Hulugalle Weda Walauwa.

                       My maternal grandmother at her ancestral home in Kande Medagama, Kosdeniya.

These are a few excerpts from a log book my maternal grandmother Nando Hammie Rathnayake kept. She was a rich landlady under whose authority worked many tenant cultivators. But the land she owned were scattered from one another over great distances. This ultimately proved disadvantages for her as she grow older and was unable to travel as she'd have liked to her lands in remote areas. Therefore, her lessors and the tenant cultivators had started filching her share of the harvest and the crop (coconut being the main crop harvested on the dry land).  The only mode of transportation available within her village and in the neighboring ones back in the 1977's; as most entries in this log book dates back to that period, was the bullock cart.

 People took the bus if they were to travel from city to city and only the rich and the affluent drove automobiles. Furthermore, the bus service was fully government owned.

                                           (One of the earliest models that was in service by the CTB). 

Having said that European made vehicles such as Peugeot, Fiat, Ford, Volkswagen etc... were the common brands that ran on the Sri Lankan roads (formerly Ceylon). Before the market was flooded with the influx of Japanese vehicles in the '80's. My father drove a black Peugeot 203. 

However, the writings on this log book aren't hers try as I might, I could not find any of the entries written by her. But it is highly illogical to think that she was illiterate either as she being one of the richest in her village. My father tells me that in the the years before WWII people hardly studied beyond the fifth standard. Which was equivalent to the senior certificate.   

The Excerpts:

The measurements given here are according to the Sinhala Metric System. Averagely, an acre of paddy land yields 60 bushels.

* ලාස් (pronounced Laas). - (one metric unit of Laas (ලාස්) is equivalent to 10 perches). 

* පෑල් (pronounced pal). - (one metric unit of Pal (පෑල්) is equivalent to 100 perches).

  

   1 acre = 160 perches. - 10 perches = 0.0625 acres. -  1 acre          =16. -  60 bushels = 3.75 bushels.

                                           160                                    0.0625 acres              16 

  

• (Translation): 
• 77.02.03 - Harvest received from the paddy fields in Kuratihena (the name by which the paddy fields were called). 

Paddy species 501. - Laas (ලාස්) 36. (the gross yield). 

The portion for the landlady of 2 1/2 sacks of paddy is with Gunasena Ralahamy. (Gunasena being the name of the lessor and Ralahamy is a reference to a person with high status). 

Pal (පෑල්) 3 Laas (ලාස්) 6 of paddy is with Kadawalagedara Ralahamy. (Kadawalagedara is a name of an area in the vicinity of my grandmother's village). The names of the tenant cultivators are given as a village officer by the name of Gunasena (apparently the person mentioned above) and a lad by the name of Sunil living in Kuratihena.  

* The paddy lands Acts & Ordinances of this country states that 3/4 of the yield should be apportioned to the tenant cultivator and 1/4 of it to the landlord. 

• (Translation): 
• 31.3.1977. - Harvest received from the paddy fields in Indipitiya.

The extent of the paddy land -  Laas (ලාස්) 15.

The gross yield is 22 bushels.

• The apportioned amount to J.H. Albert Fernando of Kuratihena of 3/4 amounting to 16 1/2 bushels.   ( Out of the apportioned yield of 1/4 had been divided among two landlords. Apparently, they were co-owners).
• The share received by R.M. Nando Hammie was 2/3 of a 1/4 amounting to 3 1/2 bushels.  
• The share received by R.M. Rathnayake was 1/3 of a 1/4 amounting to 2 bushels.     
• The signee for the entry is Albert Fernando or the tenant cultivator.   

* I swear the aforementioned Albert Fernando could not have been of Caucasian origin. They were names   taken during the colonial era. But not imposed on them unless they were converted. 

  

                                My mother at her ancestral home in Kande Medagama, Kosdeniya.

She was already bedridden when she was brought to our former residence at Circular Road South and her last moments were spent in the care of my mother. I believe she had Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or simply phlegm in the lungs. I clearly remember phlegm being pulled out of her body using a suction machine. She had passed away at the Kurunegala Private Hospital, at Kadurugas Junction on the 29th October 1980. A hospital that was privately owned by Dr. Fernando. The hospital was recently pulled down to accommodate for the construction of Fashion Bug (an apparel chain) and Lionco (Manufactures of mattresses). The signee for the Informant had been Shri Parakrama Jayasinghe. Who is the resident at No: 16, 3rd Lane, Udawalpola Road, Kurunegala. Who is in fact our neighbor. Given below is the obituary notice published on The Dinamina newspaper.

Nanda Wanduragala Kumarihamy. Resident of Pahala Walawwa in Kandemedagama who was predeceased by her husband Caesar Wanduragala, mother of Kumari, mother-in-law of Gamini Wattegedara Magistrate of Baddegama. Mrs. Nanda Kumarihamy Wanduragala passed away. Her death is announced with great sorrow to all her relatives & friends. Funeral service will be held on Thursday 30th October at 3.00 PM at the Kurunegala General Cemetery.   64, Circular Road South, Kurunegala.

 
         Our former residence at Circular Road South, kurunegala. There was a huge Tamarind tree in front of the house and the bus plying on the Circular Road South route stopped at the Tamarind tree Junction. But the bus no longer takes that route and the tamarind tree has been chopped down. They have diverted the route towards Henamulla.