Darling we aren't too old, though we pass the Jubilee Gold: '

The story of the Black Prince and his lady love

by Lakmal Welabada

'Darling, I am growing old,

Silver threads among the gold'... - Eben E. Rexford might have said this ... don't know how many years ago, but 'Daha' too said the same to his sweetheart forty years ago when he proposed to her. But love has no barriers. And so, the age gap of twenty years was simply ignored, by her...

William Leslie Dahanaike (Daha) is stretched out in his armchair and chuckling. The walking stick beside him indicates he is not so agile on his feet anymore. But his rhetoric proves that our former Editor is still young. "I am young at heart," he insists.

Munching a salty crispy cracker and sipping a fruit juice served by Indra Wickremasinghe Dahanaike (Indi) at their 'Walawwa' house at Fairline Road, Dehiwala, I started scribbling down the story of the duo.

Leslie Dahanaike was known as 'Daha' among his colleagues and Indi, his wife calls him 'Leslie'. In this article I might call him by both names.

Leslie was born to Mudlier William Dahanaike of the 'Maha Walawwa' at Walasmulla, Giruwapattuwa (off Matara) and Jessie Charlotte Nella Rupasinghe from Thelangapatha, Wattala. "I was born in the Thelangapatha home. Unlike today, our mothers didn't go to maternity homes to deliver children. They did it with the help of the village midwife," he says. Leslie is the eldest of a younger brother and a sister.

Two generations in Leslie's paternal family - his great grandfather and grandfather held the posts of Chief Headman and was honored with the title of 'Mudlier'. His father who was a landed proprietor was also honored with the same title, later.

Leslie and his family lived at Thelangapatha, and later moved to Colombo, once Leslie's father built 'the Walawwa' at Dehiwala. "I have been living in this old mansion for the past seventy years. We are both growing old," he grins looking around. "But, I have no special desire for anything. I'm not saying I have quenched all my yearnings. But, I am well versed in 'Anicca, Ducca and Anaathma' found in the Buddhist doctrines, and am an ardent follower of this great philosophy," he pledges.

Leslie and his brother were sent to S.Thomas', Mount Lavinia first by a Bakki cart, and later, his father bought a Morris Cowley car. "Enoris was our cartman and he was called 'Gon Baas'. Papa (our father) tried to teach him driving after he bought the car, but it was not successful. So, he hired a new driver to drive us to school," recalls Leslie.

The Wijeratne boys who lived down their lane also joined them to go to S. Thomas' in their car. The four Wijeratnes Neville, Mervin, Herbert and Vernon and the two Dahanaikes had one special feature - their pitch dark complexion.

Hence, the moment their Morris Cowley stopped at S. Thomas' Chapel, the schoolboys who were waiting around wanted to start their chorus, 'Kaak! Kaak! Kaak!"... The Morris Cowley car was called the 'Kaak Kooduwa' (crow nest) as all the boys who came in it were dark as ever. "But he was a smart looking fellow by the time he proposed to me," butts in Indi with a hearty smile. Leslie also joins with her.

Both laugh. (His dark complexion later gave him more titles. He was nicked named as the 'Black Prince' of the Sunday Observer).

Leslie was at S. Thomas' during Warden Canon de Seram's era. However much Mr.Davidson, the master-in-charge of 'Buck House' at S. Thomas' tried, Leslie had never become a sportsman. "Once he made me run around the grounds. I somehow did it, but I thought I would die at the finale. And after seeing me panting like a dog, he never again asked me to try athletics. I tried boxing too. But Table Tennis was something I could pick up a bit better," he grins.

Once Leslie took part in the House marching squad. He still remembered Mr. Davidson screaming at him saying 'Leslie, you are marching like a dying duck. Keep your head straight...', So he did.

Whatever, these words of his master inculcated in the Black Prince's mind well, and later helped him on various occasions in his life - especially at times of trouble - he never lost his balance...

After sitting for the London Matriculation, Leslie's father wanted him to be a proctor. So he entered Law College and did the first year exam. However, Leslie had no appetite to be a landed proprietor like his father.

So instead of sending him to look after the family coconut estates at Walasmulla, Mudlier Dahanaike tried to send his eldest son to London to do his Barristers. But however Leslie's destiny was not on the legal line. His desire for writing on various issues on the local and international politics cum current affairs began to harangue him. Even by this time his name had already gained publicity in the 'Times of Ceylon' and the 'Ceylon Daily News'..

After gaining many a positive response to his articles which bombarded many politicians of that time, both local and international, Leslie decided his line should be 'journalism'. He applied to both papers he had been writing for.

His first interview at Lake House was not successful. So he tried for the second time as well. When Mr. Esmond Wickremasinghe, Managing Director of Lake House saw him for the second time, he asked him, 'Dahanaike you applied before as well?'... When Leslie said 'yes', Mr.Wickremasinghe said, 'Ok, young man, you can walk in here like Robert Bruce.' From then on our very own 'Robert Bruce' walked into Lake House and served many years as a Sub Editor at the Ceylon Daily News.

He got a transfer to the Sunday Observer as the Chief Sub Editor in later years. And then, came up on the career-ladder until he was appointed the Editor of the Sunday Observer.

The boisterous little Indi was born as the third offspring of seven, to Childes Wickremasinghe, once a Municipality clerk and then a planter cum landed proprietor and Kusuma Gajanaike. "My father was from down South, and my mother was from Wellandura, Kahawatta in Ratnapura.

Later, my father retired prematurely and took over the tea and rubber estates in Wellandura. We had a lovely bungalow there with our own generator to give electricity and our own motors to pump water. I studied at Child Jesus Convent, Ratnapura. We were boarded and during the holidays all of us about 20 cousins, got together at our place and had fun. I had a lovely and heavenly childhood," she reminisces with a broad hearty smile.

She was known as a Tom Boy in school, who was a 'pain' for many teachers. "Every time when our geography teacher came into the class she asked me to go out. But the only naughty thing that I used to do was to bombard her with many questions which sometimes made her wordless.

So she might have thought it was better to get rid of me before I started my series of questions. But, one day when I was out of the class room I got caught to the Mother Superior and had to kneel down for the whole period. After that when the geography teacher turned to the black board I slowly crawled back into the classroom and hid behind the door until the period was over. Oh! what things I did," she laughs.

Indi could still remember how she played hide and seek with her cousins in the tea estate and then had a cold shower from in fresh waterfalls around. "My grand -father built the Gajanaike Mixed School (where I also studied for a short while) and the Buddhist temple in the village. Our whole family were ardent Buddhists, like Leslie's. That practise has been a great blessing on both of us throughout our lives," she recalls.

Despite her boisterousness, Indi was famous as a fashion conscious little cherub. Her beautiful cats eyes were always twinkling like little stars on her sweet yet mischievous face. But, on reaching her teens the little Tom Boy changed to an extremely ladylike young woman. So no wonder Leslie's heart stopped its beat when he saw this young 'my fair lady' at a family wedding.

Question: His school mates called him 'Kaakka' (crow). So how did you see him?

Indi: Oh! I told you earlier as well. He was looking good and smart (shows me the wedding photo). The proposal came through my aunt. And since both the family backgrounds and horoscopes were tallying well I gave my consent to the marriage (broad smile).

Leslie and Indi got married on October 20 in 1966 at her home in Kohuwala. Since then Indi has been a devoted and dutiful wife up to now. "Leslie had little time for the family as he was very much engulfed in his writing. So I shouldered most of the house chorus and children's matters," she reminisces. Must be true! Daha always strove hard to bring about the best Sunday Observer paper.

He was such a dedicated workaholic. But, although he strode like a Colossus in the portals of Lake house his simplicity and benevolence towards fellow employees was the hallmark of his greatness.

When an article (story) was sent or given to him he paid a lot of attention to the details, and nothing escaped his eyes. He was witty and an absolutely humorous person who never lost his cool working under pressure. "However, I had faithful servants, and my mother-in-law was an asset for me.

We had ups and downs, but Leslie has never stepped in my way and I have never stepped in his way as we had a good understanding and we are faithful to each other. Also, he loves his children a lot," she recalls. "He always liked to see me dressed well. We have had a good social life since he has been moving in the higher society. I also enjoy outings, maybe more than him. Leslie rarely flies out. But I have travelled a lot. And I am still a go-getter," continues Indi.

Leslie and Indi are blessed with three daughters and a son. "All our daughters are married and housewives now. Our three sons-in-law are the three jewels in my crown. We are proud grandparents of six little ones. Our son is an Executive in the garment industry, and he is our fourth gem. All our children are doing well and ardently looking after us," they stress.

The Black Prince is in his late seventies now. He was honored with a Doctorate by the Open International University. Also, he was presented with the Excellence in Journalism Award by the Sri Lanka Press Institute and Editors' Guild, early this year. Daha rendered his service to Lake House since the early 1950s to the end of 1999.

Despite his age he has an abundance of stamina to work as a Consultant in another print media. We salute 'Daha' (our Guru) for being a dedicated and conscientious worker, for serving at Lake House for nearly four decades.