Blissful wedded life torn apart

by Ananda Agalakada

Nothing could part them in this life or the next. They lived together and died together. A couple married for 40 years and living togerther for forty years passed away within a few hours of each other.

The wife suddenly collapsed and passed away but the sudden death of a man who was active has left relatives and doctors baffled.

The victim had attended a medical check-up just days prior and nothing seemed amiss. Here goes their love story....

They met in Kaduwela eleven years ago. Their love blossomed while they were courting each other. Thushara Sanjeewa Kumara was besotted with Nilmini Premakanthi and could not wait for the day to take her home as his wife. Her beauty mesmerised him. Nilmini was a village beauty and went about her work as if she had no cares in the world. Her hair was always tied up in a chignon at the nape of her neck because she thought it was to long to let he hair loose or to be plaited. The chignon enhanced her beautiful hourglass figure and her gait added to the glamour, not that Thushara was any less handsome. His chiselled feautures were attractive and there was no gainsaying that any woman would not be attracted to this handsome man. They made an ideal couple and were the envy of the village. They married in sombre circumstances and lived happily in Walivita Bogahawetta in Kaduwela. Thushara loved his wife dearly. As time went by they became proud parents to a son and daughter They had a lifelong devotion to each other as husband and wife. Thushara was an extremely loyal and humble person.

He was a family man true to the word and lived happily with his wife and children. Relatives say the couple never quarrelled, this was unique and relatives had noticed it. Although they were from two different religions, he was Catholic and she was Buddhist they had qualms about each other's religion., but this never drove a wedge between the couple.

They practised their religions while respecting one other. While Thushara went to church, Nilmini went to temple.

When it came to festivals they happily celebrated festivals of both faiths. They were exemplary parents and looked after their children with care.

Thushara always worked hard. He hardly had a full night's sleep. Many were the days when he did not have a regular meal. However Thushara understood the realities of life and his only thoughts were about a good future for the family.

He learned how to share sorrow and happiness with his wife and two children. Thushara also engaged in odds jobs in his village to keep his family happy and contended. He loved his wife very much and did not keep away from his home even for a day.

However, tragedy struck the family one day. On that fateful day, Nilmini fainted and fell after complaining of a headache. She was promptly admitted by Thushara to the Colombo National Hospital.

Destiny had other plans. Later, Thushara came to know that Nilmini had died due to a blood clot which had clogged a vein in her brain. Her death was so sudden and so was a shock to the family.

They could not believe what had happened to Nilmini who was as fit as a fiddle until that fateful day.

Thushara, her loving husband was in a state of shock and although family members tried consoling him it had no effect. He was inconsolable and just could not come to terms with the terrible tragedy. It looked like he could not bear the sadness of his wife's sudden death.

Thushara lived with a lot of expectation for a bright future for his family. They were now shattered.

Thushara just did not want to see his beloved Nilmini stiff and placed in a coffin. This was too much for him. When he saw the body he could not control his emotion and began wailing in grief, recalling all her past deeds.

Thushara's heart wrenching cries were hard for even the other peoples to bear and even they were brought to tears.. While the commotion was going on, all of a sudden, Thushara held his chest with both hands and fell. Relatives rushed towards him and held him. Since he was unconscious they rushed him to The Colombo National Hospital, Colombo where he was pronounced dead on admission.

According to relatives, Thushara had gone for a medical check-up just the other day and was given a clean bill of health.

He was health conscious and took great pains to look after his health. Reports had revealed he was in good health condition at that time.

Kumari Athukorala his elder sister said "My brother Thushara helped villagers. He was a kind- hearted man. Villagers loved him because of his endearing nature.

He was president of the youth council in the village. He engaged in many social welfare activities in the village and helped villagers whenever he could. The village was plunged into sadness with Thushara's death because he was the livewire of the village and spared no pains to help them.

He studied at Walivita St. Maria School. After leaving school he found employment in a company. Later he resigned from the company over a personal problem".

"We don't know what happened to him. He lived a happy life and loved his family very much.

It is difficult for us to bury them because both husband and wife were so good to the villagers. We cannot put them into the hole and cover by the soil.

One of the children is still in school. How can these children live without their parents? My wish is that no one shoulf face such a situation in their lives", a grief- stricken said.

The family which had prepared to conduct the last rights for Nilmini had to postpone the funeral and make arrangements for both funerals.

Thus Thushara and Nilmini who lived together for 40 years were laid to rest in the same grave and that is how the sansaric journey of this beloved couple ended.