Unfailing talisman

Great expectations of a father:

Aditha DISSNAYAKE

Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Institute

Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Institute is affiliated to the University of Kelaniya. It is one of the two University institutes of Ayurveda education in Sri Lanka. The Director of the Institute at present is Professor Janatha Liyanage.

The Institute is located in a land of nearly 10 acres, just 30 km away from the Colombo city, in Yakkala.

The Institute has its origin in the well-known Gampaha Sidayurveda Vidyalaya founded by Ayurveda Pandit G P Wickramarachchi in 1928. The Siddayurveda Vidyalaya was set up by Pandit Wickramarachchi in his personal land, in response to the demand in the then society for a fully-fledged learning centre to provide the traditional physician with the knowledge and competence in herbal drug preparation and indigenous chikitsa.

From its very inception, the institute has a number of resources including Herbal Gardens with a collection of rare herbal plants, Drug Manufacturing Unit and a Hospital.

In recognition of its tremendous contribution into national health sector, the Vidyalaya was declared as a state recognized institute in 1951, making its diploma holders eligible for obtaining appointments in state sector Ayurveda hospitals. In 1961, the Diploma certificate of the Sidayurveda Vidyalaya was recognized by the Ayurveda Medical Council.

In 1995, it was raised to the status of a University institute. It currently conducts the Bachelor of Ayurveda Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) degree, a six year course which includes one year internship training in a state hospital.

In addition to this undergraduate course, the institute has recently embarked on a number of progressive steps, promoting Ayurvedic research at University level.

The two year old who cried so hard he lost consciousness and was brought back to life almost 24 hours later by the medicinal prowess of his grandfather, is today, eighty one; just as spirited and energetic as he was seventy nine years ago.

Sporting a designer sarong, and a white t-shirt with an elephant printed on it he says it is a souvenir from Cambodia, bought a few months ago on his most recent trip abroad with his cronies, (a group of old Anandians). “Ever since that day when I lost consciousness from crying too hard, everyone at home made sure I never cried over anything I wanted. I was thoroughly spoilt,” he smiles.

Ayurveda Keerthi Winayakantha Wickramarachchi, believes in keeping time’s chariot wheels from drawing near him. Today, as a board member of the Gampaha Siddayurvedha Vidyalaya, also known as the Wickremarachchi Ayurveda Vidyalaya, he says there are still areas he would like to improve, at the college his father founded eighty one years ago.

He and the college are of the same age, or to be more exact, the college is one week younger because his father opened it a week after he was born on July 19, 1929.

The turning point in Wickramarachchi (Junior)’s life was in 1966 when he became a member of the governing committee of the college. His father, at the age of seventy seven was too feeble to continue with his activities at the school and was happy to see his son stepping in and taking the reigns from his hands. “If I had not taken an interest there would be pineapple stands where the college stands today.”

He recalls how his father’s past pupils had gone in search of Ayurveda physician D M Jayasinghe, his father’s first student, and invited him to step into the post of Registrar of the college. He had consented to do so on one condition. “I will come, but my post must go to Winayakantha when he is ready.”

From then on there had been no turning back. Even though his father had not wanted him to take up ayurvedic medicine. Winayakantha is happy he has done everything he could to preserve the ayurvedic college his father started and continue to make the medicines his father manufactured in a small factory in Yakkala.

Childhood

Wickramarachchi has fond memories of his childhood in Gampaha, living in his father’s ancestral home, growing up on fresh milk and home grown vegetables. When

 his father got married, he was given a house in Yakkala as dowry, but being too proud to live in this house which belonged to his wife Pandith Wickramarachchi had built a house of his own in the Gampaha town. Later, when Winyakantha’s grandfather insisted they move to the ancestral home, the house in the town was converted into a dispensary. Winayakantha recalls hearing his elders narrate how his grandfather and father, had both practised in the same house. “Soon the line of patients waiting to see my father grew longer, while the line waiting to see my grandfather grew shorter. Not wanting to hurt my grandfather’s feelings my father shifted his practice to Gampaha.”

Proud of his hometown, Pandith Wickramarachchi, who was nominated a Senator by the then Prime Minster S W R D Bandaranaike in 1957, had used the name Gampaha in all his medicinal products. He was called Panditha Ralahamy by the villagers because he was also a notary,” recalls Winayakantha. “My father, was also known as Professor Wickramarachchi, or Pandit Wickramarachchi or simply as the Gampaha Vedamahattaya.” Professor Wickramarchchi had begun his primary education at the village school and graduated from the Vidyodaya Pirivena in 1913 specializing in Sinhalese, Pali, Sanskrit and Ayurveda, under the tutelage of Venerable Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Nayake Thera.

Recalling the brilliant intelligence of his father Wickremarachchi says when his father was at Vidyodaya he had scored 100 out of 100 in his exams, and once when an irate student questioned Sri Sumangala Thera why Wickramarachchi was always given 100 marks was told “because I can’t give him 101”.

Patriot

A true patriot who believed in the catch word Siyarata de siri sepa de (Nothing can be better than what we make ourselves) Pandit Wickramarachchi had revived the practice of indigenous medicine, lived a spartan life and always dressed in white-home spun cotton clothing made from cotton he grew himself. “My father always believed there is someone up there to look after all of us; to punish the bad and reward the good,” recalls his only son.

Enrolling himself at the Calcutta Astanga Ayurveda Vidyalaya where he studied under one of the most eminent physicians and erudite scholars of Ayurveda in India, Kaviraj Jamini Bhusana Roy, Pandit Wickramarachchi returned to Sri Lanka in 1921 determined to revive the traditional arts of healing, which had begun to disappear during the four hundred years of foreign reign the country was subjected to.

With firm determination and strong will power he founded the Gampaha Siddayurvedha Vidyalaya in 1929.

“My father opened the medical school seven days after I was born. He believed I was his good-luck charm,” recalls Winayakantha. Though hailing from a generation of physicians Winayakantha says he did not take up medicine.

“My father never insisted that I should follow his footsteps but I have done everything I can to preserve the institute he built and provided my services as the Registrar for 17 years without charging a single rupee for my time and effort”.

Even though he himself did not learn his father’s lore, Wickramarachchi is proud that Anusha his second daughter who has a degree in western medicine has now learnt ayurveda as well and is looking after the manufacturing process of the ayurveda products at the factory in Gampaha. Of his three daughters Suji, his eldest daughter too is a doctor (of western medicine) while Rochelle his youngest daughter, who has a diploma in Ayurveda has introduced Ayurveda products to foreign countries like Japan and Australia.

He says his wife Rani has been the guiding light in the children’s lives and adds everyone is hoping his eldest grandson who is studying for his advanced level exam too will one day become a doctor.

Imparting the knowledge of healing is one of the greatest gifts one can present to one’s brethren and today, Winayakantha Wickramarachchi is happy he has kept the torches burning bright on behalf of his father, for the past forty five years.

Apart from keeping a keen eye on the Wickremarachchi Ayurveda Vidyalaya, and being an active member of the Lions Club what’s next on the agenda? A trip to that holy site where Buddha attained Enlightenment, Bodhgaya? “Yes, perhaps,” he says, his eyes filled with sparkling enthusiasm. Even at the age of eighty one, life’s possibilities are limitless.