One man’s vision

Saturday, 22 November 2014 00:05 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Family stories can be boring reading. ‘Ahead of Time’ is not so. It is more than a mere story of the Rodrigo family from Panadura. It narrates the success story of a society formed for community service by “an iconic figure with an extraordinary vision.” He was Paththinihe-nnadige Warnadeepthiya Kurukulasuriyage Joha-nnes Rodrigo. He founded the Rodrigo family Friend-in-Need Society in 1838 which continues to this day. Johannes Rodrigo lived in Nalluruwa, Panadura and set up the friend-in-Need Society to help the less-privileged among his close relations as well as those in his village. It was the extension of a family custom when he invited his brothers and cousins for a reunion every year on the Saturday or Sunday of the Christmas week to celebrate the festive season with fun and fellowship. For 175 years the Rodrigo family members had gathered at the same venue – the Lokumahathmaya’s ‘Rodrigo Villa’ – without a break “to celebrate, strengthen family bonds and engage in charitable work”. The success of the publication is undoubtedly the availability of records from day one – 24 December 1838 when the minutes of the first meeting had a detailed account of the proceedings specially rules relating to dispute resolution. As the book states: “Johannes Rodrigo’s vision was not driven entirely by the pursuit of philanthropy. He foresaw the value of peace in the family as well as in the village and the inevitability of conflicts; the need for a pragmatic way to settle them was of paramount concern for him. There is evidence that a dispute-resolution mechanism had been in place from 1823 (the year the reunion of family members actually began) or earlier set up by Johannes, his brother Anthony and their cousin Abraham.” According to the minutes of the first meeting, the founder was the arbiter for the disputes. The manner of drafting a petition on a 12-inch sheet is set out in detail, also the fee and process for hearing the case. Discipline had been strictly maintained and there had been occasions when some have been expelled from membership of the society for non-compliance of rules or for unacceptable behaviour. The practice of giving was promoted from inception. Food, health, shelter and education were the priority areas. “To distribute to the poor, rice, coconut and other foodstuffs together with clothes and money according to available financial resources,” was one of the resolutions passed at the inaugural meeting as an objective. The activities of the early days related in the book are substantiated with photographed copies of the relevant documents. ‘Ahead of Time’ is a fine example of the importance of preserving archival records. Deeds, dated receipts form payments, certificates of registration, minutes of meetings and souvenirs are among these. This practice had been planned and executed by Mudaliyar Thomas Rodrigo, Secretary cum Treasurer for 14 years from 1894, his son Percy and presently by his grandson Devinda who has been given a credit in the publication for ‘Record keeping and research’. The book gives an insight into the prevailing societal attitude and practices. ‘Help the poor generally, irrespective of caste, creed or nationality’ was the essence of the founders of the society in an era when there was a deeply-ingrained caste system as well as a gender bias. “There was pressure brought on the members of the society to prevent marriages outside caste, religion or ethnicity. Children of women of the Rodrigo clan were not entitled to membership of the society. It was open only to the male descendants of the 26 members who placed their signatures to the Deed No. 3 of 1842. In 1935 this was relaxed to permit female descendants to get membership, but only until their marriage. Upon marriage, their membership, they lost their membership.” In 1977, membership was opened to all male and female descendants of members and wives of members, but not husbands. Arrack business A chapter titled ‘Panadura – The Benevolent Abode of our Forefathers’ discusses how Panadura had been shaped serve the colonial masters. “It is remarkable that as far back as the Dutch times the government realised revenues from the export of Sri Lankan arrack to India. When the British came, they grasped the opportunity offered by the arrack business to enhance revenues by way of a consolidation of the trade under overall state control.” The arrack business was a tightly independent business linking the operations of distilling, wholesaling and retailing through a system of renting franchises to operate arrack taverns. The bulk of distillation was concentrated in Kalutara and Panadura. The most lucrative and the most influential segment of the business was in the hands of the so-called ‘rainda’ or renters who got their franchise rights to rent out taverns by a system of auctions conducted by the Government. The plantation economy gave a boost to the arrack industry. It was the favourite drink of an estimated 900,000 plantation workers in 1890 – both to relax and to get drunk. Wealth from arrack was diverted to investments in plantations and more importantly, to religious, educational and charitable causes. The book carries profiles of philanthropists, academics and professionals connected to the family circle as well as individuals who hailed from Panadura making a name for themselves in many fields. Among the latter are Arthur V. Dias (‘kos mama’) – “a true maverick”, ardent activist, who spearheaded a temperance movement against alcohol consumption, cattle slaughter and smoking and a firm believer in the value of self-sufficiency through indigenous food and had a passion for planting trees; Dr. G.P. Malalasekera – “arguably Panadura’s most erudite and versatile son,” politician/diplomat Sir Susantha de Fonseka – “the affable upper-class gentleman who came on horse-back to chat, entertain and inquire into the common man’s needs”; politician/bus magnate Sir W. Leo Fernando – son of humble vendors in the Panadura bazaar who with hard work, determination and fearlessness became a rich and powerful figure; Marxist politician/philanthropist/diplomat Wimot A. Perera – founder of Sri Palee College, Horana; maestro Premasiri Khemadasa; multi-faceted character Dr. Neville Fernando – medical practitioner, politician and entrepreneur/venture capitalist; and Minister Professor G.L. Peiris – one of Sri Lanka’s intellectual stalwarts. Leading the list of entrepreneurs of the Rodrigo family is Selestina Rodrigo Dias, wife of Jeremias Dias, mother of eight who was widowed early in life and inherited the husband’s enormous wealth. She is best remembered as the founder of the premier Buddhist girls’ school in Sri Lanka in 1917 – first named Buddhist Girls’ College located in a house at Turret Road (Dharmapala Mawatha) and 10 years later shifted to new buildings funded by her at a three-acre land at Vajira Road and renamed Visakha Vidyalaya. While the publication provides useful information, a detailed survey of Sri Lanka in the early days would have added more value to it. ‘Ahead of Time’, a fine team effort, will be a valuable addition to my library as a handy guide.