Marriage brokers were assigned on a country wide search and the Senanayakes took their son to see several brides. One such visit was to an aristocratic walawwa off Balangoda. A sumptuous banquet was laid for the groom’s party and Dudley dug in with relish. There had been watalappan for dessert made from the choicest jaggery that Balangoda kitul palms produced. Dudley was seen helping himself to several servings of watalappan.
The pretty bride was dressed in a Kandyan osariya and bedecked in traditional jewellery. She was ideally suited and D.S. and Molly Senanayake were silently praying that their elder son would at least say yes to this proposal.
On the way back to Colombo, the parents posed the question: “So what do you think?”
“Hari shoak! Hari shoak” (excellent! excellent), exclaimed Dudley.
The parents much relieved said, “Oh we must not waste time in bringing Sirima home!”
By the mention of the name, Dudley asked, “Sirima?”
The parents responded: “Sirima is the name of the bride. Barnes Ratwatte Disawe’s daughter whom you just described as ‘hari shoak!’”
“Oh. I was commenting on the watalappan as being ‘hari shoak,’ not of the girl!”
The old Senanayake couple didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
One wonders if Dudley had said ‘yes’ to the girl Sirima instead of to the watalappan, how the course of history of this country would have changed.
https://www.ft.lk/article/536518/Dudley--one-of-Ceylon’s-greatest-sons
The pretty bride was dressed in a Kandyan osariya and bedecked in traditional jewellery. She was ideally suited and D.S. and Molly Senanayake were silently praying that their elder son would at least say yes to this proposal.
On the way back to Colombo, the parents posed the question: “So what do you think?”
“Hari shoak! Hari shoak” (excellent! excellent), exclaimed Dudley.
The parents much relieved said, “Oh we must not waste time in bringing Sirima home!”
By the mention of the name, Dudley asked, “Sirima?”
The parents responded: “Sirima is the name of the bride. Barnes Ratwatte Disawe’s daughter whom you just described as ‘hari shoak!’”
“Oh. I was commenting on the watalappan as being ‘hari shoak,’ not of the girl!”
The old Senanayake couple didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
One wonders if Dudley had said ‘yes’ to the girl Sirima instead of to the watalappan, how the course of history of this country would have changed.
https://www.ft.lk/article/536518/Dudley--one-of-Ceylon’s-greatest-sons
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