A trip down memory lane – Hulugalle - In memory of those that have departed

Panduwasnuwera as seen today

I went on a day trip today with relatives to visit places where our ancestors lived. It was the first time I had been on one and before my elderly relatives depart this world they wanted us to know where they lived and for that I am thankful to them.

The tank at Hulugalle on a par with the Magalle tank at Nikeweratiya

We left in a bus as that would relieve stress in travelling in a few vehicles and got to Panduwasnuwera by about 9 am. I had not been there and was pleasantly surprised to discover it on the Chilaw Wariyapola road at the quaint and clean village of Hettipola. I understand that King Pandukabaya was the king after Vijaya, but much of the ruins only date to the era of King Parakramabahu the Great from Polonnaruwa. The moated walled city is worth a visit and will show a series of photos in a future blog entry. A stop over is recommended as it is not at all on a tourist trail, but some reading before hand will make more sense in understanding the period in question.

The four siblings represented our father who felt the journey would be too much for him

We then arrived at Hulugalle a few kilometers from Nickeweratiya off the Maho road, and visited the tank, a very large one at that. Then we went to the Temple, which has a very unusual building dating to the 14^th Century. A unique specimen of architecture. The temple priest noted that they have advised the Archeological Department to inspect it as it is in danger of falling, but the authorities have not given it the due respect. We do not want to be sorry we did not do something on time do we?

We then walked into the grounds of the Wallauwwa where ancestors lived in the 18^th and 19^th Century. The original house has been torn down and new owners have replaced it with modern buildings. We were hosted to tea by a local gent who is the caretaker of the property before visiting the local school and enquiring about its student body and facilities. This person had both his sons in the village and who are successful small rice mill owners. The wife updated us on people and my uncle made the connection with one he went to school with known to them, all part of the connections we make in Sri Lanka even when we meet perfect strangers.

The vice principal also named Hulugalle, who is married to a retired Colonel Hulugalle who lives in a modern imposing building in the village, was gracious enough to show us around and even wished to entertain us at her home, but for which we had neither informed them nor had not planned for such, but shows the hospitality of strangers, especially when like named people visit. The details of her family and what her five offspring were up to etc. are fascinating information for my uncle and aunt, who always wish to see anyone from that village doing it proud.

We then drove to Kurunegala for lunch and visited the General Cemetery soon after to see the graves of my Grandfather’s great grandfather who died in 1882. It is interesting to note that the Cemetery has been there since then and is extremely well cared for. His name was John Graham Jayatilleke Hulugalle. There were other family graves including my grandfather’s brother, George Edward Jayatilleke who was a Ryde Gold Meddalist at Trinity and gone to Cambridge, but had died at the early age of 35 of cerebral malaria.

We then drove to Lihinigiriya where a walauuwa once stood, where my grandfather and his family grew up. It has now been torn down, and we had tea at the home of the family who now live on the land that once housed this sprawling home. The graves of My grandfather’s parents, William Jayatilleke and his wife Rekawa Kumarihamy are still there, along with WJ s parents KD Hulugalle and wife. I am detailing some of these obscure names lest I forget, and I forget to tell my nephews and nieces of this, as no one else will have any more knowledge of the whereabouts of these as well as any information on them.

Lihinigiriya was a sprawling coconut and paddy property, which has now no original family members amongst their owners, but the local people who live there who had bought the land when it was parceled and sold by other family members who inherited it. One reaches there by turning left at Pothuhera passing the railway station and proceeding about 7 km up that road. I can only imagine the view of the Paddy fields from the home and also how my grandfather who used to sit on the rocks in the property and read his books.

There was a 90 old gentleman and another lady from an adjoining family who was also of similar vintage and was now blind, who had stories to relate when they grew up and could relate to names my uncle threw at them, such as Rekawa’s Seneviratne, Jayasundera, Maralande in addition to the Hulugalles. I think they were pleased to meet people who were descendants of people they knew when they were mere children in the village.

It was near eight when we got back to Colombo having left before six am, but it was a trip to remember, as we had no idea of what we would do where we would go and just had to stop all over ask directions and generally find our way around to all the places. Even finding the graves was not easy, as the inscriptions had been covered over and we had to scrape some of the moss to get to the names and details usually of life span with date of birth and death and relationship to others in the same or adjoining graves.

The paddy fields in Lihinigiriya

New Year’s Day 2012 – Dawned and then some! Making it a long day

The day dawned at a wedding at the Hilton of a friend. The décor at the Ballroom with white drapes and fantastic floral displays was stunning. Everything flowed freely and it was time for me to get back at 2am while the party was in full swing.

A 7.30 am pick up and we went to the Gampaha office for kiribath and kavili and to be greeted by the staff in traditional bulath kolay greetings and to meet with well wishes. Then on to the Electorate to be greeted by well wishes who had gathered, starting with pirith for the New Year and after the chanting the pirith nool was tied. Breakfast spread along with many well wishes to be greeted and talked to.

This before leaving for a dana at a Bhavana Madyasthanaya in Wijerama Mawatha in commemoration of FR Senanayake day. I excused myself and went for a christening at a church in Kollupitiya of the baby daughter of a cousin. This was part of a full communion mass.

It was then off to lunch at the home of the Grand Uncle of the baby. Seating for all 80 attending was possible in the Dining and adjacent reception rooms, most being the immediate family and a chance for family photos. This was a chance to meet and greet some who had come from afar for the occasion. The baby had a christening cake also prepared for the occasion in which the 4 generations on the female side of the baby was present. Baby her mom, mom’s mom and grandmother.

After which a quick visit to my Dad’s and then a rest before the Dinner. A chance to catch one’s breath from this hectic days and get ready for another session at the old house which adorns this grand property on Gregory’s Road, one of the few original houses built in the 19^th Century.

The place as usual on the first was looking at its best with all the brass polished and the period setting in keeping with the style of the house unchanged for generations. As I am the sole tenant in the tower adjoining, a four-floor, bachelor pad of unique description, it was a cake walk down the steps to the main house.

Many are faces I only meet at the annual event, while some are those I regularly bump into, so it was not altogether unfamiliar. The exhaustion after an exhausting day is telling with my weary self aching for some sleep before the next working day and another round of kiri bath for the first working day back in the office, another annual tradition to start the year with.

Best WIshes for 2012 from ours to yours

Taken of 1st January 2o12 at Queen's Road, Christening Lunch



Taken at Queen's Road, Colombo 3 before NY lunch

Immediate cousins and their kids

Christmas Greetings to all my friends & followers of my blog

It is the time of year especially in the Western Nations where my friends, I have been out of touch with for a while, are celebrating Christmas in a manner that is far more apparent than in Sri Lanka. I therefore wish that they have a special time with their family members, some who fly thousands of miles to be with them, and their families gather and renew their family ties.

Here in Sri Lanka we have the usual extended family meals and this time we have some fewer members as they have left this earth for pastures anew. My brother came from the US today to be with us. So it is a happy time for my father, who has all of us offspring together. We think of the many parents at this time who are separated from their children all over the world, a special and unique characteristic of Sri Lankan families due to increasing number of members in far off foreign lands who have exiled themselves for economic reasons.

I consulted the surgeon who operated on me, as he sees patients privately at Asiri Surgical on Thursday, after taking the latest x-ray of my leg. He told me that I can now use just one elbow crutch and can begin to put weight on the recovering right leg. I now have to get used to that method of support and walking, to rebuild the muscle on the leg before I am free of them in the not too distant future. He having reached 60 retired from Government Service a few weeks ago, and is now seeing patients and operating at the private hospitals.

Of course I have a full schedule on Christmas, a day I sometimes dread as there is so much food just on that day, I wish we could spread it over a few days, as I really cannot enjoy more than one square meal for one day. Worse I have clashing events with a birthday that I have confirmed, so fitting all this is no easy task when I am also getting used to walk in a different configuration of walking aid.

The difficulty of choosing between conflicting invitations is now a daily occurrence and I have decided this year instead of going to the traditional Christmas eve carol service where there are many cousins who sing in the choir and expect my presence, I have decided to go to a ‘Kavi Maduwa’ in Mirigama an altogether different experience, but nevertheless one to greatly look forward to.

It is ironic how I was forced out of my crutches. My landlord hurt his while out walking yesterday, and was asked by his orthopedic surgeon not to put any weight on his left leg for at least 6 weeks. He therefore is now using my crutches, and my wheel chair and I am hobbling around trying to learn to walk with a stick!

Oh what we can do over a cup of tea! We can make a difference. Join the race!

I was asked to comment on what I thought of the leadership election by one of my blog readers, as I am working for a prominent UNP Member of Parliament and quite involved in the nuances and the intrigues that go on behind closed doors. However understandably I do not wish to be drawn into making comments which are often misconstrued in interpretation especially in Sri Lanka. I therefore do not wish to divulge information that I am privy to because of the confidential nature of some of it and I may then be accused of misusing the trust placed in me.

On Monday soon after the fracas at Siri Kotha, I had dinner with 6 UNP Members of Parliament, so I am privy to many a conversation, which I wish to keep private. This is a country that thrives on rumor and innuendo, and worse the public is always vastly misinformed about many aspects of real news, due to the bias of the Media, both written and TV, which does not give any objective reporting.

If one only read the Sunday papers this week, all of which I was able to look at, one would know that the information that the so called pundits forecast are all figments of their imagination, based on months of misinformation in the Media. The reality is completely different and then people are expected to be in shock at the outcome. That is what happens in any situation when reporting is either one sided or is not objective, both of which are firmly rooted in the local media.

All I wish to comment on is that the result was even more decisive than I had predicted which should have given rise to a renewed confidence that all the problems in the past were behind the party, so that we can concentrate our efforts on our plan to rebuild the grass roots organization and empower a confidence in the vision we have for the future of this country, that we are developing.

My objective view is that the members wanting the elections got what they asked for and were happy with all the terms of the secret ballot, as well as the filling up of the vacancies in the Working Committee. It is therefore inappropriate that once they lost they should find fault with the whole process, and act like sore losers instead of being gracious in defeat. It is time to work together and unify the party. All the factions must work together to achieve the common goals.

We have an enormous task at hand which we are carrying out irrespective of the party leadership matters that we do not allow to distract us from our objectives. We do not have time on our sides to perform all we have to do, nor the funds to fight the establishment. We therefore have to be efficient and productive.