Memories of living next door to the de Silva’s

I got to know Bulla (C.R. de Silva) in April 1972 when I married and settled in the lane off Park Road, Colombo 5 where he lived. We lived almost in opposite houses on that lane where his extended family of uncles, aunts, cousins and brothers lived in three houses on the other side of the lane. In the first house lived his father, Justice K.D. de Silva, his mother, his brothers I.S. and Rohana (VRK). In the second house was his sister and brother-in-law, L.B. de Silva. In the last house was Ramsay Wettimuny and wife and their sons, the well known Ananda cricketers, Sunil, Mitra, Sidat and cousin Ishan.

Bulla’s eldest brother, Ananda, who lived in Kandy, enjoying a lucrative legal practice there, used to drop by his father’s house whenever he was in Colombo. Bulla had by then entered Law College and his friend, Mahinda Rajapaksa was a frequent visitor at his home. Another legal colleague, Mr. Muthukrishnan from Batticaloa who even then nursed political ambitions was also a visitor from whom I learned about Bulla’s exploits in Law College. His brother, the late VRK (Rohana), was my batchmate at Ramanathan Hall, Peradeniya. By then I.S. had married Dayaneetha and had moved out of the “Maha Gedera” at Park Road and was living Rajagiriya.

Justice K.D who headed the Press Commission which eventually led to the nationalisation of Lake House used to often host many a dinner. Frequent visitors at his home were two eminent legal relatives one of whom was another Supreme Court Judge as well as his cousin, Barrister Mahinda.

In the evenings whenever possible Bulla used to come to my place for a drink accompanied by MR when in Colombo. His elder brother Ananda from Kandy too used to join us. My relative Lal Rodrigo and an architect, Mr. Saunders, were the others in the group.

By that time (post-1977 ) MR had built up a wide legal practice in the South and whenever time permitted in Colombo, Bulla, MR and I often used to have lunch at Fountain Café. One particular incident which is clearly etched in my memory was when under the CRA scheme of Dr. N.M. Perera I had got down a Jaguar E- type sports car from my brother- in- law in Hongkong. The first drive of the car to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles was by MR.

Bulla and legal colleagues Tivanka, MR, Denzil and a host of other lawyers used to frequent places like Wadiya, Kinross Swimming Club and Moulana’s restaurant opposite Kinross.

I can remember the time at Law College when Bulla was courting his wife-to-be, Kamalini, and using a vintage Mercedes Benz, probably a gift from his father- in-law to be, which unfortunately broke down one day on Hulftsdorp Hill. I and few others had to push the car. Very soon Bulla married Kamalini and moved out of Park Road and to his father-in-law’s place in Edmonton Road, Colombo 5.

My contacts with him also decreased as I moved away from Park Road by 1981. At the AG’s department he handled many criminal cases of note. One case I personally attended briefly in court was Father Singarayar’s case where he was indicted for LTTE connections. Bulla was pitted against Bala Tampoe. I believe he even prosecuted Father Matthew Peiris.

By the 1990’s Bulla had climbed the ladder in the AG’s Department. In the first decade of the 21st century he had reached the pinnacle both in his official capacity as A.G. and as a senior practitioner in private practice. My connections with him were few and far between but he took time off a busy day in court to attend my daughter’s wedding in May 2008.

I visited Bulla in hospital on November 6 and when I gripped his hand he opened his eyes and nodded in recognition.