950 -1980, she worked at the Lake House Group of Newspapers from September 1981 at the Daily News Features Desk till December 1995.
She also wrote several books such as “The Paddy Bird”, “The Wind Blows over the Hills”, “Little Bamboo”, and the “Customs and Rituals of Sinhala Buddhists”. She won several awards and accolades, among them the first prize in the International Short Story Contest by Macquarie University, Australia; co-winner of the Gratiaen Award 1993; and the Esmond Wickremasinghe Award for Journalism in English. In 2011 she was conferred the “Kala Bhoosana” Award for her distinguished contributions to arts and English literature.
A mother of four, she was grandmother of four and great-grandmother of two. She passed away at the age of 94. Above all her scholastic achievements, she was indeed a superior human being, reflected by the generous support and attention she gave to poor pupils. She was patently on the path of liberation to attain the ultimate bliss of Nibbana!.
C.M. Madduma Bandara
Schoolboy memories, old boys’ reunions and more
Anthony Anghie
When our lot entered Royal College over 70 years ago, Tony was head prefect and, at closer quarters, muddied, on the rugger field. He was also visible commanding the cadet battalions. His brothers, Trevor the place-kicker and Maurice the wizard scorer over the line eclipsed him at rugger but in and around the school he was instantly placed as its leader. Trevor took to medicine and migrated to Australia via Diyatalawa; I last met Maurice in Perth. Their father was an iconic character too, making the hostel a place that provided such comfort as schoolboys had a right to expect.
Tony passed away a few weeks ago, a little over 90.
In the shadow of the attempted coup in 1962, my acquaintance with him occurred at some distance: my wife’s friends, Shelagh and Manique, made all the visits permitted and I received some pictures at second hand of Tony and Don Weerasinghe. Years later Tony told me that the prime mover in that power grab had been not the servicemen and cops but a civilian – a senior member of the Ceylon Civil Service. (Once the Privy Council released the accused, he was brought back into the public service and, to my knowledge, proved to be an able administrator).
Tony retained his interest in the arts and the Wendt was where we occasionally met – whether at performances of the Stage & Set or of other Dramsoc collectives or at art exhibitions. I recall that many years later Shelagh played Desdemona to Chitrasena’s Othello. On Shelagh’s last trip here, we had the pleasure of a visit and much nice conversation. Tony, (with just a trace of head cop), there with Varini.
Tony returned to the Royal scene, chairing groups of Old Boys (‘over-seventies’ who were mostly over eighty) who gathered once or twice a year at lunch and sang songs of varying merit.
Gamini Seneviratne
Remembering a pioneering scholar 50 years on
Dr. Senerat Paranavitane
Senerat Paranavitane was born in Metaramba, Unawatuna on December 26, 1896, to Abraham Paranavitana and his wife, Lora Hettige Gomara, the youngest in the family. He had his primary education at Annasi Hettigoda Government Sinhala school and after two years moved to Buonavista College, Galle. He had to walk four and a half miles daily to school.
He also learnt Pali and Sanskrit at Ranawalgoda Pirivena, Heenatigala. By the time he was 19, he had learnt Sinhala, English, Pali and Sanskrit. He won a prize for history and archaeology in the examination conducted by the Pracheena Bhashopakara Samithiya in 1915 and the prize given to him by the Sinhala Youth Club was the book Epigraphia Zeylanica published by the Department of Archaeology. He became very interested in the book and it possibly laid the foundation for his future.
He initially worked as an English Assistant Teacher in the Udugampola School in the Gampaha District for five years from 1918 and in 1923 was appointed as epigraphical assistant in the Department of Archaeology. He was awarded a doctorate by the Leiden University in Holland for his book ‘The Stupa in Ceylon’.
Dr Paranavitana was the first Sri Lankan Commissioner of Archaeology and held the post from 1940-1956. He was an authority on epigraphy, iconography and numismatics. He wrote many books, among them ‘Sigiri Graffiti – being Sinhalese Verses of the Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Centuries’. Written in two volumes, the books looked at the history of Sigiriya and the poems written by people on Sigiriya’s Mirror Wall, analysing and transcribing some 685 poems.
In his book ‘Inscriptions of Ceylon Vol 1’ he details the Rajagala inscription in which the arrival of Ven. Mahinda Thera to the island is confirmed.
During his term as Commissioner of Archaeology, Prof. Paranavitana singled out many ancient buildings and conducted extensive research on them for the benefit of future generations.
After retiring from the Department of Archaeology he joined the Peradeniya University as Professor of Archaeology and worked there till 1965. During this period he wrote another book- on the history of Sri Lanka from ancient times till 1505. His last book was ‘Sinhalayao’, published in Sinhala and English.
This pioneering scholar and great personality died on October 4, 1972.
Sirisaman Wijetunga
You were God’s gift, exquisite and special
Nigel Forbes
The Creator God himself had this beautiful idea – Nigel Forbes,
For this he did choose mum, Joan’s and dad Brian’s love chords;
Fearfully and wonderfully made was Nigel,
Brought forth as the second family gift,
Exquisite and special, heaven’s lift;
He did grow and blossom,
At St. Peter’s we all met, the nation’s microcosm;
An epitome of discipline and handsomeness,
The perfect student, full of cleverness and goodness;
At school, he did mature,
Academic goals and rugby colours he did ensure;
Studies and sports blending seamlessly in the life of Nigel,
The Peterite fraternity’s Rigel;
Indeed the brightest star of Orion,
Nigel the champion,
For that is what Nigel means,
Our beloved companion;
From school to society,
The gift to the nation, par excellence;
He shone on and off the rugby playing field,
To the USA he went,
Graduate studies to pursue;
Human resources and human flourishing in the corporate world his passion,
He catalysed the transformation of the world of business and trade, his mission,
A more humane structure for the good of all, his vision;
An exemplary husband to Onitha,
A doting father to Tashiya and Annya;
The family unit cherished and concretised;
For he knew thereby,
that living in the world would be melodiously harmonised,
A reflection of heaven on earth,
For that was his philosophy that many do search;
A gentleman with many friends,
And we all to the Lord God do commend,
A beloved, precious brother and friend;
Lymphoma and COVID can never undo the poem Nigel,
For he is the celestial Rigel,
The Creator God’s masterpiece,
Now forever more heaven’s centrepiece!
Dr. A.J. Morel
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