TV Times

TV Times

‘Wadiya’: One year after tsunami disaster
By Randima Attygalle
Its simple cadjan roof has sheltered royalty, countless celebrities and many more, treating them to a feast of lobsters, baked crabs, fried cuttle fish, jumbo prawns and grilled fish - aroma of which has even spread to London Times, International Herald Tribune, New York Times, Newsweek- the list seems endless…

Of his brief stay of three nights in Colombo, two nights were spent here by the world acclaimed French musician Jean Michel Farre. Princess Anne and Sir Richard Branson chose to taste the divine delicacies of sea at the same place. In spite of having soared into international heights and fame, Beach Wadiya and its legend Olwyn Weerasekera have remained devoted to their cardinal principles - simplicity and sincerity.

‘This life is too short and what is important is to 'live' and not 'exist' and be good to others, merits of which will one day reward you,’ said Olwyn Weerasekera whose honesty and unassuming nature did reward him, his team and his Wadiya despite the tidal waves that hit exactly a year ago.

Recalling the day of the tsunami, Mr. Weerasekera says, ‘since it was a poya day we were closed with the staff away except for the security personnel and I was looking forward to meeting some of my buddies and relaxing when I got a call from our security guard that the sea has come in and damaged a few things like tables. I was surprised as it was the tourist season and not the time of monsoon rains."

Few shattered tables and chairs greeted Wadiya's master as he rushed to the scene and beyond those was a calm sea with yet another surprise however.
‘The damage was not as bad as I expected and when I approached the fence which demarcates the Wadiya premises, I noticed a reef for the first time in my life and water about a foot below it.’ A man ever ready for an adventure, Mr. Weerasekera was excited at the prospect of sharing the view with friends. "The excitement of discovering the reef was so much, I started clicking my camera with no thoughts of another wave hitting Wadiya," laughs Mr. Weerasekera.

The gradually rising water level which eventually covered the reef did not dampen the spirits of Mr. Weerasekera who had prints of it safe on his camera nor the television crew which came to inquire about the damages caused and to televise any possible changes of sea.

‘Thanks to the camera crew I was among the first few Sri Lankans to be seen on television around the world on the day of the tsunami," says Mr. Weerasekera in his usual jovial manner adding however that he was 'smelling something funny' at that point.

‘I was totally immersed in my photography when the sudden rise of water level stunned us and we all ran for our dear lives," Mr. Weerasekera recalls the first giant wave to have hit Wadiya. After parking his car at the Galle Face Green, Mr. Weerasekera returned to Wadiya to find a calm sea once more. This serenity however was short-lived when the final and the fatal wave struck Wadiya washing away its dining area, kitchen and bar sparing however its master and security personnel. " Tables, chairs, gas cylinders everything was floating but our lives were untouched," says Mr. Weerasekera with a sigh of relief. "For all of us who have lived by the sea and witnessed many a monsoon, tsunami came as a terrible shock. None of us had ever experienced a calamity of this nature, the only truth we all knew was to avoid sea during a monsoon," says Mr. Weerasekera who honestly fostered fears about the future of much loved Wadiya initially.

‘I was mentally very down after this tragedy, seeing everything hard-earned being washed away, especially the guest books which I treasured above any property at Wadiya and I did not have the heart to resume business," says Mr. Weerasekera who was however not left to harbour any fears by his staff, family and 'Wadiya fans'. "Wadiya could remain closed only for two months with thousands of phone calls and e-mails from all corners of the world pouring in to give me moral support and urging me to open its doors again.

A friend of mine from England-G.J.Pocock, begged of me to accept a cash donation to reconstruct Wadiya, while others said they'd dine on the beach with no tables or chairs," recalls Mr. Weerasekera in an emotionally- charged tone adding that he was deeply touched by each word of morale boosting. "When we finally opened the doors of Wadiya, everyone kept on asking how I pulled it all together and my reply was 'not me but its ardent diner'," says Mr. Weerasekera.

A man for all seasons, Mr. Weerasekera's wise words, ‘In this disaster-prone world, who are we to presume that it will not strike us? Life is unpredictable and beyond our control. What is important is to live each day to the fullest contributing to humanity and some good will come out of it," are good enough to be embraced by anybody, any day….

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