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I recently visited the Adisham Castle in Haputale, the story of which
is yet another 'rags to riches' affair. A 17 year old English stow-away
ends up on a ship transporting tea, on the shores of Sri Lanka, then
Ceylon, with only a few pounds in his pocket.
The beauty of the land attracted him so much that he makes this his
home. Thus the Adisham Castle was designed, and the young Englishman
later knighted as Sir Thomas Lister Willis, left behind a priceless
golden treasure which we can be proud of as Sri Lankans. Designed after
the Lead's Castle in Kent, Adisham had got its name from the village the
young Englishman hailed from.
Sir Thomas Willis started life in the island as a junior planter and
it was a hard trudge up the ladder to come to the position to launch
this venture.
The foundation for the 40 roomed palace was laid in the year 1927 and
the project was completed in 1931. Most of the material and the
technology came from England and India. The wood for the staircase,
designed like the staircase in Buckingham Palace, and the roofing
shingles, came from Burma. Even the oak columns were shipped down from
England. The magnificent Persian carpets laid out here are over 200
years old while there are books in the upper floor library which date
back 500 years. The antique furniture is priceless along with the camel
skin sofas.
This unique mansion that would have been the centre of much fun,
frolic and revelry of the nobility and the elite has passed down several
generations and now finally rests with the Benedictine Monks as their
hermitage. The large garden has been converted into an orchard by the
resident monks and it produces wonderful jams, sauces and cordials
prepared in the traditional style. Though not on a commercial basis, one
could always enjoy the hospitality of the monks for a short stay here
for a peaceful holiday.
The visit to the castle was well worth and it made me believe that I
had been transported back in time to an exalted English manor of sorts.
A superb painting of Sir Thomas Willis, done by the famous artist David
Paynter, has been endowed with eyes which follow your every step. If you
enjoy having those eyes peering through the dark at you as you turn a
corner, why, Adisham Castle is just what the man ordered... and many
have found him to be great company ... really!
HARSHI NADIE PERERA – PILIYANDALA
 In 1945, we possessed a gramophone and had songs of Greta Janette de
Silva, H.W. Rupasinghe, Rukmani Devi, M K Vincent, Mohideen Baig, Lathif
Bhai, A.J. Careem and A.M.U. Raj on Colombia and His Master’s Voice
labels. We got our first ‘Berec’ radio, in the shape of a saucepan, in
1950 and were able to listen to Prosper Fernando’s presentation of the
daily one hour Hindi songs programme over the Commercial Service of
Radio Ceylon. Songs like Prema gange menik wage, Premalokaya nivi giya,
Hithannako aiye, Suda suda ra una of the Sujatha, Sooraya and Sadasulang
films copied on Hindi melodies, influenced everybody. Radio Ceylon’s
Hindi music programme enticed me to the extent of becoming a fan of
Mohammed Rafi, Latha Mangeskar and Asha Bonsley, Mukesh and the such.
After the television was introduced, we were able to see what we
heard over the gramophone and the radio. Programmes such as Bharatha gee
vindana and Suhaani rath have become very popular and commendable. These
programmes receive acclamation in recognition of the artful
presentation. The producer, the presenter, translator, controlling staff
and other professionals involved in making every presentation, deserve
the viewers’ appreciations and gratitude.
Students of the Aesthetic studies at the universities seeking
qualification in Visual and Performing Arts are enthusiastic viewers of
these two programmes which should not be treated lightly. The title
Bharatha gee vindana refers to the pleasure of listening to Indian
songs. This title refers to the songs sung in all the 160 spoken
languages in India. To meet the demand of the teachers and students of
the universities, it is ripe time to convert Bharatha gee vindana and
Suhaani raath to accommodate songs and dances from all other languages
possible, when the title of the programme will also be come meaningful.
These two programmes must stay on as a faculty on visual and performing
arts.
L.A.W. LIYANA ARACHCHI – KADAWATHA
My wife opened a savings account on behalf of my daughter when she
was a minor of 12 years. After 14 years when my daughter went to the
bank with her savings book, she was told that it was an old account and
that they cannot trace any documents as their computer system had been
changed from the year 2000.
So my daughter had to seek the help of the Financial Ombudsman, who
directed the bank, to pay up.
The bank Savings Book specifically mentions that for any withdrawals,
the savings book must be presented. My daughter had the savings book
intact and there was no mention of any money withdrawn. At least my
daughter had access to the Financial Ombudsman. What about the man on
the street who has not heard of such remedial measures?
RANJITH E. PERERA - COLOMBO 6
The letter written by Neil Perera on a particular teledrama (Opinion
column May 7, 2013) must be taken seriously, and he must be praised for
raising this issue. These so called mega teledramas have become a
permanent feature of telecasting in Sri Lanka now.
TV channels that promote teledramas should pay serious attention to
their quality, and what they portray and convey to the audience. More
important is their impact on the audience. Most of the teledramas shown
are indeed of poor quality and a few are trash. One wonders why the
Public Performance Board permit such teledramas.
The possible impact of poor quality teledramas on the young cannot be
ignored. When these dramas portray for example, violence, bad language
in dialogues, abuse of women, and family conflicts laced with distrust,
infighting and many other anti-social behaviour, what the young would
tend to pick to imitate are, these negative behaviour patterns. Many
research studies done elsewhere on impact of television of children have
shown this. But unfortunately nothing of this kind of research has been
done in this country.
Beside the crucial question which the writer Neil Perera raised,
there are few other questions one may raise here. Is the Board going
against government policy of promoting wholesome family and social
values (sara dharma), by permitting low quality dramas? Are the
producers and the channels that broadcast these not concerned with
social-responsibility practised in other sectors of the economy?
Do these dramas reflect the values that producers themselves hold? In
the final analysis, music and drama must aim to promote the best of the
best in society and certainly not the worst of the worst.
There appears to be a clear need for public debate on teledramas
shown in this country.
BERNARD D. NAWALA
When I first wanted to write about the exceptional services received
at the Kalubowila Hospital, where my husband had to be warded, I was
discouraged by one who said, “That’s how all hospitals are now. The
Kalubowila Hospital is no exception”. But then my admiration for the
services rekindled, two or more years later, that is recently, when my
neighbor returned after having recovered after treatment for a heart
attack. The entire family seems to be very impressed with the services
rendered in the hospital.
“Aunty, you said you were going to write to the papers about them,
didn’t you?” The patient’s niece asked me. When I answered in the
negative, “Oh, please do”, was her plea. I’ll have to write volumes if I
were to contain in this, all of their praises. Briefly I can say this;
that from the humblest labourer, right up to the Doctor in-charge, all
staff were as hospital staff should be - Angels of Mercy!
A Pulukkody reader by email
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