Sublime doctor of Homeopathy
More than three decades ago, I walked in through the gates of No.106 Manning Place, into a rambling, serene, simple and spotless house, and took my place on a cosy chair in its spacious verandah. When it was my turn, I pushed the door and went through. The room was dim but behind the neat and tidy desk shone a halo emitting a glow of warm amber light. It was a magical and ineffable moment that I will always treasure. It was the beginning of my embrace of Homeopathy, the ‘like cures like’ principle of healing and this wonderful, gentle, sublime, selfless man.
Something nudged me today, the 20th of February, to message Charmaine, his daughter, and inquire after him since I had not done so for a very very long time. Her prompt reply shattered me – he had passed two hours ago . To me it was beyond the realm of coincidence.
It is indeed difficult to document our many visits to meet him, sometimes alone, sometimes with one of our children, sometimes with a friend, to seek his gentle, subtle and powerful remedy for a misalignment that had occurred within the complex dynamics of our spiritual, emotional, mental and physical states. He would listen with empathetic body language, then speak in an absolutely comforting tone to reassure that all will be well soon. He would float across the room, open his cupboard and meticulously prepare little packets of powders and fill miniature vials with shiny, tiny, white globules, probably infused with drops of minute portions and compositions of minerals and salts, like calcarean, natrum or ferrum. He would place them inside a specially printed envelope and write down clear instructions on it and seal it neatly with cello tape.
We religiously followed his instructions and it was a joy to take them because somehow there was this uncanny consciousness deep inside of us that promised healing. And we were always healed in perfect harmony. I have always believed that Homeopathy is based on science while its application is an art -that dear Dr. Anandarajah had truly mastered and crafted with his very own brand of humility.
Some real-life stories I would like to reflect upon, that would bring readers to the very soul of this beautiful man. My son in his very early teens had developed Vitiligo on his thighs and it was fast spreading. There was clearly no cure and we were desperate when we went to him. He was calm, held my son’s hands and said “you will be alright”. We had unconditional faith in him and his treatment plan and Nivendra was cured.
Strangely it seems Vitiligo did have some genetic disposition. My niece had developed it too, over her eye and it was miraculously contained with his powders and globules. My nephew in Canada was in an advanced state when I went to the good doctor and sought his advice. He did not promise much after he looked at the photos, but said he would do his best. It was incredible to see him personally mail his medications multiple times to this boy through the GPO. Sadly, there was not much improvement. But there was so much love and commitment by him that crashed through all the barriers and doors that would have held other doctors back.
My wife’s best friend’s daughter was inflicted with dengue and in the ICU struggling with rapidly receding platelets. I called him because he had always told me that Homeopathy can cure dengue. He requested me to come over immediately and collect the medications. I rushed to his home and his assistant handed the envelope to me from over the gate. I tried to pay for it but she said the Doctor said no money is necessary for this patient and that I must rush with it. Rush with it was what I did and the girl was somehow saved.
When his good and supportive and dear wife left him after a long illness, he carried on alone seeing his patients with tender loving care. His daughter Charmaine lived overseas and her love for him was simply extraordinary. Her father had expressed a desire to live his final years in Kandy. She and her husband took a momentous and selfless decision to pack up and come back. They bought a beautiful property for him in Kandy and allowed him to enjoy the rest of his life there.
Incredibly he was dispensing his medicines via courier from Kandy to his faithful patients – and visiting Colombo regularly to see them. Charmaine also mentioned that private hospitals referred patients to him for a second opinion presurgery. All this happened probably right up to the last days of his wonderful life on earth.
Dr. Hubert Thampoe Anandarajah has left behind a grieving multitude. We will surely miss him.