tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56475619539428836402024-03-28T08:52:55.301-07:00Colombo Medgrads 1962This blog is about new entrants to the Colombo Medical Faculty of the University of Ceylon (as it was then known) in June 1962. 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
Lucky Abeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14193645922522446176noreply@blogger.comBlogger1291125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-4803423526021566572024-03-28T03:27:00.000-07:002024-03-28T03:27:37.424-07:00The wistful musings of a reluctant émigré by Nihal D Amerasekera<p><b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The wistful musings of a
reluctant émigré</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;">By
Dr Nihal D Amerasekera<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;">It
has been a cold and wet winter in London. As I snuggle-up in my rocking chair
to write my thoughts I can hear the wind howling outside. The raindrops are
carried horizontally by the strong south-westerly wind battering the window
panes and dripping down in torrents.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;">I
still have grateful memories of a happy 12 years at Wesley College. The school
on Karlsruhe Hill was established with missionary zeal and some colonial vigour
but it catered for all Ceylonese. The school became the cradle of
multiculturalism. Protected from the polarised world outside, it remained
secular and was driven by merit. Since the very beginning, Wesley has strived
hard to become a modern, forward-thinking school. The school has a strong
record of academic achievements and a full programme of wider life activities,
including the arts and sports.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;">The
school’s sesquicentennial anniversary has come and gone. One hundred and fifty
years of life of a school is a huge achievement in this era of survival of the
fittest. Longevity arises partly from good fortune but mostly from sustained effort.
I left school in April 1962 to seek that elusive fame and fortune. They both
have eluded me since!!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;">I
was unable to attend any of the functions and events of this great occasion. Living in London, the journey, including a long flight, was too arduous to attempt. Age-related infirmities have caught up with me. I have done the next
best thing, to watch on social media the unfolding of a prodigious chain of
events. There weren’t many from my generation present as some have departed
this world. The dinners and dances were vibrant, colourful and full of fun. The
young enjoyed it to their hearts content. Many of my contemporaries boogied the
night away taking longer breaks to catch their breath. There is a message in
all this. Do what you can when you are fit and able. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;">The
camaraderie was there for all to see with smaller reunions and gatherings prior
to the main dinner and dance at the Shangri-La Hotel. When old boys come
together, they move into recollection mode, recalling those beautiful, quirky
moments of their youth. There is never a dull moment. Voices are imitated, mannerisms
mimicked, and idiosyncrasies enhanced. Long forgotten episodes of school life
suddenly spring to mind, bringing laughter, affection, and sadness. As
the wine and conversation flowed, they are transported back many decades
bringing forth those warm feelings of the lost years. The last to leave often
provided a lusty rendition of the old school song.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;">We
spend our formative and impressionable years at school. It has created an
Aladdin's cave of wondrous memories. The sands of time have moved on as I have
progressed from youth to middle age and beyond. Those memories of friends and
fun seemed to be stored and archived to last a lifetime. The stored memories
resurface each time I visit the old school and walk the long corridors again. The
Great Hall is a remarkable place for nostalgia. When I sit in silence beneath the
high teak ceiling surrounded by gorgeous Victorian stained-glass windows, the school
song seems to resonate in the distance. It is not easy to hold back the tears. The
intensity of the occasion is often overwhelming. As I live so far away beyond
the horizon, this for me is a special treat.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;">It
was cricket that unified us all. Playing and watching the game was one of the
most enjoyable things of my time at Wesley. A tangle of emotions tumble through
my mind as I reflect on watching cricket under the mara trees at Campbell Park.
For the students at Wesley College, Campbell Park has been the cradle of all
sports. But the school has never owned the park. It is on a short lease
reluctantly extended, each time, by the Colombo Municipal Council. During the
Anniversary Dinner at the Shangri-la, successive speakers pleaded with the
President of Sri Lanka, who was an honoured guest, to handover the park to the
school. It is true these are not issues that could be resolved over dinner. The
promise was to say “I will see what I can do”. However, we can but dream of a
good outcome.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;">We
all hate change and often hear the laments "the school is not what it used
to be" or “It is not as good as it was”. This is more a nostalgic vision
of a mystical, non-existent past. Schools are places of endemic change. Every
year new students join and those who have left go farther on life's journey
outside the school gates. We must change with time. The school has changed and
have done so maintaining our links with our glorious past. We have kept the old
traditions whilst embracing the innovative and modern. Rejuvenation and
modernisation are a continuous process. It would be dismissive to say that the
changes thus far have procured no benefit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;">Since
my time the landscape surrounding the school too has changed beyond
recognition. The narrow Baseline road of my day of Morris Minor cabs and red
Leyland buses has given way to a busy dual carriageway of faster traffic. The
view of the Welikada Prison and its perimeter fence seem to be unchanged. <span style="background: white;">Being so close to the prison for over a
decade I had often peered into the distance allowing my mind to wander inside. For
many of us the prison is a dark and mysterious place. Very few knew what
happened behind those grim iron gates. To us the inmates were criminals, desperate
and dangerous. Being a place of punishment, the isolation and the years of
incarceration was a burden to endure. The humiliation, suffering and the lack
of privacy must have been soul destroying. The solitary confinement could have
broken their spirit. At the end of their ordeal how on earth did they face the
world again?</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;">While
living abroad it is much harder to keep abreast of all the changes taking place
in an ever-evolving school. Much of the lawns, shrubs and trees have
disappeared to give way to the new buildings and a swimming pool. Although
these changes were needed, to old fogeys like me it seems like a desecration of
what we knew and remembered of the old school. I wish I could turn back the
clock, just for a brief moment, to enjoy what it was like in the 1950’s to see
the well-manicured lawns and the colourful flowers in pergolas. The flamboyant
trees in full bloom in the month of May was a sight never to be missed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;">In
this fractured and troubled world, what we seek more than anything is a sense
of belonging, a feeling that we are part of a community of like-minded souls.
Despite this it is ironic how many of the rising generation of students after
having received a fine education, leave the school never to set foot on those
hallowed grounds ever again. It amazes me that even those old boys who live in
Sri Lanka and some living in Colombo have never been to the school premises as
past students. In the endless whirr of 24/7 life of the 21st Century it is
perhaps easy to forget our formative years. Some must have jolly good reasons
to do so. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif;">The
school has thus far survived the rapids of two destructive World Wars and many
political and economic upheavals. I shudder to think what the next 100 years
will bring to the school and to us humans. With artificial intelligence there
may not be a need for a school!! People will most certainly live longer and may
even emigrate to distant planets. With the current trends and the serious consequences
of global warming, there are doubts about the existence of life on our planet
that far ahead. That distant future is beyond anyone’s comprehension. Meanwhile,
let us take care of our planet and be happy and content with what we have now. <o:p></o:p></span></p>Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-967399393074214792024-03-23T03:08:00.000-07:002024-03-23T03:31:44.038-07:00MY PAINTINGS OF FRUITS 2 - Chirasri Jayaweera Bandara<h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US"><span>MY PAINTINGS OF FRUITS Part 2 </span><span> </span></span><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></b></span></h2><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">WITH
THEIR HEALTH BENEFITS </span></b></span></h2><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">DR. C. D. JAYAWEERA BANDARA</span></span></b></span></h2><div><b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhih1hPq9g56ms3EGltGjUmpZpGn2Ietrz88G_6sD8CdscnFGwbgqnwnBbia-xErwA0zQ2QqlqHPIrEtAhB78q5CvMEqP9FAPnwHB8r5XmPzDPeCSbp_KLKWWHs_htvrtEYBJjHfg3B5MGMDuNyhYKaXEQp55TbGIPXRRFEnHYDFT3LgG4zKTowLAgbfnts/s2270/my%20fruit%202-11.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1168" data-original-width="2270" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhih1hPq9g56ms3EGltGjUmpZpGn2Ietrz88G_6sD8CdscnFGwbgqnwnBbia-xErwA0zQ2QqlqHPIrEtAhB78q5CvMEqP9FAPnwHB8r5XmPzDPeCSbp_KLKWWHs_htvrtEYBJjHfg3B5MGMDuNyhYKaXEQp55TbGIPXRRFEnHYDFT3LgG4zKTowLAgbfnts/w587-h302/my%20fruit%202-11.jpg" width="587" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></b></div><div><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9WrSrSGUz2-QIENG6Wbq283XlNVn1YOFeDOLL7imxnakFhZrTkMfJBejGrHt5gu1ONWE9-H52WsUhlYkPy0z3meCAYw8BIl-iZF_j_Li8hH1fbLcv0UpgWqs3hfmITqcn6zhzDuv2Frob7ZeexYiMkmeMzs6giQmO9M-nIfnNvVotnPYvwMIb4OIzVmh/s1772/my%20fruits%202-2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="1772" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9WrSrSGUz2-QIENG6Wbq283XlNVn1YOFeDOLL7imxnakFhZrTkMfJBejGrHt5gu1ONWE9-H52WsUhlYkPy0z3meCAYw8BIl-iZF_j_Li8hH1fbLcv0UpgWqs3hfmITqcn6zhzDuv2Frob7ZeexYiMkmeMzs6giQmO9M-nIfnNvVotnPYvwMIb4OIzVmh/w594-h198/my%20fruits%202-2.jpg" width="594" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ySsNyNFBO8fZ2rRpAGQnKpEB8XEh812OHjryspsL37cyVNysOdvJhyphenhyphenCFEk9_mfHY5X9W2y7UZxOaOE5FhTQztXSvmB6ob9HSwxrAbyAC2atz4kAIztmFPtM50IIQfGasstEvAH3WdB_1rUChIVN8tV6KSlT-sCSgspbbitP_4yGE81ikeA3x2_iPPwDR/s1720/my%20fruits%202-3.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="874" data-original-width="1720" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ySsNyNFBO8fZ2rRpAGQnKpEB8XEh812OHjryspsL37cyVNysOdvJhyphenhyphenCFEk9_mfHY5X9W2y7UZxOaOE5FhTQztXSvmB6ob9HSwxrAbyAC2atz4kAIztmFPtM50IIQfGasstEvAH3WdB_1rUChIVN8tV6KSlT-sCSgspbbitP_4yGE81ikeA3x2_iPPwDR/w548-h279/my%20fruits%202-3.jpg" width="548" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1PUKh287wRMP8DCB1Ef42E1dKtW-_dvptyhuNfgE12W_uo554OE2lY6wcHhyphenhyphenfbmtfbNmjcKiCXIdtfntSJY6sTDj5do0DszadyhsQu9jX6GihHhy-N8m8MqjU7XvdMqpxWKe-fgu6tgmBCucUmutFCdVIXa7TvzpS4TNnQGZuroddi842ke0yvsr-TMe8/s1602/my%20fruit%202-4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="934" data-original-width="1602" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1PUKh287wRMP8DCB1Ef42E1dKtW-_dvptyhuNfgE12W_uo554OE2lY6wcHhyphenhyphenfbmtfbNmjcKiCXIdtfntSJY6sTDj5do0DszadyhsQu9jX6GihHhy-N8m8MqjU7XvdMqpxWKe-fgu6tgmBCucUmutFCdVIXa7TvzpS4TNnQGZuroddi842ke0yvsr-TMe8/w583-h341/my%20fruit%202-4.jpg" width="583" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">HEALTH BENEFITS OF FRUITS 2</span><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;">ANTIOXIDANTS ARE PRESENT IN ALL 8 ABOVE
FRUITS</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><i>ANTIOXIDANT FRUIT BENEFITS</i><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Epidemiological
prospective studies show that higher intakes antioxidant rich fruits are
associated with lower risk of chronic oxidative stress – related diseases like
cardiovascular diseases, carcinoma and death from all causes.</span><b style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 18pt;">Benefits of Antioxidants</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">1. Reduce Oxidative stress<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">2. Support disease prevention<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">3. Support Eye health<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">4. Aid in brain function<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">5. Contribute Mental health improvements<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">6. Reduce inflammation<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">7. Support healthy aging processes <b style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span><b><span lang="EN-US">7 PAPAYA</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span>Scientific Name Carica papaya</span><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><span lang="EN-US">In addition to above benefits of antioxidants</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">8. Protects the heart</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">9. Gives glowing skin<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">10.Boosts
digestive system<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">11. Great food for
Diabetes<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">12.Reduces Cholesterol <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">13. Lowers the risk of Cancer<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span lang="EN-US">8 JUMBU</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Scientific Name Syzgium samaragense</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span>In addition to the above benefits of Antioxidants<span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">8. Improves
Haemoglobin count<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">9. Keeps skin
healthy <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">10.Manage Diabetes<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">11.Boosts heart health<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">12.Helps with weight loss<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">13.Improves gastric health. Provide relief from
constipation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">14. Maintain oral health <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: medium;">9 GUAVA</span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: medium;">Scientific
Name Psidium guajava</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: medium;">In
addition to the above benefits of Antioxidants </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"> 8.
May help lower Blood sugar Levels <span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US"> 9. May boost
heart health. Lowers BP and Cholesterol<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">10. May help Dysmenorrhoea<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">11. May benefit Digestive system. Prevent
constipation<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">12.May have an anticancer effect<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">13. May be good for the skin<b><o:p style="font-size: 14pt;"></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: medium;">10 MANGO<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: medium;">Scientific
Name Mangifera indica</span><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: medium;">In
addition to the benefits of Antioxidants</span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">8. May help prevent Diabetes</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">9. Supports heart health<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">10. May improve digestive health<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">11. Glowing skin<b><o:p style="font-size: 14pt;"></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: large;">11 DURIAN</span></p><h3 style="font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;"><span>Scientific Name Durio</span></span></b></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%;">In addition to the above benefits of
Antioxidants<o:p style="font-size: 16pt;"></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">8. Protect against Cardiovascular disease.
Lowers BP <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">9. Improve
signs of Anaemia<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">10. Prevents Cancer<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">11. Improve digestion<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">12. Strengthen bones<b><o:p style="font-size: 14pt;"></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: medium;">12 BANANA<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: medium;">Scientific Name Musa</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: medium;">In addition to the above benefits of Antioxidants</span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">8. May reduce Cardiovascular risk. Lowers BP</span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US"> 9. Regulate glucose in blood</span></span></h4><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">10. Lowers risk
of Cancer</span></h4>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: medium;">13 WOODAPPLE<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: medium;">Scientific Name Limonia acidissima<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: medium;">In addition to the above
benefits of Antioxidants</span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US"> </span> 8. Helps
manage Diabetes</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US"> 9. Supports
digestive health<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">10. Prevents respiratory ailments<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">11. Boosts energy<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">12. Treat Piles and Ulcers<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">13. Aids weight loss<b><o:p style="font-size: 14pt;"></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: medium; font-weight: bold;">14 </span><b><span style="font-size: medium;">BEL</span><span style="font-size: medium;">I</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span>Scientific Name Aegle marmelos</span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span> </span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US"><span><b>In
addition to the above benefits of Antioxidants</b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span>8. It has antimicrobial properties, may help fight
against certain Bacteria and fungi</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">9. Might help
treatment of Asthma, Diarrhoea<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-US">10. Help reduce
Blood sugar<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">11.
Has Hepatoprotective properties, may help Liver</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div>Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-269257461491209932024-03-18T13:42:00.000-07:002024-03-19T02:06:24.620-07:00Forever 62 Group lunch- Friday 1st of March 2024<p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Forever 62 Group lunch on Friday 1st of March at <span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Colombo Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel</span></span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The indefatigable Pram organised a Foerver 62 group lunch to greet visiting batchmates "Speedy" Mahendra Gonsalkorale and Srianee "Bunter" Dias.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Many batchmates living in Sri Lanka attended this most enjoyable occasion. Sanath Lamabadusuriya, Vasanthy Thuraisingham, Harsha Samarajeewa, Lucky and Mangala Abeygunawardena and Manel Wijesundera were unable to attend and sent their apologies. It was great to see many spouses, too.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The sumptuous meal was enjoyed by all, and as is customary on these occasions, many events from our batch days were recalled with affection. Many who were meeting after a long time were met with the usual "you haven't changed a bit" remark, which is always amusing as well as flattering.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl95qOnGy7Cc_ad5-lq5okMSIKgMsbGpUOv7e7l8-H72bjwHo9QMT8Ajgv1ds7dD5XkP7iMBT9OVYJ04FEDKw1roH7jNEXydAXasg_5nJmtASikqxoWz3HRqSVeyrSxINJIjSGrXQpsXdqEqYnErNWJQ26aFAnzQTXAG9_KESCHa1mRSc6QmXchG-TC4V0/s4000/IMG20240301124437.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="4000" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl95qOnGy7Cc_ad5-lq5okMSIKgMsbGpUOv7e7l8-H72bjwHo9QMT8Ajgv1ds7dD5XkP7iMBT9OVYJ04FEDKw1roH7jNEXydAXasg_5nJmtASikqxoWz3HRqSVeyrSxINJIjSGrXQpsXdqEqYnErNWJQ26aFAnzQTXAG9_KESCHa1mRSc6QmXchG-TC4V0/w449-h338/IMG20240301124437.jpg" width="449" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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PAINTINGS OF FRUITS 1</span></span></b></h1><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: small;">WITH
THEIR HEALTH BENEFITS</span></span></b></h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Dr. C.
D. Jayaweera Bandara</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I have given the scientific name of each. Some of the <b>claimed Health Benefits</b> as described may not be strictly scientifically verified and are debatable. Some claims are highly generalised and open to question. Readers can make up their own minds, and I shall be keen for your feedback.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg06N_tBYukcFVq5fu1rDr7-jL3mb-6-yTxsQuZCHzJr73HSbXoSTIqFxgCBcH9vPhkiap4Z9ZlTPgTPsCug_zOVVFbfXvekim3W4DQ_cp5NfDLFWAfRoi3nbzkKo-rWGTQEs5HNg4qI59NrN9YaF7ApmLAyERGQfpW45sW7t3lbunL0P6scGRsl1pYW2Ck/s3074/CN1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1581" data-original-width="3074" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg06N_tBYukcFVq5fu1rDr7-jL3mb-6-yTxsQuZCHzJr73HSbXoSTIqFxgCBcH9vPhkiap4Z9ZlTPgTPsCug_zOVVFbfXvekim3W4DQ_cp5NfDLFWAfRoi3nbzkKo-rWGTQEs5HNg4qI59NrN9YaF7ApmLAyERGQfpW45sW7t3lbunL0P6scGRsl1pYW2Ck/w577-h298/CN1.jpg" width="577" /></a></b></div><b><br /><br /></b><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>AVOCADO </b><i><span lang="EN-US">Persea
Americana </span></i><b><span lang="EN-US">RAMBUTAN </span></b><i><span lang="EN-US"> Nephelium
lappaceum</span></i></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDer1FTrwutqdd3q5M6bqi0dXQIpMA-f2oi0PfvedCD8aBurjcwzTX6QEKA_jvnh2NXYZiPKiyJ6CmNL-ty9NJOox_mUZuwW4aYHogjGIORXvPyHwNUNdRPrpMkYnYTBqUsy7pKfFN67KVdrJRk2bxyzlm93XFjW7ldRj4oTkK-ZDw45Y-KvM4pTcJb8u/s3019/CN2.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1464" data-original-width="3019" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDer1FTrwutqdd3q5M6bqi0dXQIpMA-f2oi0PfvedCD8aBurjcwzTX6QEKA_jvnh2NXYZiPKiyJ6CmNL-ty9NJOox_mUZuwW4aYHogjGIORXvPyHwNUNdRPrpMkYnYTBqUsy7pKfFN67KVdrJRk2bxyzlm93XFjW7ldRj4oTkK-ZDw45Y-KvM4pTcJb8u/w570-h276/CN2.jpg" width="570" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US">POMEGRANATE </span></b><i><span lang="EN-US">Punica
granatum </span></i><b><span lang="EN-US">PINEAPPLE </span></b><i><span lang="EN-US"> Ananas comosus</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58hpCTY2WAP6XNJGPC_kZqEFMoVfqfMKqNg0aBxZXrFtGLZlWAD-VKlZe0DxxvwwiGMJf-VfdzX_T750Gd7cB9VELMVHBWj-ZumJD7zlo_4sudzdJ5lWfuWu57Gfs-E-HfTcGW7_693U9BCuNzp8tbfrefSa-IYmuYoc7m9qu7YBU7d0LUjp8HpTUh66O/s3334/CN3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1434" data-original-width="3334" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58hpCTY2WAP6XNJGPC_kZqEFMoVfqfMKqNg0aBxZXrFtGLZlWAD-VKlZe0DxxvwwiGMJf-VfdzX_T750Gd7cB9VELMVHBWj-ZumJD7zlo_4sudzdJ5lWfuWu57Gfs-E-HfTcGW7_693U9BCuNzp8tbfrefSa-IYmuYoc7m9qu7YBU7d0LUjp8HpTUh66O/w564-h243/CN3.jpg" width="564" /></a></b></div><b><br /><br /></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US">MANGOSTEEN </span></b><i><span lang="EN-US">Garcinia mangostane </span></i><b><span lang="EN-US">PASSION FRUIT </span></b><i><span lang="EN-US">GENUS Passiflora edulis</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">HEALTH
BENEFITS OF FRUITS</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">ANTIOXIDANTS ARE
PRESENT IN ALL 6 ABOVE FRUITS</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">ANTIOXIDANT
FRUIT BENEFITS</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal">Epidemiological
prospective studies show that higher intakes of antioxidant-rich fruits are
associated with a lower risk of chronic oxidative stress–related diseases
like cardiovascular diseases, carcinoma and death from all causes.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Other
benefits of Antioxidants</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">1. Boosts immune
system.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">2. Reduce
inflammation</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">3 Support
disease prevention</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">4. Support
Eye Health</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">5. Aid in brain function</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">6. Contribute Mental health
improvements</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">7. Support healthy ageing processes</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN-US">1
AVOCADO</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">In addition to the above benefits
of <b>Antioxidants, Avocado</b></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">8. Keeps
heart healthy, rich in monosaturated fat that helps in reducing bad cholesterol</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">9. Lowers
BP, loaded with Potassium, which makes it good for people with high BP</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">10. One of high protein which helps
in the building of bones, muscle, cartilage, skin and blood</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">11. Packed with fibre, which helps in
weight loss and reducing Blood sugar</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a name="_Hlk159342609"><span lang="EN-US">12. Improves
digestion. High in B vitamins. B Complex vitamins very important for cellular
metabolism and digestion</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">2 RAMBUTAN</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">In addition to the above benefits
of <b>Antioxidants, Rambutan</b></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">8. Lowers LDL Cholesterol</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">9. Improves digestion</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">10. Excellent for weight loss</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">11. Strengthens teeth and bones</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">12. Cleans the Kidney</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">13. Tones skin</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">14. Regulate blood sugar</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">3 POMEGRANATE</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">In addition to the above benefits
of <b>Antioxidants, Pomegranate</b></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">8. Provides Potassium crucial to the heart, muscles, nerves, etc.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">9. Vitamin C protects cells, heal
wounds</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">10. Folate and Thiamine help with
growth, development and cell function</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">11. Manganese helps to
form bone and joint tissue.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">12. Has Urinary and
Prostate healthy benefits</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">4 PINEAPPLE</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In addition
to the above benefits of <b>Antioxidants, Pineapple</b></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">8. May reduce your
risk of Cancer</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US"> 9. Strengthen bone</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">10. Good for teeth</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">11. Maintain skin health</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">12. Strengthen nails and
prevent hair loss</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">13. Aids in digestion</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">14. Reduce symptoms
of arthritis</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">15. Prevents
hypertension</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">16. Has astringent
properties which strengthen gums and make sure your</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">teeth do not get loose</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">5 MANGOSTEEN</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In addition
to the above benefits of <b>Antioxidants</b></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">8. It has become known as the Queen of
Fruits and Fruits of God</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US">9. Mangosteen is used for Diarrhoea,
UTI, Gonorrhea, Thrush, TB, Menstrual disorders, Cancer, Osteoarthritis and
Dysentery</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">6 PASSION
FRUIT</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US">In addition
to the above benefits of <b>Antioxidants</b></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US">8. Reducing Cholesterol
and boosting heart health. Loaded with heart-healthy Potassium and low in Sodium, it helps reduce BP.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US">9. Good source of
fibre and is gut-friendly, preventing constipation and bowel disorders</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US">10. Low glycaemic
index. Good for Diabetics</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US">11. Improve Insulin
Sensitivity</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US">12. Contain
Magnesium decreases Stress and anxiety<b> </b></span></p></div>Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-38362762456689816252024-02-18T02:25:00.000-08:002024-02-18T14:31:12.299-08:00Art and the Artist- Srianee Dias<p><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Art and the Artist</span></b></p>
<p class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">By Srianee “Bunter” Dias (nee Fernando)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">-</span><span color="windowtext" lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align: center; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound: simple; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash: solid; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth: 0pt; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join: bevel; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap: round; mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit: 0%; mso-style-textoutline-type: none;"> "</span><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Should we not separate the creative work from the personal
lives of the creators and appreciate the works for their artistic value”-</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="Body" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy3F-bTZd9txk4DTfNkHWnI1qi-PLC6jpUlu288oNF7HYQH3bObHlo1QfZGGHmFZldb3JYRXcgPbnUQ9_lPzpadnSw0plwJq7IHMKqMIScXcYjWoYfpJQQYRyVl8gF8ptSGRO8xiLxDDCtVqtkQoqMtbNjgm8hhKZ2uFPJcAcIjmaJz-OYdIrlkVq9_307/s2048/sranee%20blog%20art%202.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1274" data-original-width="2048" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy3F-bTZd9txk4DTfNkHWnI1qi-PLC6jpUlu288oNF7HYQH3bObHlo1QfZGGHmFZldb3JYRXcgPbnUQ9_lPzpadnSw0plwJq7IHMKqMIScXcYjWoYfpJQQYRyVl8gF8ptSGRO8xiLxDDCtVqtkQoqMtbNjgm8hhKZ2uFPJcAcIjmaJz-OYdIrlkVq9_307/s320/sranee%20blog%20art%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">While reading The New Yorker magazine online recently, I came across this article entitled “The Second Death of Pablo Neruda.” It sparked my interest because
Kumar G. and others had written about him previously on our Blog. Neruda was a
Chilean poet who led a colourful life, and was a supporter of the socialist
President Salvador Allende, who was overthrown by Augusto Pinochet in a coup in
1973. For generations, Neruda’s prestige in literature was unquestioned, but now it appears that his life, his work, and even his death are under scrutiny.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="Body" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">He first published his poetry using
the pen name “Pablo Neruda” when he was just 19 years old, and kept on writing
poetry throughout his career in the foreign service. One of his appointments was in Colombo. Later he was elected to the Senate in Chile,
and officially joined the Communist Party. He won the Stalin Peace Prize in
1953 and the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1971.
He was revered and celebrated in Chile long after his death in 1973. His homes in Santiago, Valparaiso and Isla
Negra are now museums visited by thousands of visitors.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="Body" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Things began to change in 2011 with a
strong feminist movement demanding accountability for Chile’s institutional
violence against women. There were
street demonstrations demanding non-sexist education in schools and protests
against sexual harassment of women.
Details of Neruda’s life began to be viewed in a different light; his
womanising and his treatment of his daughter, who was born with
hydrocephalus. There was also his own
confession of the rape of a maid in Colombo when he was in his late twenties. Neruda wrote about this incident in his book
“Memoirs.” (The original Spanish title of this book translates as “I Confess
That I Have Lived.”) There is a
movement in Chile now to recognize Gabriela Mistral as Chile’s foremost poet
instead of Neruda.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="Body" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">These days, when Neruda’s work is taught in universities, the students frequently challenge the professors. Isabel Allende said it best:
“Like many young feminists in Chile, I am disgusted by some aspects of Neruda’s
life and personality. However, we cannot
dismiss his writing.”</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="Body" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">After reading this article, I began to think, is it fair to denigrate, blacklist, and banish the creations of talented artists/writers/poets/actors when serious personal misdeeds are revealed? <a name="_Hlk159008844">Should we not
separate the creative work from the creators' personal lives and
appreciate the works for their artistic value</a>. In the distant past we were
far more forgiving. Of course, there were no social media then to generate frenzied emotional rhetoric.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="Body" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">An artist whose paintings I have long
admired is Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio known simply as Caravaggio. He was a violent man who killed a man when he
was a teenager and was forced to flee his village. Throughout his life (1571-1610) he was
involved in drunken brawls and possibly even more killings. He subsequently died in Naples after being
injured in a fight which led to wound infection. His paintings are magnificent, featuring struggles, torture, death, and biblical themes. He was known for his dramatic use of light –
chiaroscuro- (the treatment of light and shade in drawing and painting) and tenebrism (painting using especially
pronounced chiaroscuro, where there are violent contrasts of light and dark). He was also known for painting directly from
life on the canvas without first drawing the subject, which required
exceptional talent. Despite his violent
and murderous ways, his paintings have not been condemned to the basement of
museums.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Body" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Paul Gauguin ( 1848-1903), whose vibrant paintings have delighted many of us, left his middle-class life as a stockbroker, a life including a wife and five children, and moved to French Polynesia. There he “married” several young women who
were about 14 years old. Gauguin’s paintings continue to be exhibited proudly
in many museums in spite of his questionable lifestyle.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="Body" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) was another
genius who famously treated the women in his life miserably. He created about 20,000 paintings, prints,
drawings, sculptures and ceramics. His style evolved from realism to abstraction,
cubism, surrealism and expressionism. He
is held in great esteem in spite of his many character flaws.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="Body" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">One of the most shocking revelations
in recent years was when the actor/comedian Bill Cosby was accused by several
women of sexual assault. My daughters and I had been fans of his many TV productions, which included some children’s shows where he played loveable, funny characters. Most recently, he played the affable Dr Cliff Huxtable on The Cosby Show, a doctor and a dad handling the usual family crises with great humour. Reruns of the show
were being aired when Bill Cosby’s trial began, and many TV networks decided to
stop airing the reruns. They punished
not just him but all his young co-stars as well. Bill Cosby got his judgment in court, and I
thought the actions of the networks were quite unnecessary and not justified.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="Body" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZn6F2ZzmDYrKnvxqsBxbwWpN1pZQKfoSRAJlZNcUcJJIc31TRg_LiGiOLf6Y1YRwPrb5KH-XR1UNw5twWKfYi0HPL0q5ebO9pXRH6q4AlJ082x97Gat3aZKpk3KdyhbNvdJR61-QsOLMnHjjinSkQPMPZoeLhyJwJjwHGcacXM6UvGhVFL0U5lolewEHz/s254/srianee%20blog%201.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="152" data-original-width="254" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZn6F2ZzmDYrKnvxqsBxbwWpN1pZQKfoSRAJlZNcUcJJIc31TRg_LiGiOLf6Y1YRwPrb5KH-XR1UNw5twWKfYi0HPL0q5ebO9pXRH6q4AlJ082x97Gat3aZKpk3KdyhbNvdJR61-QsOLMnHjjinSkQPMPZoeLhyJwJjwHGcacXM6UvGhVFL0U5lolewEHz/w337-h202/srianee%20blog%201.jpg" width="337" /></a></div>A work of art, literature, poetry,
stage play, film, or television series should be appreciated and judged on its own
merits. It is distressing when we
discover that the people involved in creating such works have major flaws
ranging from racist views to sexual abuse and even murder. As difficult as it may be, I try to separate the creation from the creator whenever possible and appreciate the work on its own merit.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="Body" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">My guess is that not everyone will
agree with this viewpoint.</span></p><p class="Body" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><i style="font-size: 12pt;">(graphics inserted to original post by Mahendra)</i></p>Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-7701216333013381182024-02-15T10:49:00.000-08:002024-02-21T05:41:34.675-08:00Sriani Basnayake Dissanayake passes away<h2 style="text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Sriani Basnayake Dissanayake passes away. Feb 15, 2024</span></h2><p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3W4VJdJnzVtmVYzCiDDEc7GTfsRH7cq2ALW15j_6RdkGrpC2sh6CQE_IEQ4u_vpFSIvGPXiJ27XHCu6KHsEVSuEY5t0FV5N5kJbAqxth1yLGCDd7rsFGhVBB8DvG9YSH_z5h3z72BdxpcaR1DgTBoCaeSZn0cQkG_7nXgH-2L_a0zfOxMRhDtPIKEL2eq/s746/sriani%20bas%202.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="421" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3W4VJdJnzVtmVYzCiDDEc7GTfsRH7cq2ALW15j_6RdkGrpC2sh6CQE_IEQ4u_vpFSIvGPXiJ27XHCu6KHsEVSuEY5t0FV5N5kJbAqxth1yLGCDd7rsFGhVBB8DvG9YSH_z5h3z72BdxpcaR1DgTBoCaeSZn0cQkG_7nXgH-2L_a0zfOxMRhDtPIKEL2eq/s320/sriani%20bas%202.jpg" width="181" /></a></div>Pram and Nihal have just conveyed to me the sad
news that Sriani Basnayake (nee Dissanayake) had passed away today.<div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>16 Feb Message from Pram. Her remains lie at the A.F. Raymond Parlour on the 19th of February 2024 from 9.00 am, and the cremation will take place at 3.00 pm at the Anglican section, Borella Cemetry. A service at 2.30 at the parlour.</b></div><div><p></p><p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Sriani's husband Ralph Wickremaratne passed away last year. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt;">Sriani has not been too well for a few years. </span><span style="color: #333333;">She was one of the few who migrated from the Peradeniya batch to Colombo.</span></p><p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white;">This photo was taken at the 2012 Reunion Scientific Meeting. On that day, s</span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white;">he kept us educated, informed and entertained with her presentation titled, </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">"What Prevents the Urge to Merge?" - The Problem of Non-Consummation. </span></p><p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">Her sense of humour was well recognised and she often contributed a lot of funny snippets to the Blog in its early days.</span></p><p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">She is also well known for her work with the FPA (Family Planning Association) for over 30 years. She was a devout Christian. She is the 54th loss from our Batch</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">Sriani posted really funny articles on the Blog. I am sure she
would have approved of me posting one of her jokes to illustrate her good nature and ability to see the funny side of things. Let us remember her for her professional contributions as well as her great sense of humour.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><b>This is her story about
the Baptist Bra.</b></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">A
man walked into the women's department of Macy's in New York City. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">He
told the saleslady, "I would like a Baptist bra for my wife, size
36B.".</span></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">With
a quizzical look, the saleslady asked, "What kind of bra?"</span></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">He
repeated, "A Baptist bra. She said to tell you that she wanted a </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">Baptist
bra and that you would know what she wanted."</span></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">"Ah, now I remember." said the saleslady, "We don't get as many
requests </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">for them as we used to. Most of our customers lately want the Catholic bra </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">or the Salvation Army bra, or the Presbyterian type."</span></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">Confused
and a little flustered, the man asked, "So what are the differences?"</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">The
lady responded, "Well, it's really quite simple. The Catholic type </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">supports
the masses, the Salvation Army lifts up the fallen, and the </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">Presbyterian
type keeps them staunch and upright."</span></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">He
mused at that for a moment and then asked, "So, what is the Baptist type
for?"</span><o:p></o:p></p><p>
</p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">"They,"
she replied, "make mountains out of molehills."</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">Sriani, we shall all miss you. - Mahendra Gonsalkorale.</span></p><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Sriyani Basnayake -an appreciation Added on 17-02-2024</span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Dr Kumar Gunewardane</span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> </span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">“Like a bird singing in the
rain,</span></i></b></p><div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Grateful memories will
survive in times of sorrow" </span></i></b></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Tusitala: R.L.STEVENSON</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The news of Sriayani’s passing
away, though not totally unexpected, caused my wife Kanthi and me much grief.
She was a good friend to both of us, and we cherish many affectionate
memories of her.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">A welcome Peradeniya migrant
to our ‘62 medical student group, she, in ND’s apt words, turned many heads.
She had, in abundance, the fabled panache of Ladies College alumni. Pram’s
photographic portrait does justice to her allure. Although somewhat reserved,
she never displayed her elite background. Her father was the Inspector General
of Police when that position was one of distinction and uprightness.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">I hardly knew her in Medical
School, but this was a common failing of most of us who kept to our isolated
groups. The reunions and the blog helped break these barricades.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBIEJJfZARL8Mmm-RSYU-w0SRbMPjnL0m1a4igvixcWVkaulgSh7OagDjPPkp4O4S2X5bMpBbLZ1IqMsEuwxKVFh2rf3KPUKYIjI2mSvbxZxhr8XXfyu6-UmG6MDwDW6pQGdEUyOn1v7Jy7jTTwRS3IHEPodk0hhiDnP2nmWSTT1F_1YSDFYljS7tHvm4D/s1843/kumar%20quarters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="1843" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBIEJJfZARL8Mmm-RSYU-w0SRbMPjnL0m1a4igvixcWVkaulgSh7OagDjPPkp4O4S2X5bMpBbLZ1IqMsEuwxKVFh2rf3KPUKYIjI2mSvbxZxhr8XXfyu6-UmG6MDwDW6pQGdEUyOn1v7Jy7jTTwRS3IHEPodk0hhiDnP2nmWSTT1F_1YSDFYljS7tHvm4D/w488-h232/kumar%20quarters.jpg" width="488" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sriani B is, fifth from Right seated</td></tr></tbody></table>The year of internship at
the Mahamodera Hospital in Galle further eroded these barriers. It was indeed an
“<i>annee glorieuse</i>”. While observing with amusement the riotous activities
of the hoi polloi Sriani always maintained a dignity inherent to her. This was
indeed an attribute of all our female colleagues.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Our next encounter was in
Townsville, North Queensland. Her sister Nirmala, another distinguished product
of Ladies College, was married to Justin Labrooy, our local university's Foundation professor of medicine. We spent many joyous hours in their company.
Both sisters had the endearing and rare quality of simplicity. N was a champion
national athlete and also the holder of a doctorate from the University of
Oxford. Sriyani was the chief of the family planning service in Colombo. Both
were remarkably reticent of their achievements.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Our standout memory of that
time is S’s Reiki therapy for Kanthi’s migraine headaches. Reiki is an ancient
Japanese technique of relaxing massages, and Kanthi derived significant
benefits from her ministrations in the solitude of a quiet room.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">She was also a gracious host
to us in her ancestral home in Borella. There, she introduced us to her nephew,
to whom she was a foster mother. His father, the gifted surgeon Lakdasa (S’s
brother) had passed away while attempting to rescue two drowning children.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Sriyani’s brilliant lecture
“What prevents the urge to merge” at one of our reunions has already been
alluded to by others. Her wit and humour were amplified by many well-chosen
slides, which made me inquire which medical journals she had resourced; she
deftly sidestepped that one. Of course, they were from her leisure reading. On
that occasion, she was accompanied by her husband Ralph Wickremaratne, a
perfect gentle knight and sportsman. They were a flawless match.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">We have lost a good friend
and a gifted colleague. May God be with you.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><b>“Every blade in the field,</b></span></i></p><div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Every leaf in the forest,<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Lays down its life in its
season,<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">As beautifully as it was
taken up.”</span></i></b></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Henry David Thoreau</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><b>“We will grieve not, rather
find strength in what remains.</b>”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p style="margin: 0cm;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">William Wordsworth<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 style="margin: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><br /></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: medium;"><i>An appreciation by Nihal D Amarasekera</i></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: small;"> (Photo sent by Pram)- 16/02/2024</span></h3><p style="margin: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxjPUbNH4dG3cGU-O3KfmPE22rtcphHuQSztP-qoBDM_H3RT_KNCKILTyQbE9ZKqaFqbXVYJc7BlLFfIMbd_VVhjMJLWmW9XiybG66MW5Qrl0Jt1dTlCstSwSPyXa6qcEGDhDTYJgPvv3fquJ7n9Ryxx-J3j_fIQTPnjwK7XAuWYm1-gikj2JnMXz90zj/s1280/sriani%20bas%203.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1263" data-original-width="1280" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxjPUbNH4dG3cGU-O3KfmPE22rtcphHuQSztP-qoBDM_H3RT_KNCKILTyQbE9ZKqaFqbXVYJc7BlLFfIMbd_VVhjMJLWmW9XiybG66MW5Qrl0Jt1dTlCstSwSPyXa6qcEGDhDTYJgPvv3fquJ7n9Ryxx-J3j_fIQTPnjwK7XAuWYm1-gikj2JnMXz90zj/w320-h316/sriani%20bas%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I recall the time Sriani joined us from Peradeniya in our
third year. She made heads turn by her immaculate dress sense and elegance.
Sriani carried herself with such poise and dignity which gave an insight into
her gilded life at home. Although rather reserved and steely at times, she was
friendly and jolly. Sriani had a fund of funny stories and was delightful
company.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="background: white;">She was a regular in the early days of the batch
blog, and I remember with clarity some funny stories and interesting comments she
posted. When I wrote about a maid who cared for me as a child, she wrote about her experiences too.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="background: white;">Sadly I never met her after the great dispersal of
1967. I never joined in any of the reunions in Sri Lanka. But I always received
news about Sriani from her friend from Ladies College, Suvendrini Weerasekera.
It was deeply upsetting to hear of her difficulties with her final illness, which she bore with great courage.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="background: white;">Sriani was a caring professional and served the
people with great empathy and understanding.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">May her Soul Rest in Peace.</span></span></p></div>Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-55802930401763627802024-02-12T01:57:00.000-08:002024-02-12T11:18:09.020-08:00Brief Encounter-Nihal D Amerasekera<p><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Brief Encounter – A movie masterpiece</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">By Dr
Nihal D Amerasekera<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-9a82MgOXgX02jrdjdHdWi4ccDzRwlGUq-R2ltghq71EeM0FTts-wkTHdy955ssF9xW8hYRyFRRDE3gxdMxYWdRPTJ6cMyGNUksZa-zxqVKdiMApXTDAEiHppFwUCdlWke98EZYxyE29V96JdkbcIKAqLUknkPRVRacmZPYG75S2VVLOmvADJgWZRB3a/s225/brief%20encounter.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-9a82MgOXgX02jrdjdHdWi4ccDzRwlGUq-R2ltghq71EeM0FTts-wkTHdy955ssF9xW8hYRyFRRDE3gxdMxYWdRPTJ6cMyGNUksZa-zxqVKdiMApXTDAEiHppFwUCdlWke98EZYxyE29V96JdkbcIKAqLUknkPRVRacmZPYG75S2VVLOmvADJgWZRB3a/w242-h242/brief%20encounter.jpg" width="242" /></a></div>Sir
Noel Coward (1899-1973) was a flamboyant Englishman. He was a playwright, actor,
singer and much more. Noel Coward was Knighted for his work. He became famous for his song <span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #202122; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">"Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in
the midday sun". </span><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">Coward
wrote the one act play “Still life” in 1936. This was a turbulent time in the
world. King George V had died, and Edward VIII was made king only to abdicate. Germany
was preparing for war. WWII shook the world. It ended in 1945 with the loss of
85 million lives and causing immense hardship to many.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">The British film director David Lean (1908-1991) made the story of “Still Life” into a romantic drama, calling it the “Brief Encounter”. The film was shot in the
final days of WWII. It was premiered in London in 1945. He is no stranger to
epic films. Many of his movies had become box office hits like “Dr Zhivago”,
“Lawrence of Arabia”, “Bridge on the River Kwai” and “A Passage to India”.
David Lean is greatly respected for his mastery of film craft for which he was
given an all-time achievement award in 1990. Brief Encounter is often referred
to as the best movie romance of all time. It received three nominations at the
Academy Awards, Best Director, Best Actress (Celia Johnson), and Best Adapted
Screenplay. In 1999, the British Film Institute ranked it as the second-greatest
British film of all time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">David
Lean chose the leads: Celia Johnson as Laura - a housewife, Trevor Howard as
Alec - a doctor. Stanley Holloway plays the naughty station master and Joyce
Carey as the bossy, buffet manageress. Marital infidelity with the associated
social and emotional upheaval is the subject of the film. Laura and Trevor both
married to their partners and with children meet at Milford train station, just
by chance. Laura got some grit in her eye and asked for some water at the station
buffet when a kindly Dr Alec Harvey, came to help. That’s how it all began. Their
affection for each other grew as they met at the station café again and again
on several occasions. Meetings were always on a Thursday, she was on her
shopping trips and he was there for his work commitments. Once they went to an
afternoon performance at the Palladium Cinema.
During these recurrent weekly visits their casual friendship developed
into something more emotionally fulfilling than either of them expected. After
their breakup, David Lean allows Laura to deliver the anguished narrative, in
flashback, when the doctor takes his family to a new life in South Africa. Her
desire and longing for Alec only gets more intense. The heartache and despair felt
by Laura is brilliantly portrayed. As Laura relates the story her face projects
the feelings and emotions perfectly. The chemistry between Laura and Alec is
exquisite. Their flawless sense of decorum and style all through film is a
tribute to that British dignity and decency of the 1930’s.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">The
first colour film was made in 1908. It wasn’t until the late 1940’s when colour
films became more common. Like most films of the early 1940’s “Brief encounter”
was made in B&W. The superb cinematography in the railway station with the
focus on low lighting and the loud announcements from the public-address system
creates the ideal ambience for the story. B&W makes the images menacingly
atmospheric. This also suited the story perfectly depicting a certain poignance,
a place faraway and of a time long ago. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">The
film is etched in nostalgia to an era when public transport was the norm and
cars were expensive and few. Steam trains were popular and ran on time. The
noise, dust and the puffs of smoke make us remember that era of steam with much
affection. The hustle and bustle of a busy train station adds to the urgency of
their brief meetings. The camera eavesdrops on their random mundane
conversations. The announcements on the public address system of train arrivals
and departures conveys the beginnings and the endings of their trysts abruptly
adding to the agony and the ecstasy. The emotional rollercoaster of the illicit
affair is beautifully portrayed. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">There
are certain songs and melodies that are inextricably linked to films. They seem
to linger in our sub conscious minds forever. Anytime we hear the music our
thoughts are directed to parts of the movie. This is so with Lara’s theme in Dr
Zhivago, “As time goes by” in Casablanca and eminently true for Brief
encounter. The theme music that is played right through the film is
Rachmaninov’s piano concerto No.2. This is recognised as an</span> <span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">epic work of genius. Rachmaninov
(1873- 1943) was a Russian composer and pianist. He composed the score in 1900
when he had recovered from clinical depression. He dedicated his work to his
psychotherapist. The second movement creates a cloud of sentimentality ideally
suited, in particular, for the important final scene in Brief encounter. After
the Revolution he left Russia and settled in New York.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">Human
history is littered with stories of adultery since the beginning of time. “Thou
shalt not commit adultery” remains one of the Biblical Ten Commandments for
Christians. Religions, Society and even the current legal systems take a dim
view of adultery. There are strong cultural norms too that discourage such
behaviour. This film made in those censorious times, family and stability are
respected and preserved. The moral of the story has remained consistent since
the film was first shown in 1945. However, with the passage of years people are
more understanding of how such a situation could occur. Unplanned, inopportune,
and inelegant, this is how romance happens in the real world. Marriage vows are
sacred, and the union is sacrosanct. We salute Laura and Alec. They both earn
our sympathy and respect for their wisdom. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">It
is important there is a release for marriages that are beyond reconciliation for
a multitude of reasons. A further discussion on this subject goes beyond the
scope of my remit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">Although
there is a loathing for adultery and extramarital affairs, people love to know
and hear about it. The media are quick to publish salacious details. With the
modern way of life, men and women mix freely at work, home, and social
functions. The social media and emails on mobile phones allow secrecy and easier
contact. This enhances the opportunities for clandestine relationships providing
the climate for gossip and innuendo. Hollywood, Bollywood and film makers
around the world make use of this human weakness to create gripping stories
that become money spinners for them. It is now hard to find a movie without
such steamy and sensuous details. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif">This
film is a timeless classic. Brief Encounter grabs you from start to finish. It’s
a great story beautifully told. The movie is a masterclass in cinematography. I
have made a conscious effort not to outline the entire story just in case I
have enticed a reader to see the film. It is a gentle reminder of what it is
like to be in love!! One may even search the past for similar events in one’s
own life. I have watched Brief encounter many times and have been genuinely
moved each time. It still is one of the most cherished movie experiences I’ve
had. <o:p></o:p></span></p>Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-82981231886695315912024-02-11T02:11:00.000-08:002024-02-11T02:13:01.055-08:00Asoka Wijeyekoon's Funeral Ceremony<p><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="font-size: 16pt;">Asoka Wijeyekoon's Funeral Ceremony 11th Feb 2024</span></b></p><p><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: small;">At Jayaratne Funeral Hall on the opposite side of the road from Borella Kanatta entrance</span></p><p>Pictures extracted from Live broadcast on YouTube.</p><p class="MsoNormal">REPORT: From Srianee Dias. (Thanks very much for sending this report- Speedy)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">“Just returned from Aśoka’s funeral ceremony. Pram, Lama and I were the only ones
there. I got a chance to talk to Sanjaya and Bhatiya, who seemed to be very nice guys.
They have been checking the blog and were very appreciative of the
comments, Nihal’s eulogy and your (Mahendra’s) ‘Ode to Lubber.’ Sanjay read the Ode! He suggested that friends and relatives
should visit the blog!!! We may have
people from Australia and UK checking in!”<o:p></o:p></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIhPbUzRT-gBz4ZbdfrqimAnSVClC8MsgqheRPU5s2ZvdJjYaEgyAtS_DY1hrd86iOilXg3hFrYQLyoAlXUvUKMKVoqpKFbaMOfPtLulIyPsTjlJR03-9fAiu8JopA2RxjhsjKT7KM40QJu0RaDnYsb64QsGYBWudeLkhYK4o3v-KKeXtXtLz73kyabUf/s3840/lubber%20f6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIhPbUzRT-gBz4ZbdfrqimAnSVClC8MsgqheRPU5s2ZvdJjYaEgyAtS_DY1hrd86iOilXg3hFrYQLyoAlXUvUKMKVoqpKFbaMOfPtLulIyPsTjlJR03-9fAiu8JopA2RxjhsjKT7KM40QJu0RaDnYsb64QsGYBWudeLkhYK4o3v-KKeXtXtLz73kyabUf/w415-h233/lubber%20f6.jpg" width="415" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4d-Ze_0LWJlhH_ZcMPkplNpYHkNMAh6FuHKzWjpw3mzmx8Er03bpQ5NtQIvIwlgzQcKP_mMJAyebxLN3GDObQlsuDRsaFQZtqkwi51i8sq5p9UJMkosa2oDYw-G6FdKtJjgETZXvKuNg4K6E8Ld58C3e5itfYsie5LLyCY-7o5yAIT8kPiWV7gI-Ydw6/s3840/lubber%20f4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4d-Ze_0LWJlhH_ZcMPkplNpYHkNMAh6FuHKzWjpw3mzmx8Er03bpQ5NtQIvIwlgzQcKP_mMJAyebxLN3GDObQlsuDRsaFQZtqkwi51i8sq5p9UJMkosa2oDYw-G6FdKtJjgETZXvKuNg4K6E8Ld58C3e5itfYsie5LLyCY-7o5yAIT8kPiWV7gI-Ydw6/w410-h231/lubber%20f4.jpg" width="410" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSbqAhDQZwU1hn753TBscK29lPAXF1cOUSDeQmdFglDct7qwlB463tp9XEZyG3LGVxGXp9SzW2TzzKH7SJBff7w1kErYRqgoyUXQoyRST2ni3uqIa39JWxO_pXpuQ5FlK2a4fPDu8_Tui3Kv9imS0LDuF8hgC5B4R2afH8VwJ2cbbGlgmam6msH2jmrh3x/s3840/Lubber%20f3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSbqAhDQZwU1hn753TBscK29lPAXF1cOUSDeQmdFglDct7qwlB463tp9XEZyG3LGVxGXp9SzW2TzzKH7SJBff7w1kErYRqgoyUXQoyRST2ni3uqIa39JWxO_pXpuQ5FlK2a4fPDu8_Tui3Kv9imS0LDuF8hgC5B4R2afH8VwJ2cbbGlgmam6msH2jmrh3x/w403-h227/Lubber%20f3.jpg" width="403" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzO6s5sJTUsRPUHWO9laissoODqgChnpWGAArqXvqqbv16apv5EWjI0yUSN1tzWMGUyXJKUt4gDaBAoRHyF-CogTVmd2aW2fsVnJRqybEiX66KdHO0CRtophz3avWXQr08HZJfT92479MT7roYioKNPTCa-K9UnxnQBXIac6KvFOYvohU6dL-Z_lnz5H6x/s3840/Lubber%20f2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzO6s5sJTUsRPUHWO9laissoODqgChnpWGAArqXvqqbv16apv5EWjI0yUSN1tzWMGUyXJKUt4gDaBAoRHyF-CogTVmd2aW2fsVnJRqybEiX66KdHO0CRtophz3avWXQr08HZJfT92479MT7roYioKNPTCa-K9UnxnQBXIac6KvFOYvohU6dL-Z_lnz5H6x/w397-h224/Lubber%20f2.jpg" width="397" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEW60mIT5rXN3eDjTpeHaQJju4SzFjcQnVVY-RWLL46gqAXPTExdcL3HD6XVI7NmtnVUqPKZppxBeqWXaQoAUhoWLu16QsnBEvvjEYK_QOn3hYsItGwoWAZEtFNlBjlITFEQb2VZ3vgcR5P7wNOEYQgd62dke6G7rnbu0Vp6FITbktH-98Nj7dhmggdHxb/s3840/Lubber%20f1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEW60mIT5rXN3eDjTpeHaQJju4SzFjcQnVVY-RWLL46gqAXPTExdcL3HD6XVI7NmtnVUqPKZppxBeqWXaQoAUhoWLu16QsnBEvvjEYK_QOn3hYsItGwoWAZEtFNlBjlITFEQb2VZ3vgcR5P7wNOEYQgd62dke6G7rnbu0Vp6FITbktH-98Nj7dhmggdHxb/w404-h228/Lubber%20f1.jpg" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhErWSQhxc23aTce4NKUh0N9gISZSk-rKiEp6HPxN2Gb7lTR8LISSM8HJHxZIas9xge41WbdGUSSST2fm8K_T9qeDeGDdrPIEvmv3Ft2dGwmrtDWDs6Mv1ZN1QgjR6f0hh9XomFAQ_icxyH0dUfvw-JRF2WL2s52UnkH7XdbR1un2OZDq_LHcUplFZ34IfK/s3840/lubber%20f7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhErWSQhxc23aTce4NKUh0N9gISZSk-rKiEp6HPxN2Gb7lTR8LISSM8HJHxZIas9xge41WbdGUSSST2fm8K_T9qeDeGDdrPIEvmv3Ft2dGwmrtDWDs6Mv1ZN1QgjR6f0hh9XomFAQ_icxyH0dUfvw-JRF2WL2s52UnkH7XdbR1un2OZDq_LHcUplFZ34IfK/w412-h231/lubber%20f7.jpg" width="412" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlfGlWIZywnpX9onjBClbWT1u9BrEH_Wrfl8ayl765tCQnY6kmfqy955ZYvncJdgYDhHvv2XFG2iezTGcRizJFecIUOAk9T8O_WPc938gZwb1iDGHQBglI-jb_GkQKl6joQmaodY8Dxe4aNFq9gfwmK_374Sda_K4Wo6irVFoYSqNTFvL4oDGvYVpa55r/s3840/Lubber%20f8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlfGlWIZywnpX9onjBClbWT1u9BrEH_Wrfl8ayl765tCQnY6kmfqy955ZYvncJdgYDhHvv2XFG2iezTGcRizJFecIUOAk9T8O_WPc938gZwb1iDGHQBglI-jb_GkQKl6joQmaodY8Dxe4aNFq9gfwmK_374Sda_K4Wo6irVFoYSqNTFvL4oDGvYVpa55r/w415-h233/Lubber%20f8.jpg" width="415" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSWI6EkO7D1h1Zx9rOQKdhv_vBUsjcdfbzAvixLSOlFD6RW9Pyx9M3PLxEh7mOb-r5o8wTgXCUbrJaWrbJy0h0E-gDlfJGMOIt52y5hrjdNZ_3j6YTTTFKVpjW2_Gqwa02rPdcC8QYPivkmc6I4V9kS4iQPVe_7U9-Nc7GhUrdyRGHkyaQs1GAiQXJ25wl/s3840/Lubber%20f9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSWI6EkO7D1h1Zx9rOQKdhv_vBUsjcdfbzAvixLSOlFD6RW9Pyx9M3PLxEh7mOb-r5o8wTgXCUbrJaWrbJy0h0E-gDlfJGMOIt52y5hrjdNZ_3j6YTTTFKVpjW2_Gqwa02rPdcC8QYPivkmc6I4V9kS4iQPVe_7U9-Nc7GhUrdyRGHkyaQs1GAiQXJ25wl/w423-h238/Lubber%20f9.jpg" width="423" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-25993716593759340702024-02-06T04:50:00.000-08:002024-02-10T04:37:06.196-08:00Asoka Wijeyekoon passes away. Eulogy by ND Amerasekera<p><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Asoka Wijeyekoon passes away</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">We have lost another Batch colleague<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQpzZRP6hYNYjQ-UAc7LWsW1gP-tLomfzlSfn9syeQXzpOBRwJ7lff8bhh88bC3vSWqDsGc7fPhMZ6WlmuRRWoF3Zq_1u_GDBbUN_hfIq7s4yltMFMCVped4oVinjcAY3cI7HvU0gQfvoRMgXJLFuOE7yuzWCSfWQ60ZDFat9x3N2cfuA35jE9Q4YtUCJJ/s151/Lubber%20only%20photo.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="151" data-original-width="134" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQpzZRP6hYNYjQ-UAc7LWsW1gP-tLomfzlSfn9syeQXzpOBRwJ7lff8bhh88bC3vSWqDsGc7fPhMZ6WlmuRRWoF3Zq_1u_GDBbUN_hfIq7s4yltMFMCVped4oVinjcAY3cI7HvU0gQfvoRMgXJLFuOE7yuzWCSfWQ60ZDFat9x3N2cfuA35jE9Q4YtUCJJ/w201-h227/Lubber%20only%20photo.jpg" width="201" /></a></div><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">News has reached us that Asoka “Lubber” Wijeyekoon passed away in London
in December last year. He is the 53</span><sup style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">rd</sup><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> in our Batch to do so.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">During his visits to Sri Lanka, on a few occasions he has joined Pram’s
get-togethers at her residence and this is from a photograph taken at one in
2019.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">Please read message from his son Sanjaya.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">We like to extend our deepest commiserations to his family. May he Rest
In Peace.</span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><b>Stop press: Message from his son<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> Sanjaya whom I contacted.</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">He died in London at st Bartholomew Hospital on the 22nd December.</span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> </span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">He was on a short trip to London and promptly went into heart failure on arrival, was admitted to cardiology, started to develop some tachyarrythmias and then attempted an emergency pacemaker but sadly went into cardiac arrest on the evening of the 22nd and died. We only got to see him briefly before the event. He had a PM unfortunately as the cause of death was uncertain and was cremated in the UK. My brother is coming with his ashes to SL and we planned a small ceremony here as per his final wishes. I’m sorry we did not have everyone’s contact details but I messaged Professor Lamabadasuriya and also emailed the 62 medical school group. We are holding a small ceremony at Jayaratne funeral hall on the opposite side of the road from borella kanatta entrance on Sunday the 11th February at 10 am. <b><u>We have a video link too for those who cannot attend but would like to view the proceedings </u></b></span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: small;"><b><u> </u></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: small;"><b><u>Here is the link:- </u></b></span><span style="background-color: transparent;"><b><u><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwqKomz9Z-M">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwqKomz9Z-M</a></u></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><b>I think this is on 11th Feb, at 09.00 am SL which is 03.30 am UK</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><b>Click on it on the day.</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">I think his two sons, both medical Consultants in the UK are Bhatya (Rheumatologist) and Sanjaya (Colorectal surgeon). I am grateful to Nihal (ND) Amarasekera who wrote this beautiful eulogy at very short notice.</span><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Asoka Wijeyekoon – A Tribute
to my friend<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><b><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">By Dr Nihal D Amerasekera<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJZksVlDDAAOLAASQ3bGDNUdR26t9CJLy-OuDXg5Krmy_olCONKWWQYbQlcJwwcEYM4T_xv_8_PNAHUOudun1QXIx6a4BH59XvgLDjkzqW3nPjJ5FT7nLRS2H6bunb72J2eZiAILAO6vn-nffTwvVedWWW-SfM2SMdi_cRmbbA9m1hOVIkTi6nmE2A9Qe9/s796/Lubber%20poto%20old%201.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="796" data-original-width="792" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJZksVlDDAAOLAASQ3bGDNUdR26t9CJLy-OuDXg5Krmy_olCONKWWQYbQlcJwwcEYM4T_xv_8_PNAHUOudun1QXIx6a4BH59XvgLDjkzqW3nPjJ5FT7nLRS2H6bunb72J2eZiAILAO6vn-nffTwvVedWWW-SfM2SMdi_cRmbbA9m1hOVIkTi6nmE2A9Qe9/s320/Lubber%20poto%20old%201.jpg" width="318" /></a></span></div><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;"><br />Friendships are one of
life’s golden gifts. Those made in our youth are specially gilded to last a
lifetime. It is hard to replicate that closeness in associations later on in
life. In our life’s journey we find friends who walk with us a short way and
move out of our sight.</span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">This is a eulogy for Lubber and
also an appreciation of our friendship of many years. After five gruelling
years in medical school we worked together for another four years in the
Central Blood Bank in Colombo, a large slice of our young lives. We managed to
hang on to our friendship despite the distances, careers, family commitments
and the many bouquets and brickbats of life. It is indeed a tribute to our
friendship.</span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">I recall most vividly the
legendary Law-Medical, the intrusion into the cricket match at Reid Avenue and
questioning the umpire. The gory details are best </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;">forgotten and buried deep. I
am certain a résumé is analysed and remembered at reunions and gatherings after
a generous dash of the social lubricant. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kjolIz-meeMruMf_j5t-DYVzM_K6goxSx1beTJRKwoqj7Lk-35jrIfO2qYlV55kwIrMLqB3e-TAhvHEuMVMjeGh_eju3gnFshyDDeOgC-5iqulX7GrC-rsA_xv5Waos8GRETb_HknMRCcixjCONGLai5OeBvrSzTL2bGzUhBcCt78hRWiHvJSVm74DEV/s571/lubber%20igloo.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="311" data-original-width="571" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kjolIz-meeMruMf_j5t-DYVzM_K6goxSx1beTJRKwoqj7Lk-35jrIfO2qYlV55kwIrMLqB3e-TAhvHEuMVMjeGh_eju3gnFshyDDeOgC-5iqulX7GrC-rsA_xv5Waos8GRETb_HknMRCcixjCONGLai5OeBvrSzTL2bGzUhBcCt78hRWiHvJSVm74DEV/w574-h312/lubber%20igloo.jpg" width="574" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Final year trip Kurunegala? Badulla? Igloo" HO's quarters.<br /> Lubber is squatting behind Lakshman Jayasinghe and Yankee Bala</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; text-align: justify;"></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">At our final year trip, Lubber’s
memorable performance took centre stage. In the chill night-air he wore
just his tie and nil else. When asked who he was, he said “I am Argyle
Robertson’s pupil”. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;">Even now, this legendary moment never fails to raise a
smile. That was a fitting farewell to a journey none of us will ever forget.
When this episode was </span><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">mentioned previously, Sanath Lamabadusuriya
commented this took place in Kurunegala and not in Badulla, as I recalled. I
would most certainly trust his memory more than my own.</span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">My first meeting with Lubber
in med school was perhaps unremarkable, hence lost in the fog of time. I do
recall Sunil De Silva’s long tale of how his classmate from Royal College
,Asoka Wijeyakoon, came to be called Lubber. It seemed Asoka’s teenage swagger
on <i>terra firma </i>was like that of a sailor. The term ‘land
lubber’ was shortened to lubber. Although most plausible, Sunna’s stories were
told with a poker face blurring the fine line between fact into fiction.
Despite being at either end of the alphabet we met up in the common room for a
tea and a chat. The common room was a very special place for us medical
students. It was our own retreat and shelter from the storms of Faculty life. I
have often watched him deep in thought over a game of chess with Satchy. He
joined in the conversations with his endless stream of wise-cracks. Listening
to the repartee between Chanaka Wijesekera, Sunil De Silva and Lubber
Wijeyakoon was spontaneous comedy at its best. It moved from the ridiculous to
the farcical. The ‘one liners’were brilliantly intelligent and hilariously funny.
Those were indeed touches of genius taking the noble art of comedy to a whole
new level. I wish we had smartphones to record those treasures for posterity.
Their quick wit and humour must swirl in the ether of that common room. The
Faculty years passed swiftly. After the ‘finals’ we were thrust into the lions’
den of the wider world. Then marriage and careers usurped our lives. None of it
was easy!!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;">I was thrilled to see that
familiar swagger entering the Central Blood Bank in Colombo when I was a
Medical Officer of that institution in the early 1970’s. We clicked instantly.
I was then a drifter at a loose end and was grateful for his company. I do recall
our evenings at some of the popular bars discussing philosophy, politics and
religion. Those were heady days of idealism, ambition and youthful optimism. There
were occasions I joined Lubber for company in his blood donation programs in
the out-stations. One that stands out is a trip to Galgamuwa on the road to
Anuradhapura. We stayed at the DMO’s quarters as he was away. Emptying his
fridge of the amber nectar we chatted deep into the night when we heard a group
of girls singing “Oyathamai Bamba ketu ekkana”. In our inebriation they sounded
like a choir of angels. Then again, we spent a memorable evening in the
verandah of the Nikeweratiya Rest House polishing a bottle of Molasses
discussing the world, politics and our ambitions and aspirations. These images
still haunt me.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;">I recall the dark days of
1960’s and 70’s with sadness. Sri Lankan politics was in turmoil. The economy
was in a perilous state. Our lives and careers were at a standstill. I remember
it so well. Mahendra Gonsalkorala, Lubber and I debating the pros and cons of
leaving Sri Lanka. We couldn’t see an end to the political and economic crisis
that crippled our country. They were emotionally charged discussions that left
us in a wilderness of confusion. After much deliberation we joined the rest of
the herd for greener pastures abroad. Although I had agonised about it, I never
realised the enormity of that decision. My youthful exuberance protected me
from the fear of reality.</span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">I was immensely fortunate to
have Lubber to travel with me to the UK. We boarded the Swissair DC10 and
comforted each other until our transit at Zurich. We were dying for a beer.
Money was in short supply and we had to syndicate to share a bottle that calmed
our nerves. After a change of plane we disembarked at Heathrow airport. I can
still remember that cold and wet June afternoon in 1974. There on the concourse
of the airport we said our goodbyes and parted company. Lubber disappeared into
a Psychiatric Hospital in the heart of Sussex. I started my journey in
Pathology in Chase Farm Hospital in Greater London. We kept in touch and met up
a few times. Each time we had some drinks and listened to our favourite Sinhala
music of Victor Ratnayake which brought back fond memories of our final few
years in Colombo. To be frank it was a tough time for us in the UK too. As we
drowned in our careers and family obligations there was hardly any time to keep
up with friends. There were long periods of silence and we never met on our
journey up the professional ladder. When I went into the abstract world of
Radiology, Lubber became a respected Consultant Psychiatrist in a London
Hospital.</span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">It was a couple of decades
later I met Lubber again this time in his pad in London when he cooked a meal
for me and my family. We talked a lot about times past, of mutual friends and
the pleasures and perils of life. After we parted our contact remained an
occasional phone call, out of the blue, and a warm query on how life treated
us. It was a shock to our system when our children left the nest. He is rightly
proud of his two sons who are Consultants in the National Health Service.</span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The years rolled by as
retirement loomed. Our careers ended as it started with uncertainty and some
trepidation. The next I heard of Lubber was when he left the UK. A little
birdie told me he was living it up in Bangkok and spending his retirement in
‘well earned’ luxury. No doubt it’s everyone dream to be happy. I thought I had
lost contact completely until one day, on a whim, I used an old phone number
and sent him a message on WhatsApp. A few days passed and to my
surprise I got a reply. His messages were brief and always after a prolonged
latent period.</span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">In May this year I booked a
family holiday in Bangkok. Lubber now spends time in Colombo and Bangkok. He
made a special effort to be in Bangkok during my visit. He invited us to stay
with him in his condominium. Getting into a taxi and finding a location in
Thailand is fraught with difficulty due to language problems. Never being a
part of the British Empire, Thai people do not speak much English. We felt it
would be best to meet near my hotel. It was such a pleasure to see him again, a
little more grey and more rotund than I knew. He decided to stay the night at
my hotel in the best top floor room. We started a drink in his room and caught
up with the lost years of friends, family and our life’s journey. Lubber is
tremendous company with or without a drink and has retained many of his
formidable intellectual gifts. As always after a drink his wit and humour takes
over. We had a fine seafood dinner followed by more drink and chat. Unlike the
hard-nosed yours truly, Lubber has a certain empathy for the less fortunate and
the downtrodden. He rewarded the waiters and waitresses most
generously. We parted company not knowing if we would ever meet
again.</span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> After several months I
was pleasantly surprised to hear from him in London. He was staying in a hotel
near Moorgate where we decided to meet. It was wonderful to see him again.
Lubber is as always upbeat about life but very aware of the ironies, mirages
and illusions that we all must face. Now more than ever life’s oases and their
many pleasures drift past us far too quickly. We spoke for just a couple of
hours as he had to take a taxi to Heathrow Airport for his return to Colombo.
As I think about life, I am convinced more than ever, our lives are a riddle,
wrapped in a mystery, within an enigma – to misquote Winston
Churchill. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">When I look back the
memories of 50+ years, Lubber was a kind, sociable friend and a unique human
being. This is not an attempt to deify him. He too has the same faults we all
possess. As in his youth Lubber is extraordinarily frank, fears no one and
retained an aura of gravitas from his ‘consultant’ days. He had the remarkable
ability to bring to any discussion a huge degree of intelligence derived from
lateral thinking. I am ever grateful we were able to meet. It is true we go
back to the beginning as we get to the end.</span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">It was, and will always
remain, one of the great privileges of my life to have known him. </span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">May he find eternal Peace.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-50963010827213059082024-02-02T09:45:00.000-08:002024-02-02T09:49:03.067-08:00The song "The Last Farewell" by Speedy<p><b><span style="font-family: Merriweather;">The Last Farewell- Mahendra's version and interpretation of a classic song by Roger Whittaker</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: Merriweather;">Mahendra "Speedy" Gonsalkorale. The lyrics appear at the end of the post.</span></b></p><p><b>I give my own imaginary interpretation of this sailor being an English sailor who fell in love with not only a girl in Sri Lanka, but with the country itself. The backing track from Smule Karaoke is the Elvis version in a different key but basically the same. You can watch it in window below or click on the YouTube link to see it.</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="407" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/G-Q0p5KPEv8" width="490" youtube-src-id="G-Q0p5KPEv8"></iframe></div><br />Many colleagues have asked me to post another musical production of mine and I am obliging!<p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Released in 1971, this iconic song tells a story of love,
loss, and the bittersweet farewell of two souls. Whittaker’s soulful voice and
heartfelt delivery make this song a classic that continues to resonate with
listener.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 106%; mso-hyphenate: none; text-autospace: ideograph-other; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-font-kerning: 1.5pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ligatures: none;">The lyrics of The Last Farewell paint a vivid picture of a sailor bidding
farewell to his beloved as he embarks on a perilous voyage. The song explores
themes of longing, separation, and the inevitable end that awaits their love.
It evokes a sense of melancholy and nostalgia, reminding us of the transient
nature of life and the fleetingness of meaningful connections.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 106%; mso-hyphenate: none; text-autospace: ideograph-other; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-font-kerning: 1.5pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ligatures: none;">Roger Whittaker drew inspiration for The Last Farewell from his own
experiences as a sailor during his youth. He wanted to capture the essence of
love and longing in a heartfelt song that resonated with his personal story.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 106%; mso-hyphenate: none; text-autospace: ideograph-other; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-font-kerning: 1.5pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ligatures: none;">While The Last Farewell is not based on a specific true event, it
encapsulates the universal emotions experienced by sailors and their loved ones
when facing separation. It draws on the collective experiences of sailors
throughout history.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>I gave my own imaginary interpretation of this sailor
being English and who fell in love with a girl in Sri Lanka<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><b><span style="font-size: medium;">“For you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly<br />
More dearly than the spoken word can tell”. </span></b></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>His love was not just for the girl, but for the country.<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p>Background</o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Roger Henry Brough Whittaker (1936 – 2023) was a
British singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known for his baritone
singing voice and trademark whistling ability as well as his guitar
skills.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Whittaker was born in Nairobi, then in British
Kenya, to English parents. His father was injured in a motorcycle accident and
the family moved from Staffordshire to a farm near Thika, Kenya,
because of its warmer climate. His grandfather sang in various clubs and his
father played the violin Whittaker learned to play the guitar on an
instrument made for him during WW2 by an Italian Prisoner of War.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Whittaker moved to Britain in September 1959 to continue his
teaching career. He studied at the University College of North Wales and
obtained BSc degree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He Sang in local
clubs during this time.<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-font-kerning: 1.5pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ligatures: none;"> He said later that "I guess I
was an entertainer who was a biochemist for a while, rather than the other way
around".<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In 1975, EMI released "The Last Farewell", a track
from Whittaker's 1971 <i>New World in the Morning</i> album. It
became his biggest hit and a signature song, selling more than 11 million
copies worldwide.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Whittaker's father never forgave his son for abandoning a
medical career, and their differences were never resolved. His parents attended
none of their son's concerts and refused to participate in the episode of <i>This
Is Your Life</i> when he was the subject.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After living in Ireland for some years, he
retired with his wife to France in 2012.<span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"> </span>He
died in a hospital near Toulouse on
13 September 2023, aged 87.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Whittaker hosted a radio programme in The UK, backed by an
orchestra with arrangements by Zack Lawrence. Roger Whittaker said, "One of the ideas I had was to invite
listeners to send their poems or lyrics to me and I would make songs out of
them. We got a million replies, and I did one each week for 26 weeks. Ron A.
Webster, a silversmith, sent Roger Whittaker his poem entitled "The Last Farewell,"
and this song became one of the selections to appear on the radio program. It
was recorded and sold and became one of the fifty all-time singles to have sold
10 million or more physical copies worldwide. The single reached the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, peaking at number 19 in June 1975, the only single of
Whittaker's career to appear on the Hot 100.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Farewell#cite_note-2"><sup>]</sup></a> The
song first hit the Canadian charts in November 1974 and peaked at number 64 in December.<span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"> </span>It
then re-entered the charts in April 1975.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 106%; mso-hyphenate: none; text-autospace: ideograph-other; vertical-align: baseline;">The response in America led the single to success in other parts
of the world, including the United Kingdom, peaking at number 2 on the UK
Singles Chart<span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">.</span> It
was kept from number 1 in the UK by Rod
Stewart's "Sailing", resulting in an oddity
that the top 2 longs in the UK singles chart at the time had a nautical theme.
"The Last Farewell" also went to number 1 in 11 other countries,
selling an estimated 11 million copies worldwide,<span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"> </span>making
it Whittaker's best-known song.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Last Farewell has been covered by numerous artists over
the years, including Elvis Presley, Anne Murray, and Nana Mouskouri. Each
rendition brings a unique interpretation, showcasing the song’s timeless appeal.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Footnote: The lyrics</i></p><p class="MsoNormal">There's a ship lies rigged and ready in the harbor<br />
Tomorrow for old England she sails<br />
Far away from your land of endless sunshine<br />
To my land full of rainy skies and gales<br />
And I shall be aboard that ship tomorrow<br />
Though my heart is full of tears at this farewell<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">For you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly<br />
More dearly than the spoken word can tell<br />
For you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly<br />
More dearly than the spoken word can tell<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">I heard there's a wicked war a-blazing<br />
And the taste of war I know so very well<br />
Even now I see the foreign flag a-raising<br />
Their guns on fire as we sail into Hell<br />
I have no fear of death, it brings no sorrow<br />
But how bitter will be this last farewell<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">For you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly<br />
More dearly than the spoken word can tell<br />
For you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly<br />
More dearly than the spoken word can tell<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Though death and darkness gather all about me<br />
And my ship be torn apart upon the seas<br />
I shall smell again the fragrance of these islands<br />
In the heaving waves that brought me once to thee<br />
And should I return home safe again to England<br />
I shall watch the English mist roll through the dale<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal">For you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly<br />
More dearly than the spoken word can tell<br />
For you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly<br />
More dearly than the spoken word can tell<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-84684764789320465862024-01-28T08:46:00.000-08:002024-01-30T01:11:01.947-08:00FOREVER 62 GROUP JAN 2024– MESSAGE FROM PRAM<p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;"><b>FOREVER 62 GROUP – MESSAGE FROM PRAM (and help with posting a comment)</b></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: x-small;"><b>scroll down to the last photo to see the posting comment help)</b></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt;">Welcome to our visitors Jimmy and Kathy Wickremasinghe, Harsha and Harshi Boralessa, and Srianee “Bunter” Dias.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">The Forever 62 group met for lunch at the usual
venue, the Library, Cinnamon Grand Hotel, on Saturday the 20</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">th</sup><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> of
January 2024. We were so pleased to have Jimmy & Kathy Wicks, Harsha &
Harshi Boralessa & Bunter join us in addition to the usual SL based crowd.
( Chira, Lama, Senarath, Owlie, Bandula, Kusuma , Swyrie, Gita, Suriyakanthi
and Sura).</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">As usual we had fun reminiscing about Medical
College days. Lama has a super memory recalling events and anecdotes that
mere mortals like me have long forgotten. Chatting while savouring a 6
course lunch of Tempura to Grilled Moda; Passion fruit sorbet to Sechuan Prawns
and winding up with Garlic rice green chicken curry and Baked Alaska. I
hope you enjoy the photos and thanks Speedy, for putting this on the blog. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Warm regards<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Pram<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihK1ixRpaNhwfhpLXa2bO0nvWZGgsgE_NLl4v2c5NX73LBrUu8ugcq8lRLwTfWvx1Fq9FkExdBxH66O1CWaJ7vOghkkqEjsoz2rCjQSL5QYr9j-Y1ZwKqgPPhSVOr-jQaHLwRIHRp_pPE22BijxOYlFX0XbbjCbiBbaXMlcCw_K4RxO5NnfsY3MXGoRgxl/s1280/forever%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihK1ixRpaNhwfhpLXa2bO0nvWZGgsgE_NLl4v2c5NX73LBrUu8ugcq8lRLwTfWvx1Fq9FkExdBxH66O1CWaJ7vOghkkqEjsoz2rCjQSL5QYr9j-Y1ZwKqgPPhSVOr-jQaHLwRIHRp_pPE22BijxOYlFX0XbbjCbiBbaXMlcCw_K4RxO5NnfsY3MXGoRgxl/w385-h289/forever%201.jpg" width="385" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOGDfyw9kp9DDBdxK1wi0dOZMtvzznkvT8fhAO2mgHGTeD14shdlLd9II2wq9BYeOXpviOY6ZdWMakJ7uWa0ZXI93pPSXO7s0NSwR_V7xJUeoe3WSpdlzWyUtC-G3oNgVKPeVmevXVU0A_ldczy-15JG7KAIYZGsL2nJBFRCPp4FrgI4lh2AzjKrzFmfw-/s1280/forever%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOGDfyw9kp9DDBdxK1wi0dOZMtvzznkvT8fhAO2mgHGTeD14shdlLd9II2wq9BYeOXpviOY6ZdWMakJ7uWa0ZXI93pPSXO7s0NSwR_V7xJUeoe3WSpdlzWyUtC-G3oNgVKPeVmevXVU0A_ldczy-15JG7KAIYZGsL2nJBFRCPp4FrgI4lh2AzjKrzFmfw-/w385-h290/forever%202.jpg" width="385" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFHugUEVk34E68UrGHFrFxBniH0ZR97Z1CzoQhtqSGSPQ8aOqWyGUwJY5tXQqwStYOlgQXWvVl67oozSwshokFS3A9Fd0nALRIIyvDaxzLmwei2LUDPYzg2W19YhLrRraZE-_6DNDFRHwHYA6TPKGehvSuIwO_KfNEQEWo4v4PxrJj2EZBj_5Fj0FfVfKS/s1280/forever%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFHugUEVk34E68UrGHFrFxBniH0ZR97Z1CzoQhtqSGSPQ8aOqWyGUwJY5tXQqwStYOlgQXWvVl67oozSwshokFS3A9Fd0nALRIIyvDaxzLmwei2LUDPYzg2W19YhLrRraZE-_6DNDFRHwHYA6TPKGehvSuIwO_KfNEQEWo4v4PxrJj2EZBj_5Fj0FfVfKS/w390-h293/forever%203.jpg" width="390" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSywBAQGnTHPMBEeX46FEpBcD_aqGO4ZaNSNsOp5fjSAMuyRNYOTHezx3AsUaHuB0cOaZnWPvDwzfMY7gQLqiWaGvnejfzz5OCBNUr4sbBewfdI4LpXNW1QHVvRqqifp4kYePFOei-B9_VW1dNsFFrbwYHFUDvD9jaE6c35Tj_ALOxe93q1bJQPqnVxI8/s1280/forever%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSywBAQGnTHPMBEeX46FEpBcD_aqGO4ZaNSNsOp5fjSAMuyRNYOTHezx3AsUaHuB0cOaZnWPvDwzfMY7gQLqiWaGvnejfzz5OCBNUr4sbBewfdI4LpXNW1QHVvRqqifp4kYePFOei-B9_VW1dNsFFrbwYHFUDvD9jaE6c35Tj_ALOxe93q1bJQPqnVxI8/w394-h296/forever%204.jpg" width="394" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Added on Monday 29th January<div><b>POSTING COMMENTS</b></div><div>This is from a message I sent to Pram, who had problems with posting comments. I hope it will help.</div><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;">1.To post as for example, for me "Mahendra (Googe) to appear when trying to post a comment, you need to have a Gmail account. For Manel for example, it could appear as Manel(Google)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.5px;">2. When you try to post a comment using your laptop or mobile, always login to your Gmail account first. Don't worry if you don't have one; you can always post as Anonymous, as shown below.</span></span></div><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;">3. Then open the tab for the Colombomedgrads blog site</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.5px;">4. Now, if you want to comment, go to the post you want to place a comment on and click on comments, (it may appear like 6 comments if, for example, already there are 6 comments.</span></span></div><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;">5. Go down to "Enter comment". Click on that and it will respond with “Comment as (with the name of the person logged in, my case it is Mahendra (Google) with a small triangle next to it. Click on the triangle arrow and you will see “Select profile-</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;">Mahendra</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;">Anonymous</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;">Name/URL.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;">Select Mahendra (Google) - (in your case, it may be Pramilla (goggle)- (or whatever name you gave in Gmail ).</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;">6. Now click on Enter comment. I entered "Test for Pram as an example.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;">If you want to be notified that you have sent a comment, click on the “Notify me “ box. When you click on that, you will get a message that “Follow-up comments will be sent to psen13@gmail.com"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;">Now click on the blue box with “Publish” in white letters.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;">It will then say “Publishing”, and your comment will appear.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;">If you have not logged into your Gmail first, your Name (Google) won’t appear. You will then need to choose Anonymous, and I recommend starting by saying who you are- for example, “Hi, This is Pram,xxxxxxxxx, etc. Otherwise, people will have to guess who “Anonymous” is!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;">ALWAYS login to your Gmail account, and while it is open, move on to the Colombomedgrads site and then try and post a comment.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;">I presume you are using a Windows computer. With Apple Macs there are problems I am afraid.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; text-align: justify;" /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.5px;">My general advice is for you to write your comment at first, either on Word or even a draft email addressed to yourself and then copy the comment to the Blog from that so that if for some reason the comment "disappears" without appearing, you will have the draft as a backup.</span></span></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><p></p></div>Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-83164705257317008982024-01-21T12:15:00.000-08:002024-01-22T02:01:03.946-08:00METHOD OF KNITTING A CARDIGAN- Chirasri Jayaweera Bandara<p><span style="text-indent: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">METHOD OF KNITTING A CARDIGAN</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">By Dr. C.D. Jayaweera Bandara </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 9.4pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 9.4pt; text-indent: 0cm;"><span style="text-indent: 0cm;">I followed the “Knit an Easy Button
Cardigan” by Ashley Lillis</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN">The
following are the items used:- <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBaj4fGo04wsu47Xg8CavNlsL3r6IsNtcI5aFLSHa43EDO7IHMuTmqygafOwoSvX3oSHXYiRCfFrYfQMr_kr1zCysjfenBaBd6ojOGC2YIovvNGKPFJO_JlH8H-mhdkaC0dH1m0J2DE5zbkv6u_kdDqY0ajCt2wSudwPdks91vyYcriHVguFr1F6y_glW3/s601/CH%20PIC%201.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="601" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBaj4fGo04wsu47Xg8CavNlsL3r6IsNtcI5aFLSHa43EDO7IHMuTmqygafOwoSvX3oSHXYiRCfFrYfQMr_kr1zCysjfenBaBd6ojOGC2YIovvNGKPFJO_JlH8H-mhdkaC0dH1m0J2DE5zbkv6u_kdDqY0ajCt2wSudwPdks91vyYcriHVguFr1F6y_glW3/w469-h352/CH%20PIC%201.jpg" width="469" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">The
lower left are the Circular knitting needles (where they are joined by a
transparent cord) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">This was not available in Sri Lanka and was brought from the
USA. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN">Yarn
is at the top. This too was brought from USA. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt; tab-stops: 400.75pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN">The
tapestry needle is on the lower right. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN">The 4
Marker rings are in the lower middle. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-indent: 0cm;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-indent: 0cm;">The
Cardigan was started with only 40 stitches as shown below.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNrq6TYyfta9gb7ugZeTrKTH9A97YqqC046ppUkOX7acS10HIeaYLeh2_hwDHQYV7rJ338Sujd9U6zLoZ-k0Z4jQTlODTLJMEeNvZFLaahvywU6MI8aijvPwfRlgSf4kuS9sOZlCUpw6yIhYysmrWvGupPc1bxKHoAVjaq3IfixG1SZ7G-Xg3SCgm66HfM/s602/CH%20PIC%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="452" height="551" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNrq6TYyfta9gb7ugZeTrKTH9A97YqqC046ppUkOX7acS10HIeaYLeh2_hwDHQYV7rJ338Sujd9U6zLoZ-k0Z4jQTlODTLJMEeNvZFLaahvywU6MI8aijvPwfRlgSf4kuS9sOZlCUpw6yIhYysmrWvGupPc1bxKHoAVjaq3IfixG1SZ7G-Xg3SCgm66HfM/w413-h551/CH%20PIC%202.jpg" width="413" /></a></div><p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 7.55pt; margin-left: -.05pt; margin-right: 112.8pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 112.8pt 7.55pt -0.05pt; text-align: right; text-indent: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">In the next row, the 1</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">st</sup><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;"> Marker ring
was inserted after the 1</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">st</sup><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;"> stitch, (shown on the left side of the
photograph below), the 2</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">nd</sup><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;"> Marker ring after the 8</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">th</sup><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">
stitch, the 3</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">rd</sup><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;"> Marker after the 32</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">nd</sup><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;"> stitch and finally the 4</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">th</sup><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;"> Marker ring was
inserted after the 39</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">th</sup><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;"> stitch as shown below. </span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh4rSvbKRN5kj2MGz1_eKYV1zhGGLtB1SYZiptLM2JUOqPSaMbWbPFPepCywuc3BXzV6MM7jGg_FPdN6cQraRr4PqviSdOSEXQlNMAhQPevNWlf-syde2odV5aEh5TnD3ROISmqBV-Olv09NChoy4EQzLwlhfZyA9bL_hnSw8ZmhUI55OfI5ewimpGBUSM/s606/CH%20PIC%203.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="606" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh4rSvbKRN5kj2MGz1_eKYV1zhGGLtB1SYZiptLM2JUOqPSaMbWbPFPepCywuc3BXzV6MM7jGg_FPdN6cQraRr4PqviSdOSEXQlNMAhQPevNWlf-syde2odV5aEh5TnD3ROISmqBV-Olv09NChoy4EQzLwlhfZyA9bL_hnSw8ZmhUI55OfI5ewimpGBUSM/w508-h381/CH%20PIC%203.jpg" width="508" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 2.75pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 2.75pt -0.25pt;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 2.95pt; margin-left: -.05pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 2.95pt -0.05pt; text-indent: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 11.05pt; margin-left: 36.05pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 11.05pt 36.05pt; text-indent: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">The
stitches are increased as knitting goes on.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN">The 1<sup>st</sup>
stitch will grow to become the Right front, and the last stitch will grow to
become the Left front. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN">The
stitches between the 1st Marker and the 2<sup>nd</sup> Marker will grow to
become the right sleeve.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN">The stitches between the 2<sup>nd</sup> Marker
and the 3<sup>rd</sup> Marker will grow to become the back. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN">The
stitches between the 3<sup>rd</sup> Marker and the 4<sup>th</sup> Marker will
grow to become the Left sleeve. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-indent: 36.05pt;">Following
the instructions, the cardigan was knitted 14 inches from the neck downwards to
armpit length.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-indent: 36.05pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1.65pt; margin-left: -.75pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 1.65pt -0.75pt; text-indent: 36.05pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 21.3pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 21.3pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"> With the help of the Tapestry needle threaded
with black yarn, the stitches between the 1<sup>st</sup> Marker and the 2<sup>nd</sup> Marker were taken into this. This will
continue as the right sleeve and will be left aside and done later.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-indent: 0cm;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 21.3pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 21.3pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-indent: 36.05pt;">Similarly, the stitches between the 3</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: 36.05pt;">rd</sup><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-indent: 36.05pt;"> Marker and the 4</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-indent: 36.05pt;">th</sup><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-indent: 36.05pt;"> Marker
were taken with another piece of black yarn. This will continue as the left
sleeve and will be left aside and done later.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-indent: 36.05pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN">At
this stage the knitting has been done down to the armpit length from top. The stitch before the 1<sup>st</sup>
Marker and the stitch after the 2<sup>nd</sup> Marker were connected. Similarly, the stitch before the 32<sup>nd</sup> Marker and the stitch after the 39<sup>th</sup>
Marker were connected. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I did
not take photographs as I had no idea of publishing this. I will show photographs
taken from the YouTube giving the instructions.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqu2FX0ozVl5mOosm4zBDtO2tIZSNB1Y5oPDL-6pNb_QxrQMpLzeQbfhnruf8qxVUrl_rKgj4bGJz2JFySe5P85hbn-oR5o6-x1itLyd2hKUFu4nHPUJ9M1y-fqQdVvsPK5c6TdjcTSjKymY_K-ay0bFRXCodY1n9SIxiTXs0BJEV6NFgrgX6zRKzSdikm/s601/CH%20PIC%204.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="601" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqu2FX0ozVl5mOosm4zBDtO2tIZSNB1Y5oPDL-6pNb_QxrQMpLzeQbfhnruf8qxVUrl_rKgj4bGJz2JFySe5P85hbn-oR5o6-x1itLyd2hKUFu4nHPUJ9M1y-fqQdVvsPK5c6TdjcTSjKymY_K-ay0bFRXCodY1n9SIxiTXs0BJEV6NFgrgX6zRKzSdikm/w467-h350/CH%20PIC%204.jpg" width="467" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-indent: 0cm;">The
blue yarn holding the stitches will grow into the Right sleeve later and left aside for a while.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN">The
stitches between the ends of the two needles shown above were connected under
the armpit. Similarly it was done on the other side. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 20.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 20.65pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN">Next
the Right front, the back and the left front of the cardigan were knitted for
14 inches from the armpit.</span> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 20.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 20.65pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcZDNW0t2ZVxD65FwVzTRIoewae0ZMsI4lqJ_CP5-EtN-qb4eRmtKtXvjn1dKPRsc_4s609gzwXfAQSXpIf_0UN8GGSYCNRp4H5fQihvH7Zt01Ee-5Zp11uxk8OcCdAcUF78-XahZTXZ4KvmGoiovlbWnFydDjnPQSzfcJfrS19FKavnUGGZo2qofzAxJ/s606/CH%20PIC%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="606" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcZDNW0t2ZVxD65FwVzTRIoewae0ZMsI4lqJ_CP5-EtN-qb4eRmtKtXvjn1dKPRsc_4s609gzwXfAQSXpIf_0UN8GGSYCNRp4H5fQihvH7Zt01Ee-5Zp11uxk8OcCdAcUF78-XahZTXZ4KvmGoiovlbWnFydDjnPQSzfcJfrS19FKavnUGGZo2qofzAxJ/w436-h327/CH%20PIC%205.jpg" width="436" /></a></span></div><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"><br /> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">The
above YouTube Photograph show the blue yarn at the armpit level in the left
sleeve on the right side of the photograph.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 20.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 20.65pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN">At
this stage knitting has been done right down from the neck, the left front, the
back and the right front. The lower edge margin too has been done.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 20.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 20.65pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 20.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 20.65pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN">Next
the right front edge, up to the neck edge, round the neck edge and down to the
left front edge will be done.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 20.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 20.65pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN">When
doing the front right edge button holes are made.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 20.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 20.65pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN">Buttons
are fixed after doing the left front edge accordingly.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 20.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 20.65pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 20.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 20.65pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN">Next
the sleeves are done down to 14 inches. When doing the edges two stiches are
taken at a time to have the sleeve edge narrower. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 20.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 20.65pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 20.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 20.65pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Below
is a Photograph of the Cardigan being knitted by me.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 20.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 20.65pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 20.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 20.65pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_7ehZOZqzlPS2JGMWP5p2AbJvS9bKWOzdj32HRxd2qcoL66K1u4AUVyQUhsU3UCzWhnS3uWRQRsqj1t8Y5sSR4B1n7QIHIYA1a0P_A7pjgeWNYSv05Bh-7fPvQ5urWLes0uVNrp_AESz_FIHET5FeN3Pnb5Pn5fr_gNRM6mX1juEjegWP7ltN-8UX_Hnr/s808/CH%20PIC%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="606" height="688" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_7ehZOZqzlPS2JGMWP5p2AbJvS9bKWOzdj32HRxd2qcoL66K1u4AUVyQUhsU3UCzWhnS3uWRQRsqj1t8Y5sSR4B1n7QIHIYA1a0P_A7pjgeWNYSv05Bh-7fPvQ5urWLes0uVNrp_AESz_FIHET5FeN3Pnb5Pn5fr_gNRM6mX1juEjegWP7ltN-8UX_Hnr/w516-h688/CH%20PIC%206.jpg" width="516" /></a></div><br /> <span face="Arial, sans-serif">These photographs show the completed Cardigan.</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 20.65pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 20.65pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-indent: 0cm;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilnhTRUJnsLLl_oTsXCvOz02TMzJY-eXnSra-vyA5cKkRMqKGxRRZa2-WfJek8-88ZK-WuYRawPTI4cdcTt-kwaQS2l2_9UsvrITHfsvbt8hyUmCOj7TQT-9VydYUchDxlooRNOdLGOL9xjV4SbQZRbjciSVzcE3z75RQIRoZFtdzOrdcxHmd_2whnYatM/s1171/CH%20PIC%2010.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="1171" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilnhTRUJnsLLl_oTsXCvOz02TMzJY-eXnSra-vyA5cKkRMqKGxRRZa2-WfJek8-88ZK-WuYRawPTI4cdcTt-kwaQS2l2_9UsvrITHfsvbt8hyUmCOj7TQT-9VydYUchDxlooRNOdLGOL9xjV4SbQZRbjciSVzcE3z75RQIRoZFtdzOrdcxHmd_2whnYatM/w556-h177/CH%20PIC%2010.jpg" width="556" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN">Photograph
below……..I am wearing the Cardigan I knitted for my daughter.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRsLWwAeMH0p0gGImR5x_SLneAK6-54UuBS8TYjbLIZGP4TMY0pQ9aFEM05zg3BgbvTVHhNR7qk3uTW54kiZD4i-ibZj-7UlNDN0F1SE7YeWpI3KXPXEcw_ZT6_7R5fQ8lfwEmBDtcWlVUvbSsvOAO0peTDbgx9U6HHchsSAt2WAY7XUA5xDIHM93Nm-j5/s692/CH%20PIC%209.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="607" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRsLWwAeMH0p0gGImR5x_SLneAK6-54UuBS8TYjbLIZGP4TMY0pQ9aFEM05zg3BgbvTVHhNR7qk3uTW54kiZD4i-ibZj-7UlNDN0F1SE7YeWpI3KXPXEcw_ZT6_7R5fQ8lfwEmBDtcWlVUvbSsvOAO0peTDbgx9U6HHchsSAt2WAY7XUA5xDIHM93Nm-j5/w427-h486/CH%20PIC%209.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: -.05pt; margin-right: .25pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0.25pt 0cm -0.05pt; text-align: right; text-indent: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;"> </span></p><p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: -.05pt; margin-right: .25pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0.25pt 0cm -0.05pt; text-align: right; text-indent: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">I knitted this Cardigan for Anjali my daughter, who is in the UK </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">for her one year </span></p><p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: -.05pt; margin-right: .25pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0.25pt 0cm -0.05pt; text-align: right; text-indent: 0cm;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0cm;">overseas training after obtaining her MD Ophthalmology in Sri Lanka.</span></p><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 16.75pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 16.75pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 16.75pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 16.75pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN">I am thankful to her for getting me this
website and also for getting the necessary items. Her friend sent the Circular
knitting needles and the Yarn from the USA.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 16.75pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 16.75pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 16.75pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 16.75pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"> I will be sending this Cardigan to her in January. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 0cm;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN">I was
at a loss when I stopped doing surgery and Anjali introduced me to Cross
stitching first and later to Painting by purchasing all the items necessary for
the above two. I am very thankful to her for helping me with these. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .15pt; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 2.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 2.5pt 0.15pt -0.25pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN">I wish
her all the best in UK and I am awaiting her return to Sri Lanka. </span></p></div>Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-6782756565490482512024-01-14T03:12:00.000-08:002024-01-14T05:16:31.560-08:00A journey which commenced in 1962…Mahendra "Speedy" Gonsalkorale<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Accord SF",sans-serif">A
journey which commenced in 1962…</span></b></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span face=""Accord SF",sans-serif">Mahendra
“Speedy” Gonsalkorale<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-DbXMGiO73WxRYO-p7E7hXbTO5aF4WScbJx2YtFftxDwbN-t-jbOOyEYc27fFY4V8wwcBnB_oZZBdlD3miyydlvrbEMVBAjN7Jw6UMRBJJU1tCtiScB7isK8tJ5NOk4eEDvUbH9XOf-L7wxb7PkngkxzGgAa0_5aYgbx06W0LgJa3ijYdMQ2m-zxk1d2V/s900/our%20journey%20up%20stream.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="900" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-DbXMGiO73WxRYO-p7E7hXbTO5aF4WScbJx2YtFftxDwbN-t-jbOOyEYc27fFY4V8wwcBnB_oZZBdlD3miyydlvrbEMVBAjN7Jw6UMRBJJU1tCtiScB7isK8tJ5NOk4eEDvUbH9XOf-L7wxb7PkngkxzGgAa0_5aYgbx06W0LgJa3ijYdMQ2m-zxk1d2V/s320/our%20journey%20up%20stream.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Almost sixty years ago, more than
160 fish were released to a pond to prepare for a long and hazardous journey
upstream. They were all innocent, came in all shapes and sizes, both male and
female but they all had one thing in common: they wanted to be conditioned and prepared
for a life of caring for the sick. The pond was our faculty of Medicine and we
were the fish.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The innocence was variable but real,
not imagined. The innocence of youth, untarnished by experience. The final goal
was also real but imagined as we hardly knew what it would be like to be
doctors. The driving force was the vision of being “someone” worthy in Society,
with sufficient means to maybe get married and raise a family. All human beings
have a sense of identity, a sense of self or sentience as we call it. Our identity
was inextricably tied up with the high regard Society had for our profession,
like a glove to a hand. And, like all human beings, we wanted to be loved, to be
admired and to be wanted. To be a Doctor was worth the tears, the hard work, and
the effort and energy required.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The thought that we were so
insignificant in a complex and massive Universe did not cross our minds. The
thought that our planet Earth is just a miniscule dot in this vast Universe did
not strike us. The thought that the sum total of time humans have inhabited this
planet is just a blink of an eyelid in the scale that time has existed, did not
strike us. These philosophical thoughts are interesting but ultimately, time, space,
our place in the Universe matter to us only for the space and time we live in. Measured
time could be meaningless- an F1 driver beats his rival by a “whole 12 milliseconds”
which is “huge” in that time scale while a distant galaxy is “only” x light
years away in a different scale. The dog
looks at the tiny mouse in front of him not knowing that a massive elephant is
behind him. Our time and space might be relatively insignificant, but to us… it <b><i>IS</i></b>
the most significant. But the realisation of the enormity of time and space and
our relative insignificance should make us humble.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">As we mature, we begin to ask
questions such as what is reality, is there a God, we look for purpose, why we
exist and whether existence ceases when we die. Why there is so much “good” as
well as “evil” in this World. But as
students, we only thought of spending time equipping ourselves with the skills
and knowledge required to be a good doctor. Of course, there were diversions
and fun! As we matured, we realised that knowledge and skills are mandatory but
of equal importance was the “human” aspect of dealing with patients such as empathy,
listening skills, kindness, the subtle art of conveying bad news and so many
other communication skills. We had to learn to deal with terrible things that
happen to people such life-threatening illnesses, death and separation from
loved ones. But we had compensations such as
the joy of healing, relieving pain and suffering, and witnessing the
miracle of childbirth.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The fish continued to swim and almost
all of them reached their destination. The pond was a happy place although difficult
at times. Our “outer” camouflage did not matter at all, it was what was “inside”
that mattered. Many lifelong relationships and friendships were formed. And
finally…it was time to leave the pond, wear the outfit of the doctor with a stethoscope proudly adorning the neck,
and finally become what you strived for so hard…a doctor! The sense of achievement
and reward was palpable and memorable.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Looking back over the past 60 odd
years, it is salutary to reflect on the times and places we have travelled through
in our journey. Who would have in their wildest dreams expected that we would
be scattered around the globe? We became husbands, wives, fathers, mothers and
even grander! When we were fish in the pond all those years ago, we bumped into
each other all the time but as time passed and the world opened to us, fresh
challenges, new friends, new relationships inevitably formed and the gossamer thread
that united us became thinner, branched more and often broke off to float away.
There were times when these branches ran into each other and relationships were
rekindled. But everything changes; that is the Universal law and it applies
equally well to the Colombomedgrads62 group.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">We must not expect miracles. Just
remind ourselves from time to time the brotherhood and sisterhood which united
us. We were maturing souls held together by a common bond: the desire to be a
doctor one day and by golly we have achieved that! We have in our midst Physicians,
Surgeons, GPs, Professors, Researchers, Leaders, Followers, Innovators, Legends
and most of all, we have exemplary human beings who are a credit to their
parents, teachers, to their schools, to the Faculty, country and most
importantly, to the much wider and important community of human beings that
inhabit our precious Planet Earth.</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p></p></div>Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-80196451317900611062024-01-07T15:24:00.000-08:002024-01-07T15:27:07.715-08:00Some trimmings from my tonsorial adventures by ND<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;">Some trimmings from my tonsorial
adventures</span></span></b></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">by Dr Nihal D Amerasekera</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="text-align: justify;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ydBMt7eUfAW6ip018jFipkr8KVi8eMuiyJDxRpNgWm03ESxK6oxgyiaGDoQCNiv4xNGNsjpyPSjTUzpuvWbpK1im-ydSFVm00tOfPo0Yz4s83URsUXDX3-Jv1Tka-DuA3wvhj6dABhBJ_s7pUZih9rc3FsCJL7cVaZBfmo_0wQMbdpu-jcw0CRy5IxaT/s169/Nihal%20ND%20Rosking%20chair.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="163" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ydBMt7eUfAW6ip018jFipkr8KVi8eMuiyJDxRpNgWm03ESxK6oxgyiaGDoQCNiv4xNGNsjpyPSjTUzpuvWbpK1im-ydSFVm00tOfPo0Yz4s83URsUXDX3-Jv1Tka-DuA3wvhj6dABhBJ_s7pUZih9rc3FsCJL7cVaZBfmo_0wQMbdpu-jcw0CRy5IxaT/s1600/Nihal%20ND%20Rosking%20chair.jpg" width="163" /></a></div>The human hair grows from cradle
to grave. The need to maintain its length existed since the beginning of time. Two
statuettes from the Ice age dated 30,000 BC called the Venus of Willendorf and
Venus of Brassempouy, show features of hairstyling and braiding. The earliest
record reaches back to the bronze age when they used sharp instruments to
resize the hair. Hair cutting and styling were well-established in Egypt and
Ancient Greece. Barbering evolved further until the Middle Ages when religious
clergy took on this work. With the haircutting, they encroached on human
surgical procedures and also dentistry, pulling out teeth. Apparently, this shocking
practice went on for 6 centuries. As the disastrous results of human surgery became
commonplace, news of its tragic consequences reached the Vatican. This barbaric
practice was then banned by a Papal decree. Thankfully, barbering and surgery
went their separate ways, never to meet again. In the 21st-century<span style="text-align: justify;"> hair cutting and styling is a prestigious occupation. Nowadays, it is done with
great care and consideration, for which they charge a small ‘fortune’.</span><span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The hairdressing world is
renowned for its gloss and glamour. The Salons are mostly unisex. The modern
salons and the industry have evolved to care for the lady’s hair which they do
with great expertise. With the variety of services available for the ladies that
is where the salons make their money. Men’s hair is mostly confined to a haircut.
Hence doing men’s hair is just a job that needs doing and is never as lucrative
to the Salons. For vanity or sanity, it is the youth of today that keep the
barber shops in business. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">With my Christian upbringing,
human hair is a reminder of that Biblical story of Samson and Delilah. It was
made into an epic film in 1949 by Cecil B DeMille and Paramount Pictures. I well remember seeing this film in the Regal
theatre starring Victor Mature and Hedy Lamarr. Samson had immense strength and
could kill a lion with his bare hands. The story was that his great strength
lay in his long hair. Samson was seduced and betrayed by his lover, Delilah,
who got one of her servants to cut his hair while he was asleep. He then lost
all his strength. Samson was blinded and imprisoned. Later his hair regrew and
regained his strength. Samson lost his
life in the destruction of the temple when he and Delilah were buried beneath
the rubble. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">My earliest recollection of a
hair cut goes back to the late 1940’s. I was living with my grandparents in
Nugegoda which was then a small town. As a 5-year-old, I held on tightly to my
grandpa’s hand as he walked me along High-Level Road. I was curious but also unhappy.
Grandpa bought me some sweets. The barber shop was a tiny shack with a
revolving door. I can still recall the rapid clicking of the barber’s scissors
and the sights and smells of that small salon. I was bitten by hordes of bed
bugs and returned home itching the back of my thighs which turned into angry
red blisters. We never went there again. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Much of my school years were
spent ‘incarcerated’ in the college boarding. In those days school rules were
harsh and draconian. Long hair was
taboo. The haircuts were done by a visiting barber. This was performed in the
open air on a Wednesday, after school, in the cycle shed. We wrote our names in
his book which gave us the ‘batting order’. The barber was a law unto himself. He
never asked any questions and cut the hair as he wished. We could recognise his
handiwork easily as all the boarders had ‘military’ haircuts showing the scalp
that glistened in the sunlight. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I was a medical student at the
Faculty of Medicine, Colombo, in the 1960’s. Money then was tight. The parental
monthly remuneration was never enough. In those distant days Punchi Borella was
a place for the trainee barbers to perfect their skills. This was performed under
the shade of a spreading Banyan tree. There was a generous offer of a free haircut
to those who dare. The victim had to hold the mirror himself to see their
handiwork. The crows above were a menace. The customers and the barbers were
constantly bombarded with their excrement. Some said, “the crows provided the Brylcreem”.
The clicking of the scissors was their sign that action has begun. They hadn’t
yet mastered the use of the scissors and the scalpel. If you walk out with your
ears intact you’ve done well. Although I was greatly tempted to try my luck to
tide over the financial crisis, I didn’t want my hair vandalised. Good sense
prevailed, but I remained an occasional spectator of this amazing spectacle. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">During those busy years as a
medical student, an elderly betel-chewing barber in Borella came to my rescue
with budget haircuts. Always with a mouthful of betel he did not speak much. Despite his silence, he had the ability to radiate friendship and kindness with a broad smile showing off his red-coloured mouth and stained teeth. Squinting through
his small circular glasses, he added some elegance to my hair. Sadly, his days
ended when he developed mouth cancer when I was in my final year. I felt the
shock deeply. The old man’s demise detonated my finances only to be rescued
when I received my first pay as a medic. A princely sum of Rs 450. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Hairdressing is not an easy
profession. They have to be psychologists to understand what the client wants.
“I want it short” could mean many things. Getting the message wrong can be
disastrous to the client and the hairdresser. To my great delight barbers are
inveterate talkers. Usually, it’s idle chitchat. When their hands are busy
their tongues are hardly ever still. This can get them into serious trouble
too. My current barber once worked for an upmarket lady’s hair salon. He did a
haircut and colouring for a posh lady with ‘difficult’ coarse black hair. At
the end of the process the lady wasn’t happy with the final result. She refused
to pay and made an awful lot of noise about it. This angered the hairdresser.
He blurted out the well-known aphorism “I’m only a hairdresser, not a magician,
so please lower your expectations.” This upset the lady. The hairdresser had to
leave his job. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">After I emigrated to the UK I
lived in Wood Green in North London. In the 1970’s this was the enclave of
Greek Immigrants. I went to the local Greek barber in town. He was a kindly,
verbose, elderly man who chatted incessantly about his childhood in Athens. He
recalled the hustle and bustle and the good times growing up in that ancient
city. The barber had a multitude of medical complaints from pain in his brain
to bleeding piles. He asked for my views of the diagnosis and treatment for his
diverse conditions. While I tried to make sense of his many health problems, he
took good care of my hair. Although I paid full fare for his services, he got
his medical advice free of charge. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">For over three decades, I lived in
the leafy suburb of Letchworth in Hertfordshire. In this quaint little town, I went to an
Italian barber. He was in his early forties and spoke English with a charming
Italian accent. He was a walking encyclopaedia of Roman history.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">His detailed descriptions and
wonderful narratives brought to life the grandeur and the many tragedies of Roman
history. I still recall his stories most fondly. He charged me for the hair cut
but the lessons in history were complimentary. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">After retiring from all
professional work, I returned to live in London. I have used many barbers in the
city. The nearest was an émigré from Hong Kong. After the former British colony
went back to Mainland Chinese control some residents were unhappy. My Chinese
barber expressed his displeasure about the politics in his country and
swivelled the scissors aggressively as he lost his temper. My other barber is
an Egyptian who had similar issues about the Middle east and the plight of the Palestinians.
A hair cut is a good time for an exchange of views. I have always been a good
listener not wanting to upset the barber with my personal views. After all the
barber had all the necessary implements to cause serious damage to anyone
crossing his path. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Many hairdressing salons in the UK provide special dispensations for senior citizens. They are offered
discounted haircuts. I have made use of this privilege often. On one occasion, I
found that my usual hairdressers were busy. I ventured further to find a large
salon in a posh part of the city. As I stepped in, I was simply mesmerised by
its elegance. This was the crème de la crème of hair salons. The guy who ushered me in said this was a one-stop beauty shop providing cuts, colour and styling, complete with hair and facial massage and also a blow dry. He said the
price starts at £100. This was a far cry from my usual £15 no-frills haircut.
He showed me the seat where I would be indulged and pampered for an hour. The
chair was fit for a Prince. The hairdresser wasn’t surprised to hear from me
that I was a pensioner in search of a cheap haircut. He politely ushered me out
into the afternoon sunshine. It was much later that I learnt this was a flagship
salon frequented by the rich and famous. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The Covid-19 epidemic hit us all
like a tsunami. With the lockdown we were housebound for months. As all human
gatherings and meetings were discouraged. Barber shops were closed for business.
Many electric shavers, cutters and trimmers were sold on the internet for would-be DIY barbers. There were detailed visual instructions on YouTube how to cut
your own hair with an electric hair trimmer. I viewed many of them and bought a
machine but lacked the courage to use it on myself. A wrong move can have such
ominous consequences!! The task to keep my hair under control fell to my dear
wife who did so without much coaxing or complain. I had the traditional short
back and sides with a trim at the top, in my garden, under a blue sky and a
gentle breeze. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Hairstyles have played a
significant role in men’s fashion, changing and evolving with the passing of
time. The side parting and the crew cut of the early 20<sup>th</sup> century
gave way to many variations and to the more recent spiky hair. With all the
past trends and modern innovations, we must find the perfect hairstyle that suits
us. Unlike for the lucky ladies, for us men hair cutting will always remain a
necessity until the end of our lives. After all, when the hair stops growing, nothing ever will matter anymore!! </p>Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-2836333189669529732023-12-29T14:23:00.000-08:002023-12-29T14:25:44.792-08:00HAPPY NEW YEAR 2024 -TO THE MEDGRAD 62 GROUP<h2 style="text-align: left;">HAPPY NEW YEAR TO THE MEDGRAD 62 GROUP</h2><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative;">I am resurrecting a post from our wonderful late batchmate Zita, which was posted in 2011. It is still relevant, and what a good way to remember her! </h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><i>Speedy.</i></h3><div class="post-header" style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5px; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em;"><div class="post-header-line-1"></div></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-5674492872726519432" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 578px;"><i style="font-size: 14.85px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="color: #4f81bd;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Constantia, "serif"; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFnl5Y8kB3p1InxIi-t6uWi7jPvpWpOSW_QwcvKiG4Uxr-qiXqu_9wkmaWqYG4rLuYpMlracwXs5U7gINPK2zorsFSktbLd5wQNbi9cQPg_bu1I_3yoAhu0OI1fX8Ft6NruK3epVFW9G_5K0MHDWac9IypTlYnIvD4JRdciDpMS6J2neWNjDfx1kvrY4Q0" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="174" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFnl5Y8kB3p1InxIi-t6uWi7jPvpWpOSW_QwcvKiG4Uxr-qiXqu_9wkmaWqYG4rLuYpMlracwXs5U7gINPK2zorsFSktbLd5wQNbi9cQPg_bu1I_3yoAhu0OI1fX8Ft6NruK3epVFW9G_5K0MHDWac9IypTlYnIvD4JRdciDpMS6J2neWNjDfx1kvrY4Q0=w184-h283" width="184" /></a></div><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">New Year Resolutions- From Zita</span></b></span></span></i><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #4f81bd;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I sit with twenty eleven receding<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></b></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #4f81bd;">And twenty twelve fast approaching<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b><br /><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #4f81bd;">Thinking of resolutions to make<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b><br /><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #4f81bd;">While the world is still awake<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b><br /><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #4f81bd;">Ghosts of resolutions made last<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b><br /><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #4f81bd;">In mock parade seem to march past<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b><br /><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #4f81bd;">Best-laid plans set like in gold<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b><br /><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #4f81bd;">Alas, they do often unfold<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b><br /><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #4f81bd;">What does the word mean anyway?<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b><br /><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #4f81bd;">So you google Resolutions and Hey!</span></span></i></b></span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-5674492872726519432" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 578px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b style="color: #333333;"><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #4f81bd;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b><span style="color: #4f81bd;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span><b style="color: #333333;"><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #4f81bd;"><br /></span></span></i></b></span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-5674492872726519432" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 578px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #4f81bd;">There are 1005 smart definitions<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b><br /><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #4f81bd;">(some of which defy comprehension)<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b><br /><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #4f81bd;">You go away in confusion muttering<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b><br /><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #4f81bd;">Unmentionable words uttering<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b><br /><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #4f81bd;">Then open dictionary on ‘Resolution’ entry<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b><br /><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #4f81bd;">Says it means ‘loosen up gently<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b><br /><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #4f81bd;">Relax and release’ and end<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b><br /><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #4f81bd;">This ghastly meaningless annual trend<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b><br /><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #4f81bd;">‘God helps those who help themselves’ it’s said<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b><br /></span><b><i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #4f81bd;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But the devil is in the detail, I’m afraid!</span><span style="font-family: Constantia, serif; font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></b><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Constantia, "serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="color: #4f81bd;">HAPPY NEW YEAR</span></span></i></b></div></div>Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-38994729538071280792023-12-24T16:32:00.000-08:002023-12-24T16:39:13.826-08:00MERRY CHRISTMAS 2023<h3 style="text-align: left;"> Merry Christmas!</h3><p>On this Christmas day, 2023, please enjoy my presentation and spare a thought for all our batchmates and families. Let us also recall our dear departed friends with fondness and love.</p><p>Mahendra Gonsalkorale</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="438" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RbCXge2Vmn0" width="527" youtube-src-id="RbCXge2Vmn0"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><br /></p>Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-88235272149955967712023-12-15T13:46:00.000-08:002023-12-16T03:23:08.717-08:00Happy Christmas and Happy New Year 2024<p> <b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: AnticFont; font-size: 13.5pt;">Happy Christmas and New Year 2024</span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"></p><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5Bg7tsNRVB9GAmWi65OI6yIz3JGH7yqditJ4v5rgSAHAz8WdusEsau3nSKxzOFzA0S6w3z69kIdapY-_vmGbd2YIp53cJSoZ9CBHOXoqdd7q5cChzFwq_zroCxo0q5RC4aLChi6bmdWfZtx6Yypfwo8vSJe5ILoozHsJodivtpqUHxon151M-010ZQ/s1280/Chira%20greeting2022.jpg" style="clear: left; color: #336699; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="836" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5Bg7tsNRVB9GAmWi65OI6yIz3JGH7yqditJ4v5rgSAHAz8WdusEsau3nSKxzOFzA0S6w3z69kIdapY-_vmGbd2YIp53cJSoZ9CBHOXoqdd7q5cChzFwq_zroCxo0q5RC4aLChi6bmdWfZtx6Yypfwo8vSJe5ILoozHsJodivtpqUHxon151M-010ZQ/s320/Chira%20greeting2022.jpg" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="209" /></a></div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span face=""Berlin Sans FB", sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Another year has disappeared!.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span face=""Berlin Sans FB", sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">We lost five colleagues in 2023, making the departed total 52.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="background-color: white; font-family: times; text-align: center;">48. Cecil Saverimuttu 26.1.2023</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="background-color: white; font-family: times; text-align: center;">49. J. C. Fernando 18.04.2023</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="background-color: white; font-family: times; text-align: center;">50. Navam Chinniah 03.082023</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="background-color: white; font-family: times; text-align: center;"><b>51. <span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #888888; font-size: 13px; text-align: left; text-transform: uppercase;">PHILOMENA P THIRAVIAM 6.9.2023</span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="background-color: white; font-family: times; text-align: center;"><b><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #888888; font-size: 13px; text-align: left; text-transform: uppercase;">52. Indrani (Subramanium) Anthonypillai Oct 2023</span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span face=""Berlin Sans FB", sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Please do keep in touch and you have many ways to do so- The Blog, the WhatsApp group, email, phone etc.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span face=""Berlin Sans FB", sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In accordance with tradition, we wish all colleagues and their families a most enjoyable festive season and a Happy New Year.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="background: white; color: #333333;"><span face="Berlin Sans FB, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 18px;">Chirasri sent this beautiful painting last year, which I used again.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="background: white; color: #333333;"><span face="Berlin Sans FB, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 18px;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Berlin Sans FB, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWP8b3KAbSnCjtspMCynBQ5dxQW2L5Cl_mrXMMF6uICccAPhxF9N7dDEiDquY2wORbV2nfQRLiWvArep55RkuDeJGAReSi3qLLVxyPly9UZIyjVGHZAlYxdXsG9TbbMFkk7RE0wjdxsrBWmsQ6R19TwZYzfsjbdIdqWgFMBFNaF_xxP8xZwYgMMPt2NvqM/s1188/chira%20seaons%20greet%202023.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1188" data-original-width="579" height="521" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWP8b3KAbSnCjtspMCynBQ5dxQW2L5Cl_mrXMMF6uICccAPhxF9N7dDEiDquY2wORbV2nfQRLiWvArep55RkuDeJGAReSi3qLLVxyPly9UZIyjVGHZAlYxdXsG9TbbMFkk7RE0wjdxsrBWmsQ6R19TwZYzfsjbdIdqWgFMBFNaF_xxP8xZwYgMMPt2NvqM/w254-h521/chira%20seaons%20greet%202023.jpg" width="254" /></a></span></span></div><span face="Berlin Sans FB, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><i><u><br />Note added on 16th December.</u></i> Chira sent me a beautiful painting for this year and here it is. </span></span><div><span face="Berlin Sans FB, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b>Chira wants me to add this:- "Wishing all my batchmates a Happy Xmas and New Year."</b></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span face=""Berlin Sans FB", sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The number of people actively participating in the blog is dwindling, but we shall keep providing the food with the fond hope that it is being consumed by many, albeit without fuss or fanfare! We enjoy doing so and never lose hope. Do not forget that our “family” is still of great value to many of us.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span face=""Berlin Sans FB", sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Any articles and comments sent will make our day! So, please oblige</span></p></div>Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-7724052116593933632023-12-05T06:52:00.000-08:002023-12-05T06:52:17.812-08:00Pram’s Forever 62 Group<p><b><span face=""Accord Heavy SF",sans-serif" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Pram’s Forever 62 Group</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Pram has been a key figure in promoting regular meetings of
our batchmates in Sri Lanka. Whenever overseas friends visit Sri Lanka, she
does her best to arrange a social gathering of batchmates and spouses. She has
been doing this for years. When she visits London, she does the same, and I am always happy to assist her. Three hearty cheers for Pram! (no objection if this is increased to 6 cheers in line with inflation!)<o:p></o:p></p>
The Sri Lankan chapter, now called “Forever 62”, last met on the 25th of November 2023 in the Library, Cinnamon Gardens Hotel in Colombo. Here are some photos sent by Pram and Indra (Anandasabapathy).<br /><p class="MsoNormal">Try to identify all attendees when commenting, as there will be a special prize for the first correct entry!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UqbsyMExblx7YiNgxfDm-XpRg4Rx7CBZu2WmhchC1APjq-ZQPYmTtOOHOH8FozU3OvtDhKE70WO9j0vk-V0TVS6wFb1wRDH1w8zew4oVZ5s30k7rxTt5NiSp9PZweFVWXfC_1LoBjC2Sf8KeT4TaAvd6GqWpJKDyvFWqE3DG43i61F1q6hqHoJGiiTmy/s4032/IMG_6299.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UqbsyMExblx7YiNgxfDm-XpRg4Rx7CBZu2WmhchC1APjq-ZQPYmTtOOHOH8FozU3OvtDhKE70WO9j0vk-V0TVS6wFb1wRDH1w8zew4oVZ5s30k7rxTt5NiSp9PZweFVWXfC_1LoBjC2Sf8KeT4TaAvd6GqWpJKDyvFWqE3DG43i61F1q6hqHoJGiiTmy/w418-h314/IMG_6299.jpg" width="418" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHxJuNQ_XxignkBWWRgLeEFB_EF73y8FTmEFELT0bwoINDUb1ENQDIV-mGPlyt0WdVdyB7bcpf4Q8iPLO1Ax7so-UtccpA3Y1Bg0qLSANv34bfi5JYPxjVBRqAGzVipSHHqEXx9P3wErtkV0tm7dEq-wrElPTtlExwdaYOlyLd3s1yoyWnR3lsyRMiBVlh/s4032/IMG_6300.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHxJuNQ_XxignkBWWRgLeEFB_EF73y8FTmEFELT0bwoINDUb1ENQDIV-mGPlyt0WdVdyB7bcpf4Q8iPLO1Ax7so-UtccpA3Y1Bg0qLSANv34bfi5JYPxjVBRqAGzVipSHHqEXx9P3wErtkV0tm7dEq-wrElPTtlExwdaYOlyLd3s1yoyWnR3lsyRMiBVlh/w419-h314/IMG_6300.JPG" width="419" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwzkRZWkmFZZQCex76TfMAbwACFMWU_njFQfJHPgEGZrvjIoQ1K0RmHEBA6MfYJUAFovGeHSwwNSGl0ik6RxYn-uK_n3dSTDnwpCQUFnQcFXozwzISPnLobuAggbvT3fjpfTjA9Zp5Ap3W526wH2m0RKTMEtbBH0l3zNhlrE9Caw5ejjULqCzwgojcpYki/s4032/IMG_6302.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwzkRZWkmFZZQCex76TfMAbwACFMWU_njFQfJHPgEGZrvjIoQ1K0RmHEBA6MfYJUAFovGeHSwwNSGl0ik6RxYn-uK_n3dSTDnwpCQUFnQcFXozwzISPnLobuAggbvT3fjpfTjA9Zp5Ap3W526wH2m0RKTMEtbBH0l3zNhlrE9Caw5ejjULqCzwgojcpYki/w413-h310/IMG_6302.jpg" width="413" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFI-j2R4aGFYYhi0PJd11XddLh5KLbCTHR9WEgZTdZJAvltoxS0_NBDhM5Rhu6PbaiSCDEVQcVQZwYG3t45kkG0TxVbz5RC_3uN8PqC6z5_fxeBI19Uon6jw3xx5FGUbGw3xaCg19S54i_YiLBappuCHMZHpZyYryPwBCnxg450IUIjBonKqxhgkbpMm1S/s4032/IMG_6304.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFI-j2R4aGFYYhi0PJd11XddLh5KLbCTHR9WEgZTdZJAvltoxS0_NBDhM5Rhu6PbaiSCDEVQcVQZwYG3t45kkG0TxVbz5RC_3uN8PqC6z5_fxeBI19Uon6jw3xx5FGUbGw3xaCg19S54i_YiLBappuCHMZHpZyYryPwBCnxg450IUIjBonKqxhgkbpMm1S/w431-h324/IMG_6304.jpg" width="431" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECKQMnYZM-W2ToSQHPGZ_2CxztiS_onBOwPDtys7IpHvfgVRtXnVExH_8mbfGQdS_U2HHgMmXytc9Kb8iz6n9VBbWfUBH2rbaICvACwpuZwsKokXq-uxb5cI2XcqfpP5HWLebj-dQehOlZXqgmaRLON8c9ENvD7nq_XxtDQfAlWpWyamtwr5JPzxJlp8N/s1024/IMG-20231130-WA0009.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="581" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECKQMnYZM-W2ToSQHPGZ_2CxztiS_onBOwPDtys7IpHvfgVRtXnVExH_8mbfGQdS_U2HHgMmXytc9Kb8iz6n9VBbWfUBH2rbaICvACwpuZwsKokXq-uxb5cI2XcqfpP5HWLebj-dQehOlZXqgmaRLON8c9ENvD7nq_XxtDQfAlWpWyamtwr5JPzxJlp8N/w436-h581/IMG-20231130-WA0009.jpg" width="436" /></a></div><br />Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-15745678338486736592023-12-02T03:37:00.000-08:002023-12-05T06:58:06.113-08:00Dr Carmel Indranie Ernest- wife of Cyril Ernest, by Kumar Gunawardane<p> <b><span style="font-family: Oswald; font-size: 24pt; letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">An
Incomparable Friend; Dr Carmel Indranie Ernest</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Published on
Island on line on <span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">2023/11/26</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #606060; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0cm;">Indranie
with husband, Cyril and daughters, Cheryl and Melanie</span></i><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: -24.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm -24pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><i><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 13pt; padding: 0cm;">“WHEN
SOMEONE YOU CHERISH BECOMES A MEMORY,</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><i><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 13pt; padding: 0cm;">THAT
MEMORY BECOMES A TREASURE” –</span></i></b><b><i><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-size: 13pt; padding: 0cm;">ANON</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
email from Cyril was short and simple. But the effect was seismic . It hit
Kanthi ( my wife) and me with the might of a sledgehammer blow. Indranie, his
lifelong partner, had passed away after a brief illness.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZ2Qt551rztgGh-grIc_sSRTLH7M-0kvaPTkoUh6IrdacOnFup-R1g9bn2eJmpNYogtdkiWsL5QKfZvsnMUty6hRClMRfpLzusORSprr95T-YP1UpGCgJaC1iJYE3bzGnY6S36Np9yIdUVQd7b9OmQ-PKH-yesWTlx4Aw5zB9SnHkwW9O6RguhZNk0V8C/s1016/CYRIL%20WIFE.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="1016" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZ2Qt551rztgGh-grIc_sSRTLH7M-0kvaPTkoUh6IrdacOnFup-R1g9bn2eJmpNYogtdkiWsL5QKfZvsnMUty6hRClMRfpLzusORSprr95T-YP1UpGCgJaC1iJYE3bzGnY6S36Np9yIdUVQd7b9OmQ-PKH-yesWTlx4Aw5zB9SnHkwW9O6RguhZNk0V8C/s320/CYRIL%20WIFE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>C<span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">yril
was one of my closest friends, and also my roommate in our final year in
Bloemfontein, the boisterous medical student’s hostel adjoining Carey College.
We got to know Indrani well in that eventful year in Los Angeles where I did an
Echocardiography Fellowship with an outstanding Sri Lanka born cardiologist, Dr
Tony Chandraratne.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Indranie
was born in 1942 in Moratuwa, a town hallowed in history; 1942 was also the
year that the Japanese bombed Colombo and Trincomalee. Moratuwa which escaped
the bombs was the birthplace of heroes who bravely stood up to the British
conquerors, peerless philanthropists and also skilled artisans who fashioned
furniture from local hardwoods; these surpassed the best European fitments.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">She
would no doubt have imbued this heritage as well as those of her parents; her
father was an accountant and the mother a dutiful housewife. Indranie was the
second of five siblings and was noted always for her placid temperament,
charming smile and friendliness. She was also deeply religious. However she
also was adept at separating wheat from the chaff; one of her favourite sayings
was ‘all that glitters is not gold’.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">At
school she shone academically but was also proficient in sports particularly
netball and athletics. In 1962 she was among the first recruits to the newly
established medical school in the sylvan surroundings of Peradeniya. It was
here that the champion cricketer, </span><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Cyril,
bowled over the pretty colleen and embarked on his longest partnership. They
married 53 years ago and could echo Winston Churchill’s words “we lived happily
ever afterwards”.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Both
graduated in 1967, she from Peradeniya and Cyril from Colombo where he had
relocated on account of his many sporting commitments. In 1973 they emigrated
to the USA for further medical training; Cyril qualified as a cardiologist and
Indrani as an Internist . They then moved to Lancaster in California in 1977
where both established outstanding practices . ( Indranie was a popular and
successful physician as many of her former patients would attest. One very
eloquent tribute states “her warm smile, quiet demeanour and even temperament
made everyone who encountered her feel comfortable in her presence”. She
remained a caring and dedicated physician to the end of her days. But the
family was her first concern. Cyril and the two beautiful and accomplished daughters
Cheryl and Melanie were her primacy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 13pt; padding: 0cm;">ANNUS
MIRABILIS</span></b><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
arrived, unannounced , in Los Angeles in 1988. Cyril somehow got wind of my
coming, and on a Friday evening fronted up in the Howard Johnson Hotel in Boyle
Heights. With few preliminaries, he bundled me into his luxurious Mercedes
sedan and drove onto their elegant mansion in Encino the suburb where Michael
Jackson too lived. Indranie was at the door with a warm welcoming smile which
made me feel at home instantly. A delicious meal followed, the first of many.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">It
was my first meeting with Indranie. I had heard about her from our mutual
friend and fellow hosteller Ganesh. Cyril and he traveled to Peradeniya on
their free weekends.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Being
a very private person, Cyril , never breathed a word about his mysterious
sojourns; neither did he say anything about his many sporting accomplishments.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">There
were many other visits to Encino at weekends; they would guide me around the
myriad shops in LA, and Indranie in particular helped me to get the household
goods I needed for an unfurnished apartment which I had rented in South
Pasadena, prior to Kanthi’s arrival.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">One
weekend they drove me to an orange grove outside the city, where a friend
resided.Indranie graciously let me sit in the front , so I could enjoy the
sweeping vistas and Cyril’s commentary.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Even
after Kanthi came we were regular visitors. Cyril would invite eminent
cardiologists who he felt maybe useful to me; also some colleagues from our
year of 1962 in Medical school. Kanthi being a good cook , we were able to
reciprocate their hospitality.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Their
sincerity and affection was never more evident, as when Kanthi fell ill.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">She
had a severe upper abdominal pain; I imagined the worst and visualized removal
of the gallbladder which was a major undertaking in the pre-laparoscopic
surgery era.Indranie being the skilled internist she was, pacified us and
telephoned a pharmacy near us to provide appropriate medications.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Next
day we went over to her rooms where she performed a detailed examination and
got the needed scans. Then we were seen by a surgical colleague who reassured
us that it was an intestinal colic. Our relief was immeasurable. The year ended
on a happy note.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">We
had a farewell dinner in our apartment which was graced by Cyril and Indranie.
There were many encounters since. Once both of us were stranded in the Los
Angeles airport as the friend who had promised to pick us, failed to turn up.
We then called Indranie who promptly invited us home. Cyril was away in
Lancaster as he was on call.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Our
last meeting was in the Anantara Peace Haven Resort in Tangalle in Sri Lanka in
2020, just before the Covid pandemic broke out. We along with Cyril , Indranie
and Melanie and others were attending the wedding of Lareef Idroos and Nabila’s
daughter.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">All
of us had a grand time with friends and colleagues. Sadly it was also our last
rendezvous..<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">We
can now only seek solace in Jalaluddin Rumi’s wisdom.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Do
not grieve. Anything you lose comes around in another form”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">And
the deathless verse of Mary Elizabeth Frye<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Do
not stand at my grave and weep,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
not there I do not sleep,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
a thousand winds that blow,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
the diamond glints on snow,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
the sunlight on ripened corn,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
the gentle autumn rain.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">When
you awaken in the morning’s hush,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
the swiftly uplifting rush,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Of
the quiet birds in the circled flight,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
the soft stars that shine at night.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Do
not stand at my grave and cry,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
not there. I did not die.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Farewell
our dearest Friend.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">May
the good Earth lie softly on you.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;">May
God hold you always in the Palm of His hand.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 13pt; padding: 0cm;">Kumar
Gunawardane</span></b><span style="font-family: "PT Serif", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-7498873554583689572023-11-22T03:09:00.000-08:002023-11-22T03:09:25.320-08:00Kumars’ thoughts and appreciation of the Blog<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Kumars’ thoughts and appreciation of the Blog</span></b></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i><b></b></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvUcPQbfURoIORK408Fud-9-eh1puyI8xOm4cvjGjVaeDol5i8qD62iRk6sl94X3Vtz4doR3Wu2SzEoeCwbpuDQFO3EBkQlUmDb1LMlzOtwWn_8I3-JwKpFZjbi9ml9tjhRA2jA7_zTR-LzYjMnvQyiFwV0RgPDbjJ-tVeK2YyrjIUZuNoxoWDt8X_cer/s181/kumar%20gun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="167" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvUcPQbfURoIORK408Fud-9-eh1puyI8xOm4cvjGjVaeDol5i8qD62iRk6sl94X3Vtz4doR3Wu2SzEoeCwbpuDQFO3EBkQlUmDb1LMlzOtwWn_8I3-JwKpFZjbi9ml9tjhRA2jA7_zTR-LzYjMnvQyiFwV0RgPDbjJ-tVeK2YyrjIUZuNoxoWDt8X_cer/s1600/kumar%20gun.jpg" width="167" /></a></b></i></div><i><b>Kumar Gunawardane</b></i><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Note by Speedy. This was sent to me by Kumar to be published as a comment. I thought it was worthy of a post in its own right. Thank you Kumar.</i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Dear Mahen, Srianee, ND, Rohini, Sanath, Bora,
Suri, Lucky et al.,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">My sincere apologies for my long absence from the
blog. There are many valid excuses which I will not elaborate upon. But I have been a
regular visitor, enjoying the posts and the comments.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Thank you, Srianee, for the glorious photos of the
2017 reunion. I lingered long, reliving that wonderful occasion. Sadly
some of the attendees are not with us, but we must be thankful that so
many of us are alive and kicking. I also cherished your post on Dr Abraham
Varghese’s “The Covenant of Water “. Will get a copy when I return to base.
Coincidentally, I met a friend who had been one of his pupils. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">One of my favourite novels is Of Human Bondage, the
semi-autobiographical novel of Somerset Maugham; the leading character is
based on his own experiences. SM’s stammer becomes Philip Carey’s limp.
His unrequited love for Mildred, the waitress, also struck a chord with me.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">You will be acquainted with other great writers/
poets who were also physicians. Foremost being Anton Chekhov, Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Khaled Hosseini and John Keats.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">William Osler, who has been called the “Father of
modern medicine” was also an excellent writer. ‘He had recommended to his
students that they should have a non-medical library by their beds that could be dipped in and out profitably to create well-rounded
physicians’.I was lucky to purchase a copy of his “Principles and Practice of
Medicine, which was being discarded by our hospital library.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mahen, I sincerely appreciate your valiant efforts
to keep the blog alive and vibrant. You deserve a medal, perhaps even an
equivalent to the Victoria Cross for your endeavours. Your innovations truly added lustre to an already sparkling blog. Thanks also for the photos of you with Manil and Jimmy and those of the Colombo mini-reunions. All credit to Pram, who, as has been said, does the hard yards and then
keeps a low profile. You all look good; I hesitate to say well preserved, as a
sarcastic wit could link it with fruit or fish.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Manil looks much the same as she was fifty years
ago when we chanced upon each other during an MRCP course at the Northwick Park
Hospital. At Medical School, she was only two seats away from me at Physiology lectures;
but in those staid times, our tête-à-têtes were few. A notable exception
was a visit to her home in Udahamulla with the late Tilak D. He was smitten,
had got to know that M and I were distantly related and twisted my arm.
We arrived unannounced, except for the roar of Tilak’s motorcycle; she and her
mother were very hospitable, however, and in true Sri Lankan style, fed us well.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I was sad to learn of Indrani Subs demise. I
remember her mainly for her mellifluous speaking voice and being
congratulated by Prof Koch for a good presentation at the regular student
physiology seminars. They were a great innovation and should have been emulated
by other departments.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mahen, I have written an appreciation of Indranie,
Cyri Ernest’s wife. I will forward it in due course.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">ND, what can I say about you that has already not been said. Your masterpieces alone make the
Blog worthwhile to be preserved for posterity.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Rohini, Bora, Sanath, Suri and Lucky, it has
been a privilege to be your friend these many years. Your achievements have
embellished our group, but it’s mostly your friendship and good humour that I
cherish. Also, your contributions to the Blog. Bora’s Banter in the blog is a
good read over and over again. Please keep writing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #888888; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> </span><span style="color: #888888; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Kumar</span></p>Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-87862892483333534772023-11-02T09:33:00.007-07:002023-11-02T15:15:22.277-07:00BATCH REMINISCENCES<h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>BATCH REMINISCENCES - </b></span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.0775px;">50<sup>th</sup> Anniversary Batch Reunion 2017</span></b></h4><p>The 2017 Reunion at Jetwing Hotel in Negombo from 3rd to 5th March</p><p>I am publishing a selection of photos sent by Srianee (Bunter) Dias (Fernando). Some of our friends have left the departure lounge and boarded, First Class, of course! I won't spoil the fun by identifying everybody in this wonderful collection. Thanks, Srianee. If any of you want to add to this collection, please email them to me.</p><p><b>If you move your meeya (mouse) to any photo and click, all the photos will appear in small icons at the bottom of the page. You can click on them one by one to see them in detail. The one you click will appear in the centre till usurped by you clicking on another When you want to return to the Blog. move your mouse pointer to the top Right corner, where you will see a white diagonal cross in a square box, then click on it, and you will return to the Blog page. </b></p><p><b>If you wish to save an image on your computer, right-click with the mouse pointer on the photo and you will be given the option to save it.</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEituH8amil0K_xRNydx2dQsb3rE6MDDsnvXxJDfoVqRzTuTFP2rjLwMH-PyZfl5q7VdL-hOJdeXBc2_qT3b1Ox-SOjcT5e03iH6rxm9JHDf3x1AG9Q1lcPwE9ygdiTr8D1dIflxPiaRpq4N9Y9ExKtNbshzWG70U9W_d6K43PAJOZy_7xZ9OLmsFxnucPzp/s599/3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="599" height="369" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEituH8amil0K_xRNydx2dQsb3rE6MDDsnvXxJDfoVqRzTuTFP2rjLwMH-PyZfl5q7VdL-hOJdeXBc2_qT3b1Ox-SOjcT5e03iH6rxm9JHDf3x1AG9Q1lcPwE9ygdiTr8D1dIflxPiaRpq4N9Y9ExKtNbshzWG70U9W_d6K43PAJOZy_7xZ9OLmsFxnucPzp/w462-h369/3.jpeg" width="462" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="359" data-original-width="640" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNHjEFsZpDZD-uTEAP6ZFR7Yhm25ByOGBFoo66HXxJ2s_nFkBC-eg3Qlvz3fTZ9P3z3Kad3-U-9FNcvHi_aSoMbyky8F5kCWzqDCq0kw5nG4JGUIRJt6mvJ29SPQH4iLPbBQRZ2Na4gmsjg5-7gDSRE9DpTKyIBccXAsGGxzjIX4wrnOzxaYzJyVQLPUhm/w532-h298/141.jpeg" width="532" /></a></div><br />Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-65570865898886491892023-10-18T02:43:00.006-07:002023-10-28T09:46:01.624-07:00KEEPING IN TOUCH<h1 style="text-align: left;">Keeping in touch.....</h1><p><i><b>Mahendra Gonsalkorale (Speedy)</b></i></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">We do our best to keep in touch.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">We have a WhatsApp group</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">We have this Blog.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">We see each other whenever it is possible during our travels.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">The pictures you see include my meeting last week with Jimmy and Manil Katugampola and pictures that Pram sent me of her group. Also, a photo of Maheshwary Nadarajah (Singarayer) with Sarath Perera (junior batch) taken earlier this year)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Long may it last, as the ship gets ever nearer to docking!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Pram has a<b><i> "Forever 62"meeting </i></b>which she describes as follows:</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: large;">"The group in SL is called <b><i>Forever 62.</i></b> Bunter ( Srianee) gave us the name when she was here earlier this year and joined us for one of our dinners. We are a happy bunch of about 14. Not all of us manage to get together monthly but we try. <u>We are organising a Christmas party on the 20th December"</u></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaGdJZx1PhLQuiZJlDdu0xEl-jQ8sfRS5XTmYYFg1OwwzgzdRc3y3u5AbKZP6iS4YKWyVUFxLsGZWB5EKcv64RrI9l0Z1IIG4ltJVOxdL5YIxe5ZPi81ju6jrgEg0y7g2kSg6HbgVabE8LqvhmkOZ9VORUCsiAKD0YEmx0Ylx2I7FNeCaH-4HaZj32fqk/s4608/jimmy%20manil%20mg.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaGdJZx1PhLQuiZJlDdu0xEl-jQ8sfRS5XTmYYFg1OwwzgzdRc3y3u5AbKZP6iS4YKWyVUFxLsGZWB5EKcv64RrI9l0Z1IIG4ltJVOxdL5YIxe5ZPi81ju6jrgEg0y7g2kSg6HbgVabE8LqvhmkOZ9VORUCsiAKD0YEmx0Ylx2I7FNeCaH-4HaZj32fqk/w581-h435/jimmy%20manil%20mg.jpg" width="581" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ooxe2NY2j80Nyoh4cpj-mmEbwQ7tSDzsUQiAGbjqbNzjqvjfpwZoonkQhGsepmphhbk9X7w4MDAHAkzCmAZGLes4eo3HdTotco0Spc1jXTafNaWwr0OfxUTC5EmBflpi1vv9Xq4VkIthdCw2cL9gis59mY-738XXV0-H-Mq69_LiCxUVNTNfYppvE88F/s703/jimmy%20and%20Manil.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="257" data-original-width="703" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ooxe2NY2j80Nyoh4cpj-mmEbwQ7tSDzsUQiAGbjqbNzjqvjfpwZoonkQhGsepmphhbk9X7w4MDAHAkzCmAZGLes4eo3HdTotco0Spc1jXTafNaWwr0OfxUTC5EmBflpi1vv9Xq4VkIthdCw2cL9gis59mY-738XXV0-H-Mq69_LiCxUVNTNfYppvE88F/w581-h212/jimmy%20and%20Manil.jpg" width="581" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdPrrjLIVd8r2OsZIH0wa_NcH0FieUwgBCgL0SkTrc1HozMAm9BCUjBWMbEw8wxahPXuw6-CiH4svnA4T2FyZXpaYXfWdl3PXdo4iy4FPR5ilkuHPbF_oHrOX3UA_gDhTqZH500v4qNpWlDx2r20rJz1XwxKbCMXfRgjK7WrhzoQ98XBxQ5ZN72etTTz9/s2788/mahes%20sarsarth.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1852" data-original-width="2788" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdPrrjLIVd8r2OsZIH0wa_NcH0FieUwgBCgL0SkTrc1HozMAm9BCUjBWMbEw8wxahPXuw6-CiH4svnA4T2FyZXpaYXfWdl3PXdo4iy4FPR5ilkuHPbF_oHrOX3UA_gDhTqZH500v4qNpWlDx2r20rJz1XwxKbCMXfRgjK7WrhzoQ98XBxQ5ZN72etTTz9/s320/mahes%20sarsarth.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-46zc2FOojDNUFDNjByZVI6ceLFc6hKz8U8ARuw84W923QJvesjd0wcKQV5obbw6Fs5uWKSn25VKkLayMJfwMoasmGuDpSlSnuQqz3NHTJB3NDy9HXjEhP9RS3JoruXGtphAqczx8I0cIP-uh1d4HRTSSO7vHU294tDGpt7FNEwFwM73iDS7Hv1V699p/s1024/pram%20forever%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-46zc2FOojDNUFDNjByZVI6ceLFc6hKz8U8ARuw84W923QJvesjd0wcKQV5obbw6Fs5uWKSn25VKkLayMJfwMoasmGuDpSlSnuQqz3NHTJB3NDy9HXjEhP9RS3JoruXGtphAqczx8I0cIP-uh1d4HRTSSO7vHU294tDGpt7FNEwFwM73iDS7Hv1V699p/w558-h419/pram%20forever%205.jpg" width="558" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFmWAkLoXTDjJQVMmMic391cGwI_zS0JFUn30G4qAHSrJFKobWcXX1u089dzeNoTDvOwLYKaEdHAQN1SqtvGXp3f8qCJTSZ-PzQ92qp7qrpl3KCbdacjiimXKqgLk4NQri6a9_CXMtCPNOcPF_4ptThh69AHz75D6p2utnaPPTfazRvHPLCptS86esPNGF/s1024/pram%20forever%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFmWAkLoXTDjJQVMmMic391cGwI_zS0JFUn30G4qAHSrJFKobWcXX1u089dzeNoTDvOwLYKaEdHAQN1SqtvGXp3f8qCJTSZ-PzQ92qp7qrpl3KCbdacjiimXKqgLk4NQri6a9_CXMtCPNOcPF_4ptThh69AHz75D6p2utnaPPTfazRvHPLCptS86esPNGF/w559-h419/pram%20forever%202.jpg" width="559" /></a></div><br />Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-59016749001641678532023-10-07T01:32:00.001-07:002023-10-07T03:50:10.028-07:00Indrani Anthonypillai ( nee Subramanium) passed away<h2 style="text-align: left;">Indrani Anthonypillai ( nee Subramanium) passed away</h2><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaVfQs6-7bH5LEIjjKTZg631vMb5oTGxBjRicdhHQTmw6AK_SbfZIC5Z686chYZV2TEapRGOqnVuovAAxaUyEFSJ6CPPOSFdNCE-rpKdSoVNIVvK9cFcUrAR6rMUCIoT_aIfaXBsUyUinZjNi3SvOF3bSQ0SmDxxYkIGLz6OhiRdPTY-wd0RrVVCEZahbQ/s249/indrani%20anthonyp.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="249" data-original-width="198" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaVfQs6-7bH5LEIjjKTZg631vMb5oTGxBjRicdhHQTmw6AK_SbfZIC5Z686chYZV2TEapRGOqnVuovAAxaUyEFSJ6CPPOSFdNCE-rpKdSoVNIVvK9cFcUrAR6rMUCIoT_aIfaXBsUyUinZjNi3SvOF3bSQ0SmDxxYkIGLz6OhiRdPTY-wd0RrVVCEZahbQ/s1600/indrani%20anthonyp.jpg" width="198" /></a></div><br />I just received this sad news from Pram Senanayake.<p></p><p>"Dear friends just heard the sad news that Indrani Anthonypillai ( nee Subramanium) passed away in the UK. I have been in close touch with her. Spoke to her even 4 days ago. Her brother Bala, who was also our batch, is in the USA and is flying over to The UK for the funeral. Her daughter Dr Rose & her son in law Dr John brought her to all the London reunions. We will miss her".</p><p>I shall post more details when I receive them.</p><p>May her Soul Rest in Peace.</p>Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-80173421616172468672023-09-23T04:14:00.002-07:002023-09-23T09:25:53.305-07:00Cyril Ernest's wife Indrani passes away.<h2 style="text-align: left;"> Cyril Ernest's wife Indrani passes away.</h2><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLt68CwdEJHzAvFI3P0WyuEPjmtknXocrz4yzM8tzlIZGgXy7Xj36d2xpKfmnXB3UuhQtXUAlXkhgEOkAGI1HZ9pnDrTpT4ILcnne9VeDbireaxBej-Y6l4Xs_pMlXSEm66TIf91x-O_7qbBdijRgBuv9r8rvw-_8QCsMBMgzojLhRj0h1KFNWUm-wGclw/s453/cyril%202v.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="453" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLt68CwdEJHzAvFI3P0WyuEPjmtknXocrz4yzM8tzlIZGgXy7Xj36d2xpKfmnXB3UuhQtXUAlXkhgEOkAGI1HZ9pnDrTpT4ILcnne9VeDbireaxBej-Y6l4Xs_pMlXSEm66TIf91x-O_7qbBdijRgBuv9r8rvw-_8QCsMBMgzojLhRj0h1KFNWUm-wGclw/s320/cyril%202v.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>As most of you know by now, Cyril's lovely wife, Indrani, passed away recently.<p></p><p>I have met her in my travels to the US and also at Reunions in Sri Lanka. She was always most welcoming and friendly with her engaging personality.</p><p>They have two daughters, Cheryl and Melanie.</p><p>Let us all join in conveying our condolences to Cyril and family. </p><p>May she Rest in Peace.</p>Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5647561953942883640.post-82819083153786105272023-09-11T15:45:00.000-07:002023-09-11T15:45:08.448-07:00Sad news of Philomena P Thiraviam passing away<h2 style="text-align: left;">Sad news of Philomena P Thiraviam passing away</h2><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3PN3CDR7SrkHsRtRn55ztAkIlFjyhbXzc-S1VfI-OdRH3mPenrV0kfaPtJqFtXmlip8AMK0AMkmT1G6jrrmIMpklYzTNjRCwe_VVbN8GIWBcLy6WfcRJyd7yJPO0kAg8urCTAE8y3OjX671JirtTFVbjauIG3gdkAYuid16m7sWu39bzko81o5eKGM9tb/s1943/PPThiraviam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1943" data-original-width="945" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3PN3CDR7SrkHsRtRn55ztAkIlFjyhbXzc-S1VfI-OdRH3mPenrV0kfaPtJqFtXmlip8AMK0AMkmT1G6jrrmIMpklYzTNjRCwe_VVbN8GIWBcLy6WfcRJyd7yJPO0kAg8urCTAE8y3OjX671JirtTFVbjauIG3gdkAYuid16m7sWu39bzko81o5eKGM9tb/s320/PPThiraviam.jpg" width="156" /></a></div><br />Just heard from Maheswary Nadarajah (Singharayer) that PP Thiraviam passed away on the 6th of September.</div><div>She is the 51st on the list of departed colleagues</div><div><br /></div><div>I recall her as a quiet girl, always in Sari.</div><div>As far as I know, she never left Sri Lanka.</div><div>More details will be posted when I can get them. Please send me or post a comment if anyone has any information about her.</div>Mahendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11940825368030959494noreply@blogger.com10