This blog is about new entrants to the Colombo Medical Faculty of the University of Ceylon (as it was then known) in June 1962. There were a total of 166 in the batch (included 11 from Peradeniya).Please address all communications to: colmedgrads1962@gmail.com.You may bookmark this page for easier access later. Header image: Courtesy Prof. Rohan Jayasekara, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo (2011 - 2014). Please use the search bar using a key word to access what interests you
Remembrance Day 2022 - A Musical tribute
Rohini Anandaraja and Mahendra Gonsalkorale
Rohini sent me a wonderful lyrical contribution and I just had to compose music using her lines and ended up singing to it and producing a video! I included a photo gallery of our dear departed colleagues but omitted their names as I thought it would be redundant.
We do hope you like it
Rohini and Mahen
ReplyDeleteThank you for the poems so beautifully done. There is something very special about poetry where the words just seem to stay closer to the heart. This is so much harder to achieve with prose. Rhyming poems have the olde world feel and have a special appeal. Such poems have a rhythm. I enjoyed immensely Mahen’s singing and the melody. The video of the waves forming and disappearing is so very pertinent to our lives and so poignant. The photos of our friends bring them back to life and to happier times when we were all together. This wonderful collection together summarises our feelings so well.
Many thanks Nihal. It gave me a lot of pleasure and satisfaction producing this. I hope it will be appreciated by our colleagues. The melody keeps going round and round in my head as it is fairly straightforward and easy to sing.
DeleteNihal, Iam glad you liked my lines .
DeleteWhile I consider poetry very special, what you achieve with your beautifully elegant prose is equally special. We are so privileged to enjoy your prose.
Thank you.
Mahen, The melody was beautiful and I can imagine why it haunts you ! Though you say it was easy to sing I thought it was somewhat of a feat ! I noted and appreciated the way you paused now and then to get the meter right wherever possible. It is not easy trying to sing a poem ! A song has to be written for singing! You’ve done well with my lines- Thank you.
DeleteRohini and Mahendra
ReplyDeleteCongratulations for the excellent lyrical contribution and the lovely melody and singing. Well done ! It couldn't have been better.
The phographs at the end was the climax. Good idea. I wish they stayed on the screen for a longer period.
I really emjoyed it bringing back fond memories of yesteryear.
About one third of our batch mates have gone. Let us think of the happy memories. May they rest in peace.
Chira
Thanks, Chira. I am pleased you liked it. It was worth the effort. As for the photos at the end, this is the advantage of a video as you can pause it and have a good look whenever you want. This is the reason I put them at the end after the song was over. Thanks for your cotribution too.
DeleteThank you Chira - So glad you liked it.
DeleteThank you Mahen and Rohini for this joint tribute with haunting lyrics and music. Mahen, beautiful production, and sung with great feeling.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
Mahen,
ReplyDeleteThis is indeed a huge surprise.
The verses with a background of music was all I expected.
Once again you have done the impossible task of singing what was meant to be just a poem to be recited with its iambic pentameter rhythm and rhymes.
You have done pretty well and managed to preserve these most of the time .
The gentle ,mellowed tone of your voice suited the somber mood perfectly while your musical accompaniment on the Genos and the visuals were very well chosen - the final fading afterglow of a sunset a most fitting conclusion to this fine composition .
Well done Mahen and Thank you for all your time and effort - a wonderful remembrance.
Rohini
I am indeed very pleased that you liked it Rohini. At first I wanted to share it with you before I posted it but the impulse to make it a surprise triumphed! The melody came quite easily and as you so astutely noticed, at times, like for example in the second verse last two lines, I "went off" a bit from what I intended. What took time was finding and deciding on the visual input and then putting it all together. But the whole experience, as always, was rewarding and satisfying.
DeleteON BEHALF OF DHUSHYANTHI VEDAVANAM
ReplyDeleteMahendra and Rohini Thank you so much for creating another video for Remrmbrance Day. It is so touching. The lyrics so moving
together with the lovely singing by Mahen. Thank you both for your great effort in producing a beautiful video for us all to enjoy
Dhushyanthi- So lovely to hear from you - It is so nice that you keep in touch as you are so much a part of us. Hope you and your family are keeping well and safe. Shall be in touch. With Best wishes - Rohini
DeleteI too have fond memories of Vethavanam. We both lived down Rajasinghe Road Wellawatte in the fifties and if I remember right our houses were not far from each other and his sister whom I met in Sacramento was a classmate of my sister. But I remember very well and will never forget was our final year exam. Vethavanam had GYN long case in the morning with Prof Sinnathamby and the case was a total prolapse of the Uterus with Ulcers. When by Prof Sinna the cause of the UlcerVethavanam gave different reasons but was not acceptable to the Prof. The Prof then gave the explanation of Ischemia secondary to constriction. Vethavanam came and related this case to all of us who are jittery going the afternoon, I was one of them and to my good fortune I got this same case and When Prof S asked for the explanation, I spat out exactly what Vethavanam told me and Prof S completed me by saying “ This fellow knows his work and all that”. Thanks Vethavanam
ReplyDeleteDear "Anonymous" I am curious about your identity, because I was also living down Rajasinghe Road, Wellawatte, in the late fifties and early sixties.
DeleteFROM SHANTI NALLIAH
ReplyDeleteThank you Mahendra and Rohini for this video you have created to remind all of us our dear Batchmates who are no more with us. I was very moved listening to the lyric and can't believe how the years have gone. We are very fortunate to be blessed with very talented Batchmates who are keeping all of us together and motivating us. Thanks Lucky for setting up the Blog and others for their very valuable contributions. Thank you all for being my Batchmates.! God Bless you
Shanti, So nice to hear from you - I have a vivid picture of you and your laugh in my memory from med school days - wish we could have met again! The video was entirely Mahen’s creation - I only happened to write poem ! Take care and God bless you too -
DeleteSrianee, I think Anonymous is Lama. Any other guesses?
DeleteRohini and Mahen
ReplyDeleteA lovely poem which was very moving and appropriate for a remembrance event. Mahen well sung,you modulated your voice to capture the sombre mood.The background calm sea was a good choice.
Thanks. Bora. So pleased you enjoyed it. It was very satisfying to do it
DeleteThank you Bora- Iam glad you liked the poem. Looking forward to more of ‘Bora’s Banter’ !
DeleteFROM ZITA
DeleteA wonderful tribute by Rohini, well presented in musical perfection by Mahendra! We’re proud of you!
Our batch mates’ memories will remain with us for ever! Zita
Zita, How wonderful to see you - hope you are doing ok-
DeleteYou have been very much in my thoughts frequently and missed you even more during this time of remembrance. Your wonderful contributions in past years came tumbling back and I was sad I couldn’t be in touch with you with the problems you’ve had with your email. Take care my dear friend and do be in touch when you can - With Love