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

Marriage, a life sentence

Three commandments for a successful life:

(1) Stay married; You have nothing to lose except happiness.

(2) Stay cool coz marriage is not a word but a life sentence.

(3) Stay faithful to the husband/wife; the prize is invaluable.

composer unknown...

by Lakmal Welabada

Don Martinus Divakara Mohotti was going through some of the novels he had in his bookshelf as his friend wanted to borrow some of them. He sensed dropping something which was kept among the pages of one of the novels.

He bent and picked it up. A streak of unfamiliar feeling went across his system. It was the post card sent to him by Kalyani two years back.

"I'm selected to the Polgolla Teachers' Training College. Hope you are doing well. Give my regards to our friend Guli as well".

- Budu Saranai!

- Kalyani

Divakara paused a while. When he got this postcard he should have either sent her a reply or thrown the postcard away. But still he had not done either of them. "Why?" he asked himself.

"She must be waiting for my reply"... He should have done it two years back. But at that time he just ignored it, may be he was not feeling stable in his position; his career.

His mind was not conditioned to think of a girl at that time. "A man should first be stable in an occupation before thinking of other things."

It was the sentence his elder brother always used to utter as a guideline to his younger siblings; what he really meant by this was not clear, but there were many things in it - fun, love, lust.., thought Divakara. But now he feels confident. "I have come to get myself trained as a planter," he wrote in his letter to Polgolla Training College.

The letter she got as a reply for the postcard she had sent two long years ago shocked Kalyani. Once lying flat and then rolling on her bed in the training teachers' hostel bedroom, she read the letter for about hundred times.

Now of course she could murmur each and every word in it by heart. 'Divakara' she said his name in her heart for several times.

The school monitor at Sripali who stretched his hand of charismatic leadership upon anybody around had won the young hearts of many female students at school. But he seemed to have hardly had anything special to do with them.

He looked after everybody so well, that he was nick named as 'Thatha' (the father). Divakara had spoken to her once or twice, but his personality had imprinted a major impact on her soul.

She got through the Senior School Certificate (SSC) both in Sinhala and English medium. The last time she met him at school was the day she got her results for SSC in English. Divakara was coming out from the Principal's office when she was going in.

It was by accident that her eyes entangled with his, may be for the first time. She felt shy, but he was at his ease. "Congratulations Kalyani! I'm very happy for you.

Now you have double SSC. But do not let your head off from the shoulders as you have to go many more miles ahead in your studies," he said. Kalyani smiled and looked down timidly.

She sent him a postcard immediately when she got the teachers' training which was also a dream come true in her life. She knew he would not reply. After two years, here she had got a reply from him. Kalyani sent him a congratulation note for his new adventure as a planter by return post.

Divakara Mohotti was born on April 19 in 1928 to Divakara Mohottige Don James Appuhamy, a farmer and cultivator and Bellana Vithanage Podi Nona at Kudaligama, Kalutara. "There were seven in the family and I was the sixth. I was the pet of my grandmother. She was so possessive over me and never let me be apart from her.

"The day that I went to school was a memorable one. Kevum, Kokis and all sorts of sweets along with Kiribath were made, and I was taken to school at an auspicious time. I still remember my father carrying on his head a huge bundle of all the sweets and Kiribath to offer the Principal and the staff at school, Kudaligama Maha Vidyalaya, Kalutara" he reminisces.

"When I think about it, it was a miracle as I could follow the lessons well and could reach the standard of the children of my age with in six months. After having many double promotions I could sit for the grade five scholarship soon and then entered to Mathugama Central College in which I could study in English," he reminisces.

"Those days they used to fine us five cents if we talk in Sinhala. Once I was also fined and that shook me a lot. After that I started writing down new English words in an exercise book.

And when I came home during the weekend from the hostel, I made a habit of going to the Dummella Kanda (hill) where a beautiful stream was flowing down. I learnt the words I had written in the book and then practised myself by talking in English with the trees and stones around there.

And gradually I mastered the language well," he smiles. Just after the Senior-Prep, Divakara tried to join the Ceylon Royal Army in 1950, but had to give up when his elder brother caught the appointment letter sent to him by the Army.

"I was depressed as I wanted to go for a job. So I decided to elope from home," he says. He joined two young villagers and went to Kandy. And it was the first time that he got the opportunity to worship the Dalada Maligawa.

After offering himself to the Sacred relic, he felt that the impatience that was boiling in him was diminishing. He returned. His absence had made a big 'ha ho' in the home front, but everybody tolerated his return with unbelievable peace. Divakara was one of the best students and an intelligent youth who lived in the whole village. "It must be due to some sort of an evil eye," the villagers gossiped.

Sripali Maha Vidyalaya was one of the best schools in Sri Lanka during that time. Landed proprietor Wilmot A. Perera, Member of Parliament was the owner of the school. Divakara who heard about Sripali and the owner went and talked to Wilmot and got himself entered. And it was the start of the second episode of his life.

Soon Divakara became very popular at school. The intelligent, brave, smart, sporty young man's service for the school as a monitor (especially in disciplining the students) became so essential, Wilmot asked his management not to take fees from Divakara.

Gunadasa Liyanage (Guli) who later became one of the best writers in the Sinhala stream was also studying at Sripali. Divakara and Guli became best friends, and their comradeship continued until the last breath of Guli. After his SSC, Divakara taught at the school for a while and then became a planter through Wilmot Perera's guidance.

Amaratunga Achchi Maddumage Dona Kalyanawathi alias Kalyani was born on March 29 in 1932 to A. A. M. Don Abraham Appuhamy, landed proprietor and cultivator, and Kathriarachchige Dona Ciciliana at Kiriwaththuduwa. Kalyani was the pretty eldest sister to seven younger siblings.

"I was brought up in a pampered atmosphere by my maternal grandmother and maternal aunties and uncles. I had a very happy childhood. Since my mother had many little younger ones I was brought up mainly at my grandmother's place at Pitipana.

First I went to Pitipana Balika and then entered Thalagala Maha Vidyalaya, Kiriwaththuduwa where I did my SSC in Sinhala medium. I did my SSC in English at Sripali. I always wanted become a teacher as during that time trained lady teachers had a big demand," reminisces Kalyani.

"My father always encouraged all of us to study. He never discriminated us, the girls and treated us equally. He wanted to give me in marriage to my 'Massina' (my paternal aunty's son).

But I was in love with Divakara and refused it. Divakara also said he was not expecting anything from my father as dowry. My father gave me a good wedding, but ignored when it came to that point. My husband has been a very courageous person so that he never let me or our children to suffer. He built up on his own," she recalls.

Divakara and Kalyani got married on March 4 in 1957, and built their own nest at Alwiswatta, Kalutara. They are blessed with five sons and a daughter.

Divakara Mohotti's name is not an unfamiliar one to Lake House Paper readers as he has been a Correspondent, Group Correspondent and District Correspondent of Kalutara area since 1961. His name has entangled in many social service works that took place in the area.

The perfect Buddha Pooja programme at Kalutara Bodhiya was founded by Divakara along with Premawardana Alwis, former Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Inland Revenue and Cyril Ekanayaka, former Director of Police Training College.

"We formed the 'Dharmadarshi Samithiya' in 1972, and did an immense service to the Kalutara Bodhiya and the area. Sukitha Home for destitute children at Kalutara was also founded by us," he recalls.

Divakara had been a social worker since he was a teen. He still recalls how he organised Shramadanas to prepare roads and dig wells in his village. And later he did a great service by penning his thoughts, exploring news reports and doing immense research work in the Sri Lankan history from time to time. He had written about many political giants like N.M.Perera, Peter Keuneman and Colvin R. De Silva despite many threats.

"I worked at 'Kalpana' Magazine for a short while when Guli was the Editor there, but the bulk of the time in my life was spent at Lake House. I know a lot of people in all walks of society and through that I could help thousands of people through my news and feature reports," he recalls. Divakara's service was honoured many a time. 'Kala Bhushana' was one such award he got last year.

"We are leading a very contented and religious life. Both of us meditate and offer Danas whenever we can. Life is a very short spell which we should spend carefully. My message for those of the younger generation is not to do any deed that might make you suffer and regret later in your life. Do good to others even by a word or a thought," concludes Divakara.

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