Apsara and Sarath were a young couple who owned a boutique at Ohiya. Apsara was 25 and Sarath 28. Their boutique was known as ‘Ohiya Kade’, where they sold cooked food, beverages, fruits and household provisions.
Ohiya Kade was situated just opposite the Ohiya Railway Station overlooking the breathtaking beauty of the wilderness of the hill country. The road to World’s End one of the finest attractions at Horton Plains starts near the Ohiya Station. Ohiya has a salubrious climate too. It was an ideal place for a boutique, and was always frequented by visitors.
Apsara as her name denotes was like a maid from a heavenly dream, beautiful, kind, and adorable. Sarath was also a pleasant looking young man with a boyish face and stylish whiskers. It is said that a man who cannot smile cannot run a business.
On the contrary, he often had a naturally happy smile on his face. He had a good sense of humour and was of a charming character that made him the most delightful of companions. They were exemplary models as host and hostess.
Though their location had many attractions, the spade work of starting the business was very difficult and they were not well off at the beginning. His boutique was the only shop at Ohiya, when he started. Despite its beauty, the roads in the area are rugged and winding round the hills. To make matters worse there is often mist around the hills, and the roads are encompassed by the mist.
Driving is very risky, and to procure necessities one had to go to Bandarawela. There was no bus service to Bandarawela at that time, and the markets were far away from the Station. But, Sarath was courageous and hardworking and liked to take risks.
He bought a small van to transport goods, and was a cautious driver. Apsara was a tower of strength to him and the success behind the business.
She was a devoted wife, and a wonderful woman who toiled and slaved for him day and night to make him prosperous.
She was an indefatigable worker. Despite the bitter cold she would
get up at the first cock’s crow; the earliest messenger of a new day and a new life.
She would first wash herself, and worship at the statue of the Buddha. Then she would briskly prepare hoppers, string hoppers, thosai, sizzling seeni sambol and display them neatly on the racks, with bananas hung on a railing in front of the boutique. The aroma of appetizing food assailed the noses of passers-by. It tempted almost everyone to step into the kade.
They were heartily welcomed by the couple, Apsara diligent and courteous served the customers with a smile. Sarath made them feel homely and comfortable with his incomparable humour and friendly ways. All these enhanced their joy and before long Ohiya kade became the rendezvous and the favourite resort of the people of Ohiya.
A carom board was another attraction to while away their time. The couple’s dedication to work increased their wealth in leaps and bounds and they constructed an extension to the boutique.
After two years of married life, a baby boy was born to them, and they reached the zenith of happiness in their married life.
The love they cherished for their first born was indescribable. They named him Priyankara.
It so happened that on the second day of their baby’s first birthday Sarath set off from home to Bandarawela to get a gift for Apsara and necessities for the baby. He set off a 8 o’clock in the morning. Apsara waited jubilantly for his return, but he was getting late.
Minutes ticked past lengthening into hours. Her gaiety was chilled by an unaccountable gloom. The time is now 2 o’clock. What’s wrong....?
After a few hours a messenger brought the tragic news that Sarath had met with an accident. On his return a tree had crashed onto his van, and he had died instantly.
Their happiness was short lived. Apsara was stunned with grief. The whole of Ohiya lamented his death.
At his funeral there was a whisper among the relatives that astrologers had predicted that there was a malefic star in his horoscope and he would die a premature death, leaving his wife a widow, but they didn’t heed his warming.
What mysterious things govern our lives? Who knows? Life is only a dew drop at the edge of a blade of grass.
They both loved roses. To perpetuate Sarath’s memory she planted roses in front of their boutique, and they bloomed profusely and luxuriously in the salubrious climate of Ohiya and now their boutique is known by all as Rosa Kade.