She has left us all with many beautiful memories
Gone is the smiling face of my cousin Shamini Akka whom we loved so dearly. I miss her very much because she was a wonderful person, warm and quick to make everyone feel comfortable. She has left us all with many beautiful memories.
She was the second daughter of Abey Bandaranayaka and Sarojini Pilapitiya, the latter being my father’s (Mihindu Sumana Bandara Pilapitiya) elder sister.
As a child I saw the love and sibling rivalry that existed among them. Sarojini Nanda (Sudu Amma) and my father were the fourth and fifth children respectively of the 15 children of Cyril Herman Pilapitiya of Hanguranketha and Annie Perera Kasthuriratne of Gampaha.
Sarojini Nanda was the natural leader in the family and Shamini Akka inherited it quite simply and was the undisputed choice to lead the present generation.
I witnessed her respectful yet commanding leadership, when my father who was famous for his integrity and self-esteem demonstrated at most times with arrogance, would listen in silence to Sarojini Nanda and Shamini Akka.
My mother Swarna Wanniarachi, who also hailed from Hillwood Kandy that Sarojini Nanda and Shamini Akka also attended, had the highest regard for them.
Shamini Akka and Sunil Aiya during their early married life, lived in a small bungalow in the midst of a large coconut estate bordering a lagoon somewhere between Chilaw and Puttalam.
With regard to her leadership and organising skills, what comes immediately to my mind is the family gettogether she organised for Sarojini Nanda’s 80th birthday at our ancestral home in Magalegoda, where 167 family members got together for a day filled with fun and frolic.
She gave out the booklet that mapped our family tree which I strongly believe laid the foundation and early seed for Chamikara Pilapitiya’s book ‘Unknown tales of Kandy era’.
Shamini Akka was the Chairperson of the organising committee for the launch of Chamikara’s book at SLFI in Colombo in 2018, in the presence of a distinguished gathering.
When her beloved brother Gamini took robes as the Ven. Bhanthe Dhammagavsi Thera she took the responsibility of his upkeep as he is a mendicant who does not belong to any specific group or temple. In order to provide him shelter, alms and other needs, she was instrumental in creating a trust comprising family members and those close to Ven. Bhanthe’s doctrine.
The advice my grandfather C.H. Pilapitiya gave to all his 15 children was “Rest if you need but never quit”. Shamini Akka most times lived by this, however she personally told me that the burden of ancestral property and house that gave shelter to almost four generations at Magalegoda, was sometimes too much to bear.
The legendary Shamini Akka will live forever in our hearts.