Augustine De Alwis - To Walk with Giants
To those of us who stayed while you were called home, you were known by many names - Thathi, uncle, Augie, Sir, Papa. Sometimes, when lucky, even Oggie. Yet, for all your titles, accolades and accomplishments you remained a wondrously simplistic soul, adrift in humanity’s ocean, but ever connected to your Father above.
You are remembered in death as you lived in life - honest and pious, funny and deep, a man of few words. Some of which were, “I don’t talk unless I’m paid,” which is befitting the length of this appreciation, since I am not being paid to write it either.
Yet it is only when one sits down to put pen to paper with the intention of paying tribute to your life and what you meant to us; that it becomes possible to see the colossal challenge ahead, of encapsulating all this on a single sheet of paper.
I knew you from the moment I opened my eyes, until I lost you; like all of us, six years ago. Yet, in those 23 years I watched you with as much wide eyed awe as any boy who has ever been lucky enough to gaze upon his heroes.
But this time was different, this time, you were also my Papa. Those of us who were lucky enough to know you learnt a great deal. You taught us to listen when others would talk, to believe when doubt was fashionable, and to forgive when the air was thick with thinly veiled accusation.
You were a mighty force in your field, admired by friend and foe alike, the image of you rising with vigour and conviction from your seat at the lawyers’ table to deliver your line of questioning in open court is still very much etched in my 18-year-old brain. I want you to know, that you are incomparably missed by all of us who ever knew you and were lucky enough to have loved you in life and be loved by you, in return.
Men rise and fall like golden leaves in a dutiful autumn wind, but some names will never die. We remember your stories, your carefully crafted advice and your naturally piquant wit; the width of a knife point but the length of an astronomical mile. Mostly though, we all remember you differently; and therein lies your magnificence.
What you represented to all who knew you, in whatever context, is what made you a special son of Adam and a force within nature. To your friends, you represented loyalty and good humour. To your clients, justice and redemption; the hope for a better tomorrow. To us, your family; love, generosity and stability.
Even to your adversaries you represented an opportunity to up their game and compete fairly on an equal playing field of respect and good faith. To me, you were all this and so much more. A man who marched to the beat of his own drum and forged a legacy that was greater than just the sum of who he was and what he did. A man who did mighty work that will be remembered forever.
My ambitions and successes have come true in large part thanks to you and Nana, and I will be forever grateful, your truest admirer. But let us not sit with despair, instead stand and rejoice, toasting you; for perhaps, as Henry Scott Holland says, you have only slipped into the next room and we will all be together again once more. I hope that when your time on earth was weighed and considered, you could say, it was time well spent.
That you smiled in the calm of the old house, played cricket with me in the sunshine, laughed with nana, enjoyed Agnes’s cooking, watched mum and Nonne grow up, entertained friends, watched grandchildren playing, enjoyed a ‘toothpick’ nap in the armchair and studied your cases. As you were committed to the earth on the 28 of March, 2013, I hope you wanted for nothing more in this life.
As I wind this down, I take refuge in the memory of you striding up and down the verandah of the old house, glass in hand, the smell of delicious food floating through the house, smiles on everyone and Eddie Fisher on the set-up singing the very same words you always recited then and I always feel, now more so than ever. “Oh my papa, to me he was so wonderful”.
May the Almighty Father have mercy on your soul. May you rest in peace.
Chooti Boy and family
Dr. K.D.G. Wimalaratne - An archivist who helped preserve Buddha Dhamma
Dr. K.D.G. Wimalaratne, Retired Director, Department of National Archives (DNA) used to read my father’s articles in newspapers: The Daily News, The Sunday Observer, The Island, Budusarana and Subhasetha. After my father’s death, Wimale asked me to list all those paper-cuttings for the benefit of the DNA.
When I told him that there are family picture albums and my father’s diaries (for 14 years) and some other documents, he asked me to list them. He told me that some of these were personal records and as a policy, the DNA would not allow people to refer these documents for 10 years after being deposited.
I listed more than 550 items and handed them to the DNA. The DNA Director sent me the acknowledgement allocating a Reference No. 25.228 /26. The documents are kept in the archives for the benefit of the public. Wimale’s vision was to provide online facilities for those beyond the shores of Sri Lanka.
In the early 2010, Viharadhipathi, Vajirarama Temple, Most Ven. Tirikunamle Ananda Maha Nayayaka Thera proposed to rehabilitate the temple’s 100-year old library to commemorate the 2600 Sambuddhatva Jayanti. As it is a professional task, I discussed it with Wimale. He told me that this has to be handled by a specialised team with library science background. I invited Wimale for a discussion with the Library Committee of Siri Vajirarama Karyasadhaka Samithiya. At the meeting, Wimale proposed to have Dr. W.A. Weerasuriya, Head, Library and Information Science of the University of Kelaniya as an advisor.
The Committee formulated a proposal to restore the library, and it was completed on October 5, 2011. The Library Committee invited Wimale as the Guest Speaker of the opening ceremony.
There were prolific users of the Vajirarama Library. Prof. Gunapala Malalasekara, Sir D.B. Jayatilake and W.A. Silva were among the first generation of users of the library. In the 1950s, Olcott Gunasekera and D.C. Ranatunga were among the second generation users. Wimale was also one of them. When I visited Sri Lanka from Canada in April 2018, I telephoned Wimale. He told me that he was not well. I never thought that he will leave us so soon.
May Wimale attain the supreme bliss of Nibbhana!
Senaka A. Samarasinghe