Love stood the test of time

Geetha speaks of life with Minister C.B. Ratnayake:

‘From the Spouse’s Mouth’; hope the series that had ‘a journalist’s eye for detail and a novelist’s sense of character’, appeared here nearly for a year, gave you much entertainment along with some commendable message that would penetrate into your soul to lead somewhat a noble life. Wishing you, the readers very best of everything!

“A first glimpse of him made me feel he was an innocent guy. I still remember the place we met for the first time. It was opposite Mayura Traders at Nuwara Eliya town,” recalls Geetha with a timid smile. Samarakoon Mudiyanselage Geetha Preethi, wife of C.B. Ratnayaka, Minister Livestock Development reveals their Romeo-Juliet love story which never ended up in a tragedy, but a magnificent finale.

Dingiri Banda Samarakoon, a wholesale businessman and Yapa Mudiyanselage Kumari Manike of Padiyapalalla, Walapane in Nuwara Eliya District were Geetha’s parents. She was born on October 14, 1963 as the eldest to one younger brother. After learning the alphabet at Padiyapalalla Junior School, Geetha entered High School, Kandy after sitting an admission exam.

“I was at my maternal uncle’s place and went to school from there. I was under the strict supervision of Mama and Nanda. I was not allowed to go anywhere. They had a daughter. Mama had an Austin car which had sealed rear shutters along with triangular glass windows on either side. Their daughter and I used to sit at the rear seat of the car, and we used these triangular shutters to get some fresh air when moving. But, Mama never allowed us to open them when the car was moving through a crowd.

He might have thought some male admirers of ours would throw an address through the tiny window,” laughs Geetha.

Basketball was her favourite sport. She was in the Oriental Band playing the Thammattama. The seven mates including herself had earned a name as one of the most mischievous groups in the school. “We had so much fun. My school days were wonderful,” she recalls.

After sitting for the A/Ls in Bio-science in two shies, Geetha applied for science teaching. She sat for an exam and got her first appointment in 1982 to Hunwatta Maha Vidyalaya, close to her home.

“My first job was to work with O/L repeaters who looked more matured than me. I was just 18-19 years, but my students were much older than I. Even some sported a beard. I was a bit shaken up, but soon adapted to the situation. However, rural students always were of good behaviour and respected their teachers,” reminisces Geetha.

Question: You said that you met CB on the very day you got your first appointment?

Geetha: Yes. I went to the Education Office, Nuwara Eliya with my Appachchi (my father) to collect the appointment letter. After that we proceeded to the car park which was opposite the Mayura Traders in the town. Appachchi was planning to buy some sarees for me.

CB’s parents and mine were relatives. But, except for CB’s elder sister and his parents I had never met any other sibling in that family. Even if they visited, only three of them used to visit our place. But, my father knew the whole family. So, when CB who also came to the car park to get his vehicle, started to talk with my father.

CB looked at the pretty young woman clad in light pink Kandyan saree with her thick plait from the nape to waist. He wanted to exchange a few glance with her, but most of the time she was looking down covering herself behind her father. She seemed to be having the exact features he had in her dreams.

He thought, the next step would be to find a way to her home. His elder sister was to get married in few months time. Fate seemed to be in his favour. Geetha was selected to be the bride’s maid for CB’s sister.

Ratnayaka Mudiyanselage Chandrasiri Bandara Ratnayaka (alias C.B. Ratnayaka) was born on January 21 in 1958. R.M. Nawarathna Bandara Ratnayaka, a businessman and Gamsabhapathy of the area (who worked closely with Sirimavo Bandaranaike), and Hapuhinne Karunadipathy Divaratne Wasala Mudiyanselage Podi Manike of Elamulla, Hanguranketha (Nuwara-Eliya District) were his parents.

CB was the second of the eight siblings in his family. He had one older sister and a younger sister, and all the others were brothers. He was the oldest son of the family and was the `big hope’ of everybody.

CB first studied in Deegalahinna Maha Vidyalaya upto grade 5 and entered the Vidyartha College, Kandy. He was an outstanding figure in the school Rugby team and enjoyed his hostel life to the fullest. After A/Ls in Bio-Science, CB took over his family’s wholesale business at the age of 20. Later he expanded it and launched his own wholesale business centre in Ragala.

At his sister’s wedding, CB was admiring Geetha’s beauty, but other than a few words he was not in a mood to talk further with her as he and all his brothers were emotionally upset over their beloved sister leaving home.

After the wedding CB began to visit Geetha’s place finding some excuse. Once he dropped in to meet her father to get some advice over the business matter. Secondly, he wanted to see how her mother was getting on as she was down with a slight fever. Geetha knew his ultimate goal.

Her parents and his were relatives and were in good terms. Even he was admired by her parents. He became one of the best friends of her younger brother too. So, when he asked her, she knew nothing to worry about. She felt her family would not go against it.

But, things turned topsy-tervy which she never dreamt of. Her orthodox mother who always had a vision of arranging a marriage to her only daughter through a traditional way of a `Magul Kapuwa’ (match maker) to a highly educated man like of a doctor or a lawyer, was devastated when heard about the love affair of Geetha.

“Amma started a verbal war at home and it became a hell to me. Since she wanted a conservative way of proposing, CB arranged that his Aththamma (Grandma) and his uncle to visit our place,” says Geetha. Though both parties were bumping into each other at every corner at weddings, Dana houses, funerals and other functions, since they were relatives in the same village. But, neither of them uttered a word at such places over their offsprings’ love affair.

“Very sorry, if you are really want, take her and go anytime you want, but my husband nor I would give her in marriage to your boy with a Poruwa ceremony. I decided to tell this to you as my daughter has become adamant over her affair with him,” declared Geetha’s mother, Kumari Manike her final decision.

Geetha could not bear the harassing situations at home any longer. She was wondering why her mother was over reacting to her love affair like this. Even the close relatives of them were advocating her to change her decision. But Kumari Manike was not going to alter her decision. A few months passed. CB and Geetha continued to correspond through letters. Geetha once thought of getting a transfer to another school as she wanted to get rid of the verbal war of her mother that kept stinging her ears from dawn to dusk.

But, it was not possible with her father who was an influential figure both in business and politics of the area. CB was tolerated the situation with a moderate mind. But he couldn’t bear the harassments facing his love, the most precious jewel of his life. Apart from that a slight fear was worrying him. “If her parents arranged a marriage for her. What would happen if they keep her in house, imprisoned to stop me from meeting her,” he thought. He decided to have a plan.

On February 2 in 1984, Geetha set off from home at an auspicious time which CB asked her to follow, pretending she was going for work. A few clothes were secretively in her bag. She was going to take a decisive step in her life. CB who was waiting for her on the way, in the car. She got in. A few relatives of both his and hers, were waiting for the couple to arrive at the Kachcheri (Registrar’s Office). Finally Geetha and CB were married.

Geetha was in tears. She never wanted to go against her mother whose verdict was the final, even surpassing her husband. Geetha looked at her wrist watch. It was half past ten. The Postman would have already delivered two letters she posted to her mother and to her brother on the previous day.

She thought if her brother (who was about 18 years) could come home from his school, St. Anthony’s College hostel, it would give some strength to her parents who would be desolated over her decision to get married. At CB’s home there was a small function at their place at Elamulla with about a hundred relatives present.

“We stayed at CB’s place for sometime and then moved to Ragala as CB’s business was based in that area. I took a transfer to Ragala Sinhala Vidyalaya. We visited our place later on. My father and brother in return visited us continuously, but not my mother. She was ok when we paid a visit at her place, but was very official.

Even when I was pregnant and after having my older son, it was my mother-in-law who took care of me. I’m very happy that I’ve got such supportive in-laws. My school staffers were also helping me a lot,” recalls Geetha.

Question: Didn’t you feel scared over the hasty decision you took?

Geetha: It was a hasty decision. But, at that time the only way I saw to get over the war at home was that. Also I had a great faith in him as all the relatives saw no wrong in him. I loved my parents, but at the same time I loved him too. My mother should have been more sensible. To my friends, I advise them not get jittery over their children’s love affairs. Patience is the best remedy.

Be cool and try to find a solution in a tranquil manner. My mother threw a grand wedding for my brother as he came out from the college. He was just 21 years then. That was arranged exactly how she wanted. After that my mother changed completely. By today, CB is her best son-in-law. Now she loves him more than me. See how things has changed! (laughs)

Question: Did you like him moving into politics?

Geetha: Not at all, as we had a beautiful nest with our three kids. Both of us valued the importance of the family life. I was scared. It was the time of the insurgency (1989-1991). Politics would be a strong storm that would sweep away our nest (pauses). But, my blessings always worked for him.

CB became the Chief SLFP Organiser of the Walapane Electorate of Nuwara-Eliya District in 1991. Geetha’s father who was a strong UNPer changed his colour from green to blue along with his son-in-law’s new appointment. In the General Election of 1994, he entered Parliament. “While he was going for the elections campaigns, it was Geetha who walked every nook and corner of the electorate covering three fourth of the residents of the area.

CB became the Minister of the Estate Infrastructure and Community Development in 2004, and in September of the same year he was appointed as the Minister of the Small and Medium Scale Plantation. In December, 2006, CB was given the Ministry of Estate Infrastructure and Livestock Development. Presently he is handling the Ministry of Livestock Development launching a massive project of educating citizens the importance of the development and consumption of fresh dairy products.

Question: Your children?

Geetha: Blessed with three. Elder son, Nuwan Harsha Nilupul Bandara Ratnayaka is 22 years now. Now he is in the final year of Business Administration and Management in Merryland, USA.

Our second son Abheetha Madhusahn Bandara Ratnayaka is 21 years, following a degree course in Business with IT , affiliated to Monash University. Both our sons first studied at Our Ladies Convent, Nuwara-Eliya and then entered Dharmaraja College, Kandy. They finished their school education at Royal College, Colombo. Our daughter, Buddhimali Eranga Ratnayaka is an A/L student at Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo.