Remembrance Day (4)

Remembrance Day (4) - Fond memories of Priya Gunaratna.

Priya (Gunaratna) de Silva – passed away on 8.10.2014

Priya entered the Faculty of Medicine in Colombo in September 1962.  She was educated at Visakha Vidyalaya, Bambalapitiya. There are many previous blog posts in her memory but this is a special collection of tributes from three colleagues who were very close to her.

Chirasri Jayaweera Bandara

Priya was a very good friend of mine and I miss her very much.  She was friendly, helpful and saw the brighter side of everything.

I used to travel to Medical College in a private car and pick up late Priya and the late Kamini from Dickmans Road and Padmini from Isipathana Mawatha. During College days we were in and out of our houses.

When I went to Kandy as Consultant Eye Surgeon, she and her family lived there. We used to visit each other and have meals together. When their younger daughter Anjali ( 6 - 7 yrs old ) had an Eye injury I treated her.

One day in Kandy when I was driving home in the hot sun, suddenly the whole windscreen cracked up like a jigsaw. I just couldn't see to drive. With difficulty, I moved the car to the side and stopped. From nowhere Priya came to my rescue. She helped me to contact Walkers, got the car towed and dropped me at home.

Later when we both came to Colombo we used to visit each other and have meals together.

Priya, Chula her husband, and daughters used to consult me about their eyes at my residence.

My husband Ranjit knew Chula as they worked together in the past.

We attended their daughters’ weddings. The diet was Vegetarian. Sharini the elder one married our batch mate Swarna Vithana's nephew. They live in the USA. Anjali, the younger one married DB Nihalsinghe's son and they live in Australia.

I am in touch with Chula as he and his domestic consult me about their eyes. My son who is a Doctor helped Chula and his domestic's son at Kalubowila hospital.

Pramilla Senanayake

Priya was a cheerful, fun-loving person. I knew Priya at the faculty. However, our friendship was strengthened when she joined the family planning association of Sri Lanka. She was the medical officer at our Bullers Lane clinic. She not only saw the clients who visited the FPA  for sexual and reproductive health services but she took care of the health needs of all the staff and even their families. After clinic patients were seen, Priya would be around attending to the needs of staff members and their families.

She was a tremendous asset to the FPA. Her colleagues loved her. 

On one occasion she was on holiday with her daughter in New York. I too was in New York at the same time. We met up in NY and spent a wonderful afternoon walking around Manhattan window shopping and  reminiscing .

She was a wonderful person and is Sadly missed. 

Swyrie Balendra

Thank you, Speedy and others who organized the Remembrance Day for our dear departed friends, with whom we spent five of our most remembered years. It’s a fitting tribute to our batchmates who were very much a part of our lives at that time. As it normally happens in life we go our own way after a period but still continue to have a special place in our hearts for friends we made along the way.

When it comes to those who have passed on, I have to specially mention Priya who was one of my dearest friends. We continued our friendship till the last days of her life.

I  got to know Priya very early in our Block days when we used to play carrom in the Common room. From that time on we became friends and made it a point to get together whenever time permitted between lectures and Ward Classes. Our names were close enough alphabetically for us to be quite often in the same Ward Class or Study group. I remember the long walks down the corridors of GHC. Invariably we were pulled up for being late to class as we found something interesting enough along the way to stop and have a giggle about. On these jaunts down the corridors, Rosh would join us sometimes and of course, then we were even more late.

I lived on Police Park Avenue and Priya was on De Fonseka Road and that was close enough for us to meet frequently even outside Medical School hours.

Soon after we qualified we were both Bridesmaids for our mutual friend Sriani. Later on

Sriani and Priya both worked at the FPA and as bosses they ran a very efficient outfit even bringing the birth rate in Sri Lanka down significantly!

Priya was kindness personified and by nature a bubbly personality. This was partly why she had so many friends both in Medical School and outside. She played a big part in the activities of her old school Visakha. She was a very useful member of the Organising Committee for our Batch Reunions right from the start. She was full of ideas and was very helpful with the arrangements especially when it came to Entertainment. We will miss her if and when we do have another Reunion.

Needless to say, her illness left her husband Chula and daughters Sharini and Anjali devastated. Priya though handled it with much courage and fortitude. Right from the beginning she took charge of the situation and was directing operations. She bravely battled through for three years or more and even though she hated the chemotherapy that was prescribed to her she continued to have yet another session just so that she would be well enough to visit one of her daughters in New York or Australia. All plans had been made for her and Chula to visit Australia for the birthday of a grandchild but she never made it as she sadly succumbed to her illness.

I miss the long phone calls talking and laughing so much that we drove our husbands mad! It was good to have her around.

Remembrance day posts (3)

 Sunil R de Silva – In memory of those glorious five years

Messages from Nihal (ND) Amarasekera (1)

Sunil was the son of Walwin A de Silva, CCS and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ceylon and the nephew of Dr Colvin R de Silva, Politician, Lawyer and one of the founder members of the LSSP. Sunil had his education at Royal College Colombo and entered the Faculty of Medicine Colombo in 1962. He qualified as a doctor in 1967. After serving his year as an intern at the General Hospital Galle he left for the USA. Sunil was tragically killed in a road traffic accident in 1976. I consider it an immense privilege to have spent those five years with him as medical students at an exciting and idealistic time of our youth.

Sunil de Silva was a cultured gentleman, one of the best I’ve met during my years in the faculty. As I roll back the years trying to create an image of him in my mind what stands out is the calmness he always showed despite the stress and the anxiety that was endemic in the faculty of medicine. Nothing ruffled him and he never showed any histrionics. His surname being closer to mine, alphabetically, we came into contact often and remained friends all through the 5 years.

Sunil was ever present in the Men’s Common Room. If my memory serves me well, he owned a Honda 50 motorbike on which he arrived early to book a game of billiards. He then spent his entire free time enjoying cups of tea chatting with friends, playing bridge and table tennis. My abiding memory of Sunil is his boundless wit and humour with a poker face. After the busy morning ward rounds I recall with much nostalgia the regular, hilarious and comical dialogues he had with Asoka Wijeyekoon and Chanaka Wijesekera over cups of tea in the Men’s Common Room. Every sentence was rib ticklingly funny. Once there was an almighty kerfuffle close to the billiard table with Sunil at the centre of it. He was maintaining he does not have a brother. His brother’s classmates around him vehemently disagreed. All this was hilariously funny. There was plenty of friendly banter, arguments and counterarguments before we all departed for our 11am lecture. On our return the arguments continued unabated when finally Sunil acceded with a rare broad smile saying “I was just testing the Laws of Probability”. He was a master of sarcasm, irony and wit.

Sunil came from the upper echelons of society with a strong academic background but was resolutely down to earth. This showed even in the way he dressed. He had the remarkable ability to move with equal ease with the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, a trait inherited from his illustrious uncle Colvin R de Silva. He made many friends in the faculty and by his very nature had no enemies. Sunil was soft-spoken, self-effacing and sober. His lifestyle was modest and unpretentious. He was exceptionally kind to everyone and treated all with courtesy and respect. Sunil never entertained any of that frivolous gossip which was rampant in the university.  We were all just out of our teenage years and showed our emotions easily, but not Sunil. I never saw those moments of sentimentality in him. Perhaps he masked them skilfully with his distinctive poker face.

He was not a run of the mill medical student. There was something very special about him. Sunil was in many ways an enigma. I use the word as a compliment, being a person with a quiet demeanour with a certain mystery surrounding his persona. As medical students in the 1960’s those were our heady days of youth enjoying a bohemian lifestyle. He never took the easier path of following the masses. His views were always well-considered but often unconventional.  Although peaceful he was no pushover but always stuck to his principles. He wasn’t keen on politics and religion. Cigarettes were a fashion accessory then, but he never smoked. Being teetotal, alcoholic parties were not his scene. To my recollection, he never joined in the boozy evenings in the Common Room, the frolics during the Law-Medical match, Colours Nights and the Final year trip. But he remained a popular, sought after friend, well-liked and respected by all.

As we all recall, in those 5 years there was an enormous amount of cramming to be done. Sunil rarely spoke of his work schedule but had the intelligence and the discipline to sail through the examinations. He feared no one and no situation. From the signatures and revisals to ward work and examinations, life was stressful. There were times our teachers treated us with such derision and disdain, it hurt us deep within. He uncomplainingly took it all in his stride.

This is not an attempt to deify Sunil R de Silva. I am certain he had some of the faults we all possess as fallible humans. But I just cannot recall any.

When I bade farewell on that fateful day in 1967 in the plush lobby of the faculty of medicine, I never knew I will not see Sunil again. His early demise brought great sadness. Although we were together just for 5 years it is as if I’ve known him all my life. I would have loved to see him age like me, suffer the same indignities of the ‘Athey Paye Rudawa’, taking a pharmacy of tablets to stay alive, while showering love to the grandchildren. We could have then compared notes how life has treated us since those halcyon days. I can imagine him wearing his poker face, now marked with lines and furrows, just like mine. Pardon me for capturing the tragedy of old age.

He may have a chuckle reading this narrative, wagging his finger at me.

Sunil was a gem in a world of pebbles. His was a short life well lived. I am grateful for his friendship. To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die.

When I think of Sunil, I’m reminded of a poem I learnt as a child that matched his persona perfectly:

Some go silently into the night
walk through the park of our humanity
with breath that parts no air -
steps that bend no grass -
disturbing nothing as they pass.

May you attain the Ultimate Bliss of Nirvana

(2) Some Memories of my Friends

Nihal (ND) Amarasekera

 There is a lasting emptiness as I think of those who were close to me and now have departed this world. We had a happy band of medics travelling daily from Hunupitiya to Maradana by train. Bernard Randeniya, Razaque Ahamath and 2 from our junior batch Ananda Cooray and Ananda Perera. Sadly none of them are alive today. Bernard , Razaque and I studied together in an airy classroom at St Anthony’s Wattala. We kept in touch after we qualified until the ‘bitter end’. They were such wonderful jolly company. We never missed a Colours Nights and the Block Nights and the many “Bull Hooches” in the Mens Common Room. I am so happy I was able to entertain Bernard at my home in Letchworth. He was a generous host to me and my family while he was Medical Superintemdent at Kalutara and also Director at Maharagama Cancer Institute. 

In Kurunegala HN Wickramasinghe was my co-worker in paediatrics. He was a big man with a large heart and a very gentle soul despite his competitive sporty background. A memory that stands out is our visit to the Kurunegala Rest House to celebrate our first payday. That was a long night. W.Rajasooriyar and I were together in the H.O’s  quarters. He was teetotal and tolerated our indiscretions and cared for our hangovers with his own supply of paracetamol. We connected again in the UK when he was an anaesthetist in the north. He seemed happy with his life. 

Priya Guneratne and I worked in paediatrics as interns in Kurunegala. I couldn’t have wished for a better colleague. She was caring as she was hardworking and looked after the children with such love and thoughtfulness. She was ever willing to help out colleagues doing their busy oncalls at night. Priya was such good company with a fine collection of stories and anecdotes to keep us all amused. I will always remember her ever-present smiling face.

Tall ,dark and smart, Tudor Wickramarachchi was an explosive presence in our batch. We soon learnt never to provoke him. He was in Kurunegala for internship and became a live wire in the Ambaruk Sevana Quarters. There was a party every weekend that pulled in the crowds. We belted out C.T Fernando songs until the wee hours of the morning. Tudor knew all the words but sang a different melody. His exuberance lit up the quarters. I had the good fortune to work with Tudor for 6 months when I got to know him better. He had an easy-going attitude to work but had great rapport with his patients and they loved him. Tudor became a respected pathologist in Bristol. When I met him in London, he was a totally changed man, avuncular and full of good advice. I nearly fell off my chair when he refused a drink. 

Debonair Sidath Jayanetti too was resident at the Ambaruk Sevana in Kurunegala when he arrived after internship. He was a popular medic and a charming friend who livened up our lives at those parties. 

During my sojourn at the Central Blood Bank I was ever so fortunate to be with Sivakumar Vedavanam. I remember with great affection our many evenings spent at the Health Department Sports Club at Castle Street. Although he never spoke about religion Veda was always philosophical about the ups and down in our lives. He was wonderful company and a most kind and helpful friend. I am eternally grateful I had Veda for company at a time when there was a  great deal of turmoil in my life. I can still recall his pastoral advice. We often travelled together on our trips to collect blood for the bank. I feel so sad we never had the opportunity to meet in the UK although he was no more than 45 minutes drive away from me.

Remembrance day (2)

 REMEMBRANCE DAY – medical batch of 1962- 67 (2)

Message from Rohini Anandarajah

Grief

Happily we danced and pranced on life’s way

With never a thought there’ll come one day

When a loved one would step on a downward trail

Foreboding that soon they’d be gone away.

 

One reflects in submission -“It is life’s way,

Once been on this earth one goes away-

Death follows life as night follows day”

So we philosophise while grief’s still at bay.

 

“It’s the order of things in this universe we dwell,

Why would we grieve?”  we say to ourselves.

“Being rational and sensible we’d get over it swell”

With thoughts very logical we kid ourselves!

 

In truth my friends, when grief comes by

Into thin air our philosophies vaporise.

It shocks you, it shatters you and blows out your brains

And leaves you a zombie for months on end.

 

The rational being I once thought I was,

Was gone with one stroke, swirled away in a storm

Of disbelief, denial, self-doubt, and wrath-

As realistic as I was, off guard I was caught.

 

And as I walked in a trance for weeks

With my world in a blur, confused and unreal

I sought consolation in all those bereaved

Who had borne with great courage inconceivable grief.

 

To all those who have endured this heart-rending ordeal. 

With my Love and Best Wishes

Rohini

 

Message from Srianee “Bunter” Dias

A Few Memories 

On this Remembrance Day, I would like to join everyone in remembering our batch mates who have left us.  I have specific memories of a few of them that I would like to share. 

Sunna

When I first met ‘Sunna’ I was struck by the way he injected his sentences profusely with “bloody” and ‘bugger!”  I found it very amusing.  Since I didn’t hang out in the men’s common room and play billiards, I didn’t have the opportunity to spend much time with him while in Medical College.  I believe, however, that he was in my Pre-Clinical group and shared the experience of being (in) famously kicked out by Dr Ernie Peiris! 

We became close friends after our internships when we were both temporarily unemployed.  I was newly married at the time, playing at being a ‘housewife’ in Kosgama.  Our rented house was on the main Colombo-Avissawella road and Sunna would sometimes stop in his father’s Land Rover on his way to visit their estate.  I enjoyed those spontaneous visits immensely. 

Later on, we saw each other on and off during the time we were both living in New York City. The spontaneous visit that I remember most clearly is the one during my pathology residency at Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut.  One busy afternoon when I was immersed in examining the specimens that had been delivered from the operating room, our receptionist informed me that there was a phone call for me.  I stripped off my gloves and picked up the phone,  The familiar deep voice at the other end was Sunna, who informed me that he was downstairs in the coffee shop, and had stopped to say “hello!”  He was on his way to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where he was working at the time and had thought of me when he was passing through Norwalk.  I was delighted to take a break from my work to join him for a quick cup of coffee. 

Sunna cared deeply for his friends and made the extra effort to stay in touch with many of us long after we left Medical College.  It was so heartbreaking for everyone when he was killed in a senseless traffic accident a few years later. 

Satchi

Satchi was already in New York City when I first arrived in Brooklyn.  Less than a year after I arrived our older daughter was diagnosed with a hydronephrosis due to a congenital uretero-pelvic junction obstruction.  I was quite shocked and confused by this diagnosis and had difficulty processing the fact that my 2-year-old daughter would have to undergo major surgery.  While we were still coming to grips with this reality, Satchi, who was doing his residency at Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, had made arrangements for us to consult Dr. Keith Waterhouse, who was a well regarded paediatric urologic surgeon.  Dr. Waterhouse successfully repaired the congenital narrowing in my daughter’s UPJ and the kidney function was restored.

That was who Satchi was.  A quiet, unassuming person, working behind the scenes to help his friends.  Satchi endured many health problems in his later years including crippling migraine headaches.  He passed away after moving to Florida.  I will always be grateful to him for taking the initiative to find the best available treatment for my daughter.  (Later, during the two years when I lived and worked in Staten Island I was privileged to become friends with his mother and his three siblings. Only one sister is presently alive.) 

Dawn

Around the time when we were anxiously awaiting our daughter’s surgery, I heard that Dawn and Russell had arrived at Coney Island Hospital.  They may have been staying with Lucky and Ruvini Weerasooriya.  I don’t remember who initiated the phone call, but I do remember a long conversation with Dawn when she listened to me and reassured me in her gentle, soft manner about the impending surgery.  I was very anxious and fearful about what lay ahead and I remember that she really helped me.  Unfortunately, I didn’t see much of her after that, especially after she and her family moved to the Philadelphia area.  The tragic manner in which her life ended, along with her entire family will forever be etched in our memories.

 I have written short anecdotes about just a few of our departed friends because of the manner in which our paths crossed after we left Medical College.  There are many others, including Ganesh, Priya, Manohari, Kiththa, Razaque and Desmond, whom I still remember fondly.

May they Rest in Peace.

 

Message from Speedy

Remembering Kamini Goonewardena (Ferdinando)

 

Kamini was with me right through Medical school as she was a "G" like me in our alphabetical system at the Faculty. She was very innocent and she took all the fun we made at her expense with good humour. Punsiri and I especially enjoyed the perplexed expression on her face when we cracked "kunu" jokes. Sushieila Kanagasabai was one of her frequent companions. They were very good friends and moved like sisters while at Medical college. Susheila changed most of her clinical appointments in hospital so that they could be together and work together. 

She was educated at Ladies College and was one year senior to Srianee and her father was the famous Dr HSR Goonewardena, Deputy Director of Education (Physical Education). 

Sadly, I lost contact with her but managed to get her telephone number from Rohini Ana and spoke to her in December 2016. I had a lovely chat with her and at that time, she was hoping to attend the 50th Anniversary reunion but unfortunately could not make it. 

It was consoling to learn that she passed away peacefully in her sleep. I shall always remember her as a lovely, cheerful, dignified and somewhat serious girl and it was a pleasure to have known her.

REMEMBRANCE DAY 30th MAY

 REMEMBRANCE DAY – medical batch of 1962- 67

 Video by Zita Perera Subasinghe

Message from Mahendra “Speedy” Gonsalkorale

“Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them” – George Eliot

The 30th of May is the day we remember our dear departed friends from our batch. This is now a special date in our Calendar. We have most aptly called this our “Remembrance Day.”

One year has passed since we commemorate Remembrance Day in 2020 with alarming rapidity. We are still in the throes of the Corona pandemic although things are looking a bit better.

We have contributions from Nihal (ND), Zita, Rohini, Kumar and Srianee which I am posting with the greatest pleasure. Zita has produced a video. Le Onde (the wave) with music played by her on her Clavinova. She has also written a poem that appears below. Rohini has contributed a poem addressed to all those who had to face grief through the parting of a person close to them. Nihal has written a eulogy on his good friend Sunna (SR De Silva and Srianee has written beautifully on her specific memories of a few who passed away that she wanted to share.

Remembrance Day posts will appear daily for a few days as there are many contributions.

 Members of the 1962 Batch who have passed away  (Revised 2.02.2021)

1.       S.R. (Sunil) de Silva

2.       A.R.K. (Russel) Paul

3.       Dawne de Silva Paul

4.       Bernard Randeniya

5.       Niriella Chandrasiri

6.       V. Ganeson

7.       L.G.D.K. (Irwin) Herath

8.       V.Kunasingham

9.       B.L. Perera

10.    B. Somasunderam

11.    N.C.D.M. Gunasekara

12.    K.Sunderampillai

13.    Tudor Wickramarachchi

14.    K.N. (Kiththa) Wimalaratne

15.    Anna Ponnambalam Sathiagnanan

16.    A. Satchitananda

17.    N. Sivakumar

18.    T.A. Dayaratne

19.    Sidath Jayanetti

20.    N. Balakumar

21.    Kamali Nimalasuriya de Silva 14.4.2013

22.    K. Sri Kantha – 15.9.13

23.    P. Lucien Perera – 14.6.14

24.    Priya (Gunaratna) de Silva – 8.10.14

25.    Arul (Sivaguru) Balasubramaniam – 15.10.14

26.    W. Punsiri Fernando – 15.11.14

27.    W. Rajasooriyar – 6.1.15

28.    M.P.C. Jaimon – 26.3.15

29.    S. Vedavanam – 1.7.15

30.    Farouk Mahmoud – 27.11.16

31.    Janaka (JG) Wijetunga – 13.03.17

32.    Manohari Navaratnarajah Shanmuganathan – 22.03.17

33.    D. B. Mahendra Collure – 31.05.17

34.    Suren Iyer – 13.10.17

35.    Sardha Jayatilake Wijeratne (Passed away 3 years ago)

36.    S. Sarvananda – 26.05.18

37.   Sue Ratnavel Gunsegaram - 16.7.2018

38.   Boyd Tilak  (Chula)  Batuwitage  - 10.12.2018

39.   Ranjit Kuruppu  9.4. 2019

40.   C.D. (Desmond) Gunatilake  2.6.2019

41.   Razaque Ahamat  7.7.2109

42.   H.N.Wickremasinghe  8.11.2019

43.   Kamini Ferdinando (Goonewardena) 31.1.21

 

Message from Nihal (ND) Amarasekera

The 30th of May is the day we remember our dear departed friends from our batch. This is now a special date in our Calendar. We have aptly called this our “Remembrance Day.” I will indeed bow my head in remembrance of my friends and celebrate their lives. The gnawing pain of the loss of friends never eases with the passage of time. Friendships are one of life’s rich gifts. Those made and firmed in our youth are very special and are for life. They left us prompting great sadness; however, they leave behind fond and unique memories. 

At this time we think of the spouses and families of those who have departed this life. They have had the difficult and painful task of coming to terms with living without their loved ones. We admire and commend their courage and efforts to maintain contact and join our gatherings and reunions. They are an integral part of our community and will always be welcome. 

We take the opportunity to remember our teachers on this our special day.  

The hard toil and the trauma of the five years brought us closer. Our batch of 150 students showed tremendous unity and loyalty to the batch. The pranks and foibles come to mind so easily especially those risqué jokes, allusions and double entendres. The block concerts, Colours Nights, the many evening parties in the Men’s Common Room and the final year trip are memories to treasure. Most of what I remember now are the good times. 

Do make every attempt to keep in touch and there is no better place than our own hangout in cyberspace – we call the Blog. I wish more join-in to make a comment if not willing to make a more substantial contribution in the way of a poem, painting or prose. 

Despite life’s vain tumults, none of us is here forever. Our time will come. Now we are in the grip of events much of it beyond our control. Meanwhile, we must enjoy life, family and friends. Despite the years I still feel a flicker of nerves when I smell formalin or ether. Then a video plays in my mind of friends and life of long ago. Ah!! Where have those years gone? 

As for the rest of us on our onward journey, here are the poignant lyrics of a song made famous around the time we were born and sung so beautifully by Dame Vera Lynn. During those hard times and dark days it gave the people hope, comfort and joy. Let us continue to meet at Reunions, Blogs and Zooms. 

We'll Meet Again

Don't know where, don't know when

But I know We'll Meet Again

Some sunny day

Keep smiling through

Just like you always do

'Till the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away

 

 Message from Zita Perera Subasinghe

To our dear departed ’62 Batch mates

on Remembrance Day 2021ou were part of our ’62 batch

Living, sharing studying as one

Our friendship nothing could match

Lectures, exams, but also fun 

            Graduated with treasured degree

            Our dedication was extreme

            Later separated by land and sea

            In spirit, together, it did seem 

Years passed, and some departed

One by one, from here and there

With pain and tears, eyes smarted

Sad losses we had to bear 

            You’re like family each batch mate

            Ones departed, for you we grieve

            As in each year comes the date

            When from this world you did leave 

Each one’s name is boldly etched

In our hearts, with such great love

Loving memories seem like stretched

In the sky as we look above 

            As a batch we’ll be together

            Companionship never ends

             Memories will sure hold one another

            As a Golden Batch of Forever Friends!

Message from Kumar Gunawardena

“We the 1962 Colombo MedGrads  owe a deep debt of gratitude to Lucky ,Mahen ,Nihal, Rohini, Zita and others for initiating this noble tradition.

We thus remember our mates who have left us , but still live in our hearts.As the great Persian poet and Sufi mystic Rumi says “Don’t say they are gone.The sun and the moon sets but they are not gone”

In the Aztec-Mayan tradition, our third and most definitive death is when there is no one left to remember us. The first being when our bodies cease to function, and the second, when the body is returned to Mother Earth.

Let us keep back,the third death of our comrades, as long as we can.
May All Beings Be Happy”

HAPPY WESAK

 HAPPY WESAK TO OUR READERS

Wednesday 26^th of May is Wesak day.

Wesak celebrates the Buddha's birthday and also marks his enlightenment and death. Wesak is the most important of the Buddhist festivals and is celebrated on the full moon in May. Giving to others is an important Buddhist tradition. Buddhists make a special effort to give to people in need at Wesak.

The YouTube presentation below is to celebrate Wesak and the lyrics were written by me friend Rasieka Jayatunga. Shanta Gunasekera (you might know her as Neurosurgeon Lal Gunasekera’s wife) joined me in singing this song which was composed by me and performed on my Yamaha Genos, followed by the video production. We do hope that it imparts a serious message and that you enjoy it.

Mahendra “Speedy” Gonsalkorale.

SPEEDY DIALOGUE SERIES- EPISODE 10 WITH CHIRASRI JAYAWEERA BANDARA (III)

 “Sharing my paintings with artwork from our Batch mates” Srianee, Nihal and Speedy

SPEEDY DIALOGUE SERIES- EPISODE 10 WITH CHIRASRI JAYAWEERA BANDARA  (III)

Episode 10: Chirasri  Jayaweera Bandara (nee Mallawaratchi)

“Sharing my paintings with artwork from our Batch mates”

Speedy: Good morning Chira. It was very kind of you to respond to my request to post some more of your lovely drawings which were well appreciated by all in the past.

Chira: Thank you Mahendra. I am very happy for you to post them on the Blog.

Speedy: Chira, you asked me a few times to post some of my paintings.. I know that Nihal (ND) and Srianee (Bunter) also do paintings, in the case of Nihal, mainly portraits. You agreed that it was a good idea to ask them to send some of their work for posting and they willingly obliged. This post now has the work of four artists from our batch!

Chira: I am so happy that you are publishing your paintings as well as those of Nihal’s and Srianee’s. One of the reasons I am keen on showing my paintings is to encourage others to take it up. I am looking forward to seeing your lovely self-portrait. What talent!

Speedy: That is great! I agree with you entirely, if we can do it so can you

I have started with your nine paintings and added a few from each of the others.

Would you like to say something about the eight paintings I have chosen from your collection, namely, Siamese fighter fish, Blue and yellow fish, Butterfly, Sea Lion, Bird and babe, Royal Angel fish, Pink Bird, Green and yellow bird and Two penguins.

Chira: .  Sure. I chose them out of many because you requested them, but there is no particular reason why I chose them, just happened to like the subjects. As you know I have never gone for any classes but looked at Photographs and Pictures on the internet, got them on the Lap Top screen and started painting looking at them.

Speedy:  Well, you have done very well indeed.

Chira; After I stopped doing surgery I was at a loss, and my daughter introduced me to do painting by bringing me the necessary Kent paper, watercolours, paintbrushes etc.

Speedy:  Good for her! She must be thrilled with you taking to art so well.

Chira; Yes she is. In fact my daughter is the one who selected the paintings for posting on both occasions. I started painting first with Watercolours and added Acrylic paint later. I did more than 50 paintings, laminated them and put them in an album. I enjoyed painting them and happy especially when they come out well.   

Speedy:  I hope that your story will inspire others to try new things in their retirement too. Not just art, but anything that they like. It is never too late. 

Chira; That is my hope too. I am happy to know that some of our batch mates are artists and could paint well.

Speedy: Yet again, I enjoyed the session with you. You certainly have talent and I am glad you are making use of it.  

Chira:  I really enjoyed this session. It was good to see your work and that of Srianee and Nihal. I hope that more will show us their paintings through the blog. Thank you for giving me this opportunity and I hope that the Blog will continue to flourish. All the best!

Speedy: Just a final note to other budding artists in our batch, I shall be delighted to post your paintings. Chira, it has been my pleasure and thanks again for sharing your work and for encouraging others.  

Nihal D Amarasekera portrait of some of his Batch mates

Srianee’s introduction

“I am usually inspired by an image or a place that has a unique atmosphere. I take a photo and I start with the photo, but don’t try to reproduce it.  My imagination takes over and I try to create a painting that would hopefully evoke an emotional response in the viewer!”

Mahendra

I work with acrylics (my mother, an Dambulla)), oils and I love black and white images (me)with charcoal of soft pencil.

I also use acrylic oil pastels (girl in the park)