Remembering a caring friend who was there in happiness and sickness

I see her walking towards the hall with the tennis racquet in hand or teasing somebody in the next wing of the Hilda Obeyesekere from the balcony of her room or imitating a lecturer with all his mannerisms at a high table dinner. I like to remember her as she was then.

Her illustrious career in the field of sports is too well known to her contemporaries to elaborate here. I’d rather talk about Ruki, my friend. My friendship with her was 56 years old when she died after that prolonged illness. She had many friends not only here in Sri Lanka but all over the world. Rushing to the bedside of a sick friend in India or elsewhere was nothing to her as she was always there when a friend was in distress.

Her illustrious career in the field of sports is too well known to her contemporaries to elaborate here. I’d rather talk about Ruki, my friend.

Ruki was a friend not only to us but also to our husbands and children. When one of our children did well in an examination, Ruki nanda was more elated than anybody else.

The more mature Ruki took a deep and abiding interest in Buddhism- its philosophy and practice. The Vipassana Meditation Centre- Dhamma Kutta at Hindagala, Peradenitya was close to her heart. She lived to see it grow and expand. She was respected not only as one of its founders but also as a bhavana teacher.

The fact that she was a genuinely practising Buddhist was manifested in her devotion to her parents. She looked after her mother who lived to a grand old age with love and utmost care. Nothing that was needed to increase her mother’s comfort was left undone.

Ruki, may your sojourn in samsara be brief.

Sita Kulatunga