My father, Mayadunnage Bertie Edward Wijeratne, who was born on June 1, 1935, and died on December 1, 1994, hailed from a low-country family from Sedawatta, Kelaniya.
Born to a family of planters, Thathie followed in the footsteps of his elder brother after creditably completing his studies at St. Thomas’, Matale.
He was a courageous person, and would take bold decisions when necessary. He was also knowledgeable and hard-working, thanks to the rigorous training he had by working under Europeans. His superiors saw in him the makings of an efficient planter, and over the years they would recommend him to increasingly bigger estates. There was no doubt keen competition, even in those days, to become a planter. I have heard that from his young days my father was sincere and dynamic and very keen about his work. He mastered the techniques of all aspects of tea and rubber planting and manufacturing. It did not take him much time to prove to the different managements he worked for that he was capable of managing large plantations.
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After just four or five years, he was put in charge of tea and rubber plantations of more than 1,000 hectares in extent.
During this period the majority of the labour force on estates was Tamil, and my father worked in harmony with them and looked after their interests, while producing the best results. He was fluent in Tamil, and he was close to the Tamil people, who loved him very much.
He gave top priority to the well-being of the downtrodden labour force who were trampled by the Europeans at every turn. Thathie’s kindness and large-heartedness brought him fruitful results in the many plantations he managed.
His lady love (my mother) was from the land of gems, Ratnapura, and also came from a well-known family, the Delgodas.
A happily married man, Thathie was a loving husband and father. He had three children – two daughters and a son (myself). He was very proud of his family, and he was delighted to see that they were second to none. At the time of his death, one of his daughters was married. My younger sister and I were not married. Today all three of us are married, and I wish that my father was here today to see his eight beautiful grandchildren who, I am sure, would have made him the happiest grandfather ever.
To his brothers and sisters, Thathie was the darling of the family. They were very proud of him. He was prepared to sacrifice anything for the sake of his brothers and sisters. This rare quality was embedded in him from his schoolboy days.
My Thathie’s sudden and untimely demise created a vacuum that can never be filled. Tragedy struck our family like a bolt of lightning, leaving the ship rudderless midstream to the mercy of God.
He had carefully planned his life of retirement, but alas all hope was lost. When my father died, our family was left with no one to guide us. As the saying goes, man proposes but God disposes.
Thathie was a God-fearing man who never missed his morning prayers before setting out for work every day.
At the time of his death, he had more than 40 years’ experience in planting. He was a well-recognised Visiting Agent for many large plantations in the private sector. The vast areas he has replanted in the many plantations he managed in the low country bear testimony to the invaluable services he rendered to the industry and the country at large.
His 14th death anniversary falls tomorrow.
May he attain Nibbana.
Son Haren |
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