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| Sunday, 30 June 2002 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Revival of the propagation of jak-fruit
The Associated Newspaper of Ceylon Limited (ANCL) initiators of the National Jak Development Project wishes to thank all readers and well wishers for their kind assistance in supplying jak-fruit saplings. The project to plant hundred thousand jak trees launched on June 11, 2002 had so far handed over 9,500 saplings to be planted islandwide. This takes into count the 125 saplings planted at BMICH and 650 saplings distributed on June 11. 2,000 saplings were distributed at various exhibitions and fares in Colombo while 6,500 saplings were distributed among the schoolchildren in the Protected Areas of Udawalawa, Wasgomuwa, Ritigala, Yala and Victoria, Randenigala, Rantembe through school environment circles attached to the Wild Life Trust. 500 saplings were planted in Bopathella area in collaboration with the Green Movement of Sri Lanka. The next planting season will begin in September. Jak-fruit saplings about 2 1/2 - 4 months old are sought from the public. Individuals and organisations interested in granting Jak-fruit saplings are requested to write to the Coordinating Secretary, National Jak Development Project, C/o Silumina, Lake House, Colombo 10. The project is sponsored by Sevana Lotteries division of Sri Lanka Lotteries Board. by Vimukthi Fernando Was he Ceylon's last angry man? Questioned the community when he died. A man who took up the motto of 'plain living and high thinking.' A genuine crusader who supported precept with example, who inveighed against the sins of extravagant living and waste. A very 'private' person who was honest and straight forward in his dealings with the world. A man who worked with passion and devoted himself to whatever the task he carried out. A man who stood up for his values, even when the whole world denounced him. He was Arthur V. Dias (Diyes) or Kos Mama of Panadura, as most of the Sri Lankans fondly remember him.
The first person in Sri Lanka who went on a crusade to propagate jak-fruit, he also promoted teaching of local languages in schools at the time Sri Lanka was under the rule of the British. Sunday Observer, met his youngest son, Nanda Dias to find out more about Arthur V. Dias. A crusader in his own right and shy of publicity Nanda Dias at 82 works in his quiet corner, spending most of his time with little children encouraging and directing them in leading better and balanced lives. It was not a cause that was easy, especially at a time when the Sri Lankan community looked down upon ethnic foods such as jak-fruit, says the son of Arthur V. Dias. Even at the college that he and his brothers attended, there was a lot of 'name calling.' This made them more or less detest the work of their father. However, for Nanda Dias the tide changed on a day in early 1930s, when his father asked him to accompany him for a meeting at Alubomulla. Disciplined "The whole village was decorated. Everyone was waiting for the Governor who was to open the school building. We also stood close by. The governor upon arrival walked upto my father and spoke something with him. Then my father asked our driver to get a jak sapling out of the car boot and gave it to the governor, who planted it in the school premises. It was a great surprise even for me. Apparently, the governor had written to my father saying that he will plant jak trees wherever he goes. That changed all the laughing stock", he reminiscences. Arthur Dias was a father who was kind but firm and disciplined, who wanted his children also to be disciplined in the same manner. Who encouraged his children to take up an interest in the national causes. "Meetings such as the one at Alubomulla was not new for us. He wanted us to get interested in his work and always made us accompany him. He used to write so many letters to the newspapers about the importance of jak planting. There were about 8 newspapers then. We had to sit and copy all his letters to the Editors of those newspapers. And that was not easy task at that time", he smiles. "However, even for me, it took sometime to realize the importance of what he was doing." Though, more obstacles were there than support, persuasion prevailed and his father managed to plant one million jak-trees by the time of the World War II. That was what made, Oliver Goonetileka, then governor of Ceylon praise the efforts of this philanthropist, saying that Sri Lankans need not worry of their food requirements. Arthur V. Dias practised what he preached. That is how Sir John Kotelawala, was persuaded to authorize 'Kos Mama' to use his own frank to send the parcels of jak saplings, seeds and so on, free of postage. Sir John managed to turn a blind eye to many of the letters, 'Kos Mama' wrote soliciting his support. But, once he attended a wedding where he was treated with many a tasty tit-bit out of jak-fruit and seen the bride and the groom receiving a parcel of jak-seeds, a treasured gift from 'Kos Mama', all his reserves disappeared. Poignant The support of these prominent leaders, lead Arthur V. Dias to promote jak planting not only in Panadura, his home town and surroundings, but to spread it throughout the country, as far as Jaffna, Batticaloa and Matara. His father's efforts in jak propagation is encouraging, says Nanda Dias citing an incident at a remote village in Balangoda, where he happened to visit with a friend. "Showing a mature fruit bearing jak-tree the principal of the village school proudly announced that it was a tree planted by 'Kos Mama' of Panadura. That was a poignant moment." Seeing the large number of carts transporting jak wood, day after day, was what planted the thought of jak propagation in the mind of Arthur V. Dias, about 100 years ago. It was his own garden where he started planting jak-fruit. The first saplings were planted in Panadura, on June 11, 1918. There was no looking back afterwards. Whatever the opportunity he got, whatever the occasion he was invited to he seized to promote propagation of jak-fruit. He went throughout the country promoting the propagation of this wonder fruit and his campaigning paved way to prohibit cutting of jak trees for wood purposes without a permit. Jak is a wonder fruit indeed, says Nanda Dias, for the tree grows on its own, and is eternally bearing. Its potential used to the maximum could help alleviate poverty in Sri Lanka. In his opinion, it is "excellent that a jak-propagation campaign had started again. Because of the environmental aspect of growing jak-fruit and of its food uses. If my father could see what's happening now, he would be very happy." |
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