We
will never forget her
Dona Chandrani Sirisena
It is with deep sorrow that I write about my beloved wife Chandrani
who passed away on May 7, 2003.
Her
death is an unbearable loss for those who loved her. I can still
remember her beautiful smiling face. Chandrani was born on February
14, 1947 (Valentine’s Day).
She
was a devoted Buddhist and social worker, who always helped the
poor and helpless and was with me in all my religious activities.
She was a good housewife, loving and caring mother of a son and
daughter and also a businesswoman and founder director of Options.
She
was often softer and more feminine than she appeared.
She had a tremendous capacity to accomplish what she set out to
do, and in the long run was the winner.
She was innocent, kind and compassionate.
She
had lifelong youthfulness, the quality of a gazelle that leaps to
and fro, charming and attractive. She was very self- reliant.
She did not criticise but accepted people as they were and respected
everybody.
She was a humane and unforgettable character. My family and I were
delighted at having her in our lives.
Her
untimely death was a big blow to us. The jewel of our family is
gone. Our tears will never dry.
May she be reborn again in our midst as a Buddhist and at the end
may her journey in sansara be short and smooth.
May
she attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana!
Years may pass and time may fly.... yet loving memories of you Chandrani
will never die.
Upali
Sirisena
A life
that earned love and respect
A.B. Nugapitiya
Our dearest appachchi passed away on December 21, last year leaving
a void in our family. Appachchi, you were a pillar of strength and
encouragement to your four children and we are at a loss to understand
how to sort out life's trials and tribulations without you.
You
were a person of few words who never spoke ill of others. A gentleman
par excellence who lived an exemplary life. Your mild manners won
you the love and respect of all those whom came in contact with
you. There were many instances where you displayed the highest respect
for the feelings of others.
When
you were entrusted with any work you did it with the highest sense
of commitment, dedication and devotion. The respect and affection
that you earned from your near and dear ones is ample testimony
to the successful and exemplary life that you led.
You
were a loving husband to Amma and a dutiful father to the four of
us. You never neglected your obligations towards the welfare of
our family.
We
still remember with gratitude how you waited impatiently near the
doorstep to receive us when we came home for the holidays. We all
waited eagerly for these occasions as it gave us immense pleasure
to be with you. As Municipal Commissioner you served Trincomalee,
Batticaloa and finally your home town Matale. We still remember
how the people of Batticaloa loved you and respected you for the
work that you did to improve the town of Batticaloa. It was a time
that the LTTE was never heard of and how happily we all lived together
as one family.
We
have lost our noble father but your memory and love will live for
ever. We pray that we meet you again in our journey of sansara and
finally may you attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana very soon. Your
loving children Dhammika, Sandhya, Samantha & Sudarashanee
A scholar
who worked for the people
Palitha Weeraman
Palitha Weeraman, a Pali, Buddhist, Sanskrit, and Sinhala scholar
and public servant died two years ago after a brief illness. He
was educated at Royal College and Ananda College, Colombo. He entered
University College Colombo which conducted external degree examinations
of the University of London. His choice was Pali, Sanskrit, Sinhala
and English for his BA degree which he passed with Honours.He also
sat for the most prestigious Public Administration Exami-nation/CCS
during the British Colonial period.
He
was appointed as Public Service Cadet after training in administration.
He functioned in various Govt. Depts. and Ministries as Director,
Commissioner and Permanent Secretary. His forte was co-operative
development which he developed in Ceylon when D.S. Senanayake was
Prime Minister and continued till the period of Mr. S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike.
He
was appointed Director General of the South Asia Co-operative Alliance
based in New Delhi. He worked for Buddhism with the co-operation
of the Maha Bodhi Society of India and Sri Lanka then. When he retired,
he came back to his ancestral home in Weligama and took part in
religious, cultural and co-operative activities.
Capt. L.B. Lanka (Wilbawe) Jayaratne
He
synthesized western values and time-honoured village ways
Merrill Panabokke
I shall mostly remember Merrill Panabokke, who died in Kandy following
a brief illness, for his generosity and largesse. These qualities,
sadly, went unthanked, and were even exploited by individuals whom
he held dear.
In
Merrill's head, seemingly divergent strands of thought were in constant
conflict. He entertained with equal enthusiasm the values of the
West as well as our own, time-honoured, village ways. Yet he could
readily venture, as Elliot says somewhere, "beyond the opposites",
and emerge with an acceptable mean.
His
decades of dedication to controlled mechanization of rural agriculture
in Sri Lanka is but one example of this useful synthesis. Merrill
lived simply. He never "showed off". He dressed minimally,
and he was at pains to conceal his very substantial grasp of history
and politics, of art and agriculture, and, not least, of letters.
Yet
in trusted company he would come out with dazzling nuggets of narrative
anecdote, grown from his vast experience in the field. On my visits
to Sri Lanka, I had the privilege of being accompanied by Merrill
on various inland excursions.
I found
these enormously educational. He wasted no time in debunking the
grandiose views I proffered him in jest and provocation. Having
brought me summarily down to earth, he was also quick to open my
eyes to little-known aspects of rural life, pointing out their immense
significance and beauty. I was last with him some months back.
He
was a little frail then, and bent on his red and yellow acquired
stick for balance. Walking the streets of Kandy, he was nonetheless
giving me serious instruction on the natural history of mangoes
and papayas arrayed on the pavement for sale; and for good measure,
throwing in bits from Maupassant and Mandela as well. I hear him
still. We are much the worse for his passing. He will be sorely
missed.
Ivor Tittawella
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