Appreciations
View(s):An inspiring lady, she touched many hearts
Rupa Samarasekera
Mrs Rupa Samarasekera, wife of the late Senapala Samarasekera, passed away peacefully in her sleep at her residence at Bataduwa, Galle, on November 23, 2022, 19 days shy of her 97th birthday.
She came to her husband’s house at Bataduwa as a young bride and lived there for 76 years until her final journey. The garden that she loved was in full bloom to give her a fitting farewell.
With her natural charm, dignity and sense of duty, Rupa Samarasekera was a source of inspiration to many. She loved to read and travel, entertained well using her authentic Sri Lankan culinary skills, dressed elegantly, was a keen gardener and brought joy to our lives with her wit and humour.
She never lost touch with the villagers, who flocked to her residence on hearing of her demise. She eagerly participated in religious activities, extending her generosity towards improving facilities at Buddhist temples. Rupa was spontaneous with her help for those in need, including the sick and elderly.
Above all, she was a devoted family member, who performed her duties one hundred percent and more. I was indeed fortunate to have had her as my mother-in-law.
I first met my future mother-in-law around August 1974, when I accompanied my father to obtain a character certificate from her husband, the local Member of Parliament, prior to joining the Ceylon Electricity Board. When she met us in the verandah of her house at Bataduwa that evening, Mr Samarasekera was away in Colombo. I sensed that my father knew both Mr and Mrs Samarasekera well from the friendly manner in which she greeted us.
After a pleasant conversation and a cup of tea, she advised that we meet her husband in Colombo at ‘Sravasti’, where outstation MPs had their lodgings. As destiny beckons, little did I know then that I would be married to their second daughter many moons later.
My mother-in-law’s support for her husband’s political activities was unwavering and steadfast, even when the political tides were clearly against his party. Each time my father-in-law contested the Akmeemana Parliamentary seat, my mother-in-law, along with a bunch of trusted supporters, walked from house to house, canvassing for her husband, particularly in areas where the traditional block vote was historically against her husband’s party. One of my late grand uncles, Louis Amarasinghe, who was an ardent follower of the SLFP, joined her on a regular basis to campaign in such areas. I am personally aware that the votes of many, including my mother’s, swung in favour of her husband’s party, mainly due to her charming way of engaging with the constituents.
Her efforts paid off, particularly when her husband became the only member to have entered the Parliament in 1950 from the newly formed Lanka Prajathanthravadi Party (LPP) formed by the then Prime Minister, Dr W. Dahanayake. Even Dr Dahanayake lost his Galle seat in that election to the UNP candidate, W.D.S. Abeygoonewardena.
Rupa devoted her time to her family and children’s education by managing a house at Kirulapana, away from the hustle and bustle of politics in the Bataduwa ancestral home, where her husband met his constituents while attending to his tea estate and the factory. Her responsibilities did not end with running a second house and bringing up her four children. She also accommodated a number of her husband’s close relatives who were studying or working in Colombo. This was no easy task even though my father-in-law tried his best to spend time with the family every week. She was proud of her children’s achievements and stood by them till the end. In turn, she was blessed with the unfailing love and support of her children and their families.
On the 25th of December 2OO4, I was in Colombo en-route to Galle, after arriving from Australia to see my ailing father. I planned to drive down to Galle the next day to be with my father. When my brother-in-law Upali came to pick me up the next morning, I called my mother-in-law to inform her that I was about to leave for Galle. The time would have been just past 8 a.m. in the morning of the 26th. There was a sense of urgency in my mother-in-law’s voice. She said ‘Megalle is under water, we’re going to the estate’ and abruptly put the phone down. I was perplexed to say the least!
Still confused, I asked my sister Namal to switch on the TV-and there it was! Rupavahini was announcing that massive waves of sea water were gushing into several areas in the south and in particular, around Unawatuna. I then suggested we keep watching the news. Had it not been for my mother-in-law’s unusual reaction, Upali and I would have got caught to the tsunami around Aluthgama-Beruwala area as there was no Colombo-Galle Expressway at the time. She may well have saved our lives.
My mother-in-law spent many holidays with us in Canberra and enjoyed the company of our friends. We have wonderful memories of trips with her to many parts of Australia. Her last trip Down Under was for our daughter Vindi’s wedding, barely three months after she underwent major orthopaedic surgery. That was sheer perseverance on her part as many a patient who underwent the same surgery would not have walked so soon.
Rupa Samarasekera touched many hearts and will be fondly remembered by those who knew her.
Chandrakumara Shanthilal Nanayakkara
You were a Maharani to us
Indrani Shivananthan
The dawn of 2023 was devastating for me. The first news I received from Canada in the New Year was that my sister Indrani Shivananthan had passed away after a week-long illness. This was unexpected and shocking.
She was born on August 29, 1940, a welcome addition to our family – the first girl after three boys, the third being myself, five years older than her. She changed the monotony of our family.
She was given special treatment not only by our parents but also by her brothers and neighbours. Of course, I had my reservations as her immediate elder brother. I was petted by all and sundry until her arrival and I watched with envy my importance being bartered away slowly and steadily. With the passage of time, another sister was born in 1942. I learned to live with my sisters and played with them happily together with my two elder brothers.
The two sisters were so united, us boys had no chance of having even a verbal duel with one of them, without being confronted by the other.
Indrani had her early education at Chundikuli Girls College, Jaffna, and thereafter in Colombo and Kurunegala moving along with my father when he was transferred as a Station Master.
In 1956, my father bought a house in Nugegoda and the family moved there. Unfortunately, due to the 1958 ethnic disturbances, my mother and two sisters returned to Jaffna and the girls continued their studies at Chundikuli.
My parents were keen that the girls should get married early as per the prevailing customs. Indrani was married at the age of 20, to Shivananthan, a Master Printer who was in charge of the Eelanadu Tamil daily published in Jaffna. My sister too assisted him and learned the trade, so to speak.
I was the best man (mapilai tholan) for Shivananthan. My sister and her husband always encouraged and helped me in my dramatic activities in 1960-70, with critical comments.
They were blessed with five children – two boys and three girls. Due to prevailing unrest in the country, the family migrated to Canada where they are all doing well. Unfortunately, my sister’s husband passed away in Canada a couple of years back.
True to the Tamil saying ‘yathum oore yavarum kelir’ (every country is my country- everyone is my kith and kin), Indrani’s son married a Filipino and they had two daughters who were fondly brought up by my sister as their mother passed away. One of her granddaughters, married a Korean lawyer, a Canadian citizen. Rani took it all in her stride and lived happily with six grandchildren close by.
From the beginning of 2022, she used to call me and my wife frequently, at least once a week, and converse about the political situation in Sri Lanka which she was very familiar with. In fact, she was more aware of the political situation in Sri Lanka than me. Perhaps her association with the press earlier gave her an impetus to understand politics better.
Three days before she was admitted to the hospital she talked to me and promised to call me with additional political news. This was not to be as she suffered a stroke and never recovered.
As an agnostic, I don’t know where your ‘soul’ will end up Rani. Wherever it may, we will not be able to meet you again and listen to your soft-spoken words. You were a ‘Maharani’ (Queen) to all of us.
Goodbye Thangachchi.
Kanagasabapathy Balendra
A man of honour and great humour
Devamullage Albert James Perera
“Lives of great men all remind us,
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us,
Footprints on the sands of time.”
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Devamullage Albert James Perera, Jimmy or James as he was affectionately called, was the son of Mudaliyar Albert and Catherine Perera. He was the youngest in a family of seven and my mother, Consy, was the fifth. His two other elder sisters were Sophie and Chrissy. He was born at “Fairlawn’’ Nugegoda and lived at the walauwa right up to his death at the age of 94.
He had his education at Royal College Colombo and passed out as an Attorney-at-Law like his elder brother, the late Christie Perera. He was employed at the Ceylon Transport Board and later served as the legal officer at Lanka Salusala.
James was a man of honour with a fine sense of humour. He had a good ear for music and used to play the mouth organ, and also entertain us by moving his ears, much to the amusement of both young and old. He often tried his hand at cookery and his Passion fruit dessert made with passion fruit pulp, was much sought after. He also made wine using various kinds of fruits i.e. Lovi, Banana,Ugurassa, from the garden. I wonder what happened to the airlock?
He was particularly fond of the old Irish songs and Galway Bay (pronounced as Gawl- way bay ) was one of his favourites. I used to think that he had a special liking for the song as Padmini – his wife of 60 years, was from Galle.
“And if there is going to be a life hereafter
And somehow I feel sure there’s going to be
I will ask my God to let me make my heaven
In that dear land across the Irish sea’’
They say that the time of birth and time of death is significant in a person’s life and James passed away peacefully on 29 December 2022. He leaves behind his wife Padmini and children Vijayantha, Kisani, Panduka and their families. He will be missed dearly by all who knew him.
May the turf lie gently on you and may your soul Rest in Peace.
Roshini
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