Lakshimi Segarajasingam - a tribute:

A warm and kind hearted lady

The demise of Lakshimi Segarajasingam from this world is a sad loss to her family and friends. I had known her from my school days. She was a regular visitor to our house and a very close friend of my parents, family members, aunts, and uncles. She was residing with her family in a quiet residential area in Colombo not far from where I live. We treated her like a family member.

I have come to know Lakshimi Segarajasingam as a warm and kind hearted lady. She was sincere in her disposition. She was an animal lover with a natural tendency to help the less fortunate. Her strength of character was a great asset to her husband who passed away in 1980. These qualities enabled her to accept the challenge and singularly bring up her children Kamini, Arjun and Vijayan over a period of thirty years. This is no mean feat. Her accomplishment in this regard was due largely to her will power and determination which has now passed on to her children. Her daughters-in-law, are Dr Samanthi and Dr Anusha, with three adorable grand children Akshyan, Akshodhini and Artheeshayan. The boys are at S Thomas' College Mt Lavinia and the daughter is at Ladies College, Colombo.

Lakshimi belonged to a respectable family in Nawally. She was the daughter of Thampoo, PWD engineer and the youngest in her family. She studied at Good Shepherd Convent at Kandy. She was a music lover and highly appreciative of music by Gentleman Jim Reeves and Daniel O' Donnell, an Irish singer and performer. She was full of enthusiasm, and a charming entertainer with a broad outlook in life.

I have also known her husband the late Mr Rajanathan Segarajasingam, who was from Arally South in Jaffna who came from a family steeped in traditional Hindu culture. He held a respectable post as the District Manager, Bank of Ceylon, City Office Branch. He was a renowned Banker and owed much of his success in his professional career to the unfailing support and encouragement that he received from his devoted wife, Lakshimi. Sad as we are by the absence of Lakshimi among the living today, we are consoled by the fact that her good qualities such as kindness, tolerance, generosity, and concern for the deprived including innocent animals continue to be reflected and shine in the conduct of her affectionate children. No one is immortal. We all have to take leave of this world one day. That is the harsh reality. Lakshimi Segarajasingam will be remembered for leading a harmless and inoffensive life, winning the friendship and respect of all those that she came into contact with. May she attain the supreme bliss of Moksha.

Dr Senaka Weeraratne , Colombo 5

Nalanda Ellawala

Fifteenth death anniversary on Feb 11th 2012

A fragrance doth remain
In the folds where it hath lain
The thoughts of you
remaining
Deeply folded in our hearts
will not leave
Many things leave
You remain
A beautiful memory
Sweet familiar fragrance
May your journey
Be safe
Precious pilgrim
May your shack never be too cold
Your sack too heavy to hold
May you be our cellestial bond
When the rustic journey ends
When we together see the
golden door
May you be there.
Amma and Akka