From our special correspondent

In the weekend from Friday the 7 th to Sunday the 9 th December, graduates of Peradeniya University now formalized as the Peradeniya University Alumni Association, NSW Chapter, made an imaginative re-creation of their old hill country campus in the delightfully secluded Hunter Valley Retreat at Quorrobolong. About a hundred members, some accompanied by their eager and curious children, took up residence in well spread rows of bungalows re-named “Jayatilake Hall”, “Ramanathan Hall”, “Sangamittha Hall”, “Hilda Obeysekara Hall” and the like, situated in a large “campus” of Australian gum trees. By an amazing coincidence, just next to “Hilda” was a well demarcated circle (meant for performing barbecue rituals) which was cleverly

Re-named “WALA” in the two letters of the Sinhala alphabet. Some actually tried out Nadagam steps from Maname within the “WALA” bringing to memory the E.R. Sarachchandra open air theatre of Peradeniya! An ample building roughly equidistant from the “halls of residence” served well, as a sort of “Arts Theatre of Peradeniya”, to house all the entertainment.

On Friday night, after a refreshing short burst of thunderstorm, a fire was lit in the “WALA” as a sort of life giving connection and a sentinel. And then within its sight, in the “Arts Theatre” men and women – medicos, engineers, agricolas, arts and science people, ranging in graduation years from way back in the late fifties to about 1996 broke into a free - for- all, informal, bonding session of introductions, Sinhala, Tamil and English songs, and uninhibited dance. And in the wee hours of Saturday, “Ali Stories”, generously tolerated by the ladies!

The daylight hours of Saturday was all cricket, volley ball, badminton, just ambling around and chatting. Lunch by way of an open air sausage sizzle was well patronised and accommodated in a nearby kiosk was a WUS (World University Service) canteen that as in the days back at Peradeniya was a top attraction. In a neighbouring hut a palmist was in full swing paying special attention to females both young and old in true Peradeniya style. While all this was happening a few dedicated people were busy decorating the “Arts Theatre” in the maroon and yellow of Peradeniya.

The grand dinner function, catered for by the motorized services of far away Parramatta’s “Flavour of Ceylon”, got going soon after 7 pm . The introductory speech by the President was followed by items of entertainment which were also vehicles of cultural and mind engaging value, as befits a University. All held together by a great master of ceremonies, trained and nurtured from Jayatilake Hall days. The video excerpts of songs from Maname and Sinhabahu (Peradeniya’s permanent contribution to the culture of Sri Lanka ) brought forth great surges of accompanied live singing from the gathering. The video excerpts from Hunuwataya Kathawa (which has an indirect connection with Peradeniya) delighted the crowd. Literary snapshots from the history of Peradeniya, excerpted from the very personalized book of different writers, Peradeniya: Memories of A University, connected up the whole history for those who had experienced segments of it. Screening of a well prepared video of memories at Peradeniya kept the audience spell bound.

This was followed by thickly packed dancing to post-modern Sri Lankan pop(ular) music!

Sunday morning began with a well attended brainstorming session with members making valuable contributions towards taking the Association forward followed by a delicious morning tea. The weekend activities culminated at the “WALA” in a thrilling sing song to the accompaniment of thabla music.

The atmosphere throughout the weekend was reminiscent of the life at Peradeniya.

A great – getting to know each other – beginning, promising a valuable contribution to Sri Lankan – Australian connections.

Click here to enjoy a collection of photos provided by the organisers