I was 89 years on the 4th January 2018, and sincerely thank my daughter in law, Ayesha Cader Hathy for her efforts in undertaking to have helped me in this narrative. May the blessings of Allah be upon her, Ameen

Fond memories of my carefree childhood days of old still linger on even to this day as I reminisce my 89 years.

 

Life in the 1930 and 1940

In a bygone era in the 1930’s, the highly residential area of Colombo 12 can be compared to the present day Colombo 7, particularly for the many aristocratic families that lived there.

On Fridays at my parental home all the children in the immediate and extended family of cousins, numbering about twenty would be given pocket money by my father. The pocket money was a 25 Cent coin, packed beautifully to be given to each child.

In those early days in the 1930’s, you could even buy large quantities of gram or lollies for just half a cent.
There was a little boutique in a garage close by which sold many items from rice to plantains including sweets to our palates delight.

We would come to the top step outside the front door of the boutique and shout "KADAKAARA PODIYEN" and a little boy would come running towards us to take our order. We would place the order for our favourite toffees, chocolates, Maldive fish cut in rounds along with two dried chillies, a few pinches of salt and a few chopped red onions. 

Early every morning, we would hear the cries of little boys and girls selling their wares of string hoppers, pittu, and hoppers. 

In the evenings as dusk gathers it would be patties, thalaguli, cheenakku and other short eats. 

The Kadalai man too makes his appearance selling boiled gram with pieces of fried dried chilli and small strips of coconut, fried gram with a dash of lemon and fresh hot masala and isso (prawn) wadais. 

The Lela Muttai man, carried a long flat pole wrapped with candy around it. The Candy was Cochneal in colour. In those days, one cent would buy all the above including candy floss and Bombay sweets. 

The twenty-five cents would last for more than a week! 

 

Down our way at Messenger’s Street, there were no buses but only Tramcars which piled up and down constantly ringing a bell as they did not have horns. 

 

Five cents bridegroom!

One event that I would never forget was when a resident was getting married. The bridegroom’s residence was at the top end of Messenger Street and the Brides residence at the bottom end. Someone had a bright idea and booked a Tramcar, had it gaily decorated for the occasion. The groom and his retinue travelled in this decorated tramcar to the bride's residence. 

The fare at that time was five cents and the bridegroom was affectionately referred to as "five cents bridegroom!"

 

Naming Streets

Some of the streets were named by the people of the community who lived there;
Old Moor Street.
New Moor Street.

Some streets were named after their trades;
Barber Street,
Silversmith Street.

Some streets were named after prominent landmarks or events;

Messenger Street in Sinhala was called Masangas Weediya as there had been a Masanga fruit tree.

Jak Tree junction in Sinhala was named Kosgas Handiya and in Tamil it was Pila Marathadi.

Anji Lambu Adi or transliterated into English meant 5th Lamp Post. Nobody would venture after dark as this was frequented by Highway Robbers.
 

 

Grandma

My grandmother was never punctual and would be the last to get dressed when we had to go on a visit or journey. However, the driver of our car, a Buick is driven to the entrance of the house and waits till grandmother has finally put on her Purdah. The poor frustrated driver has to keep reversing the car and bringing it back to the entrance of the house twice because of the Tramcar, which was referred to as “Trember” by those who could not pronounce “Tramcar". 
Even Grandma could never say Tramcar, it was always "Trember!". 

My Grandma was an interesting person. There was a breadfruit tree in the back garden close to the boundary wall. On the other side of the wall were shanties and dwellings of poor people.
Whenever the tree bears fruit little boys would come and pluck the fruits on the sly. One day Grandma decided to catch the culprit and she sat on a stool at the bottom of the tree at a time a little boy was up the tree plucking the fruit.

The little boy was in a quandary but decided to gradually climb down the tree and run for dear life thinking that an old lady would never be able to catch him. 

Grandma was, however, able to clutch at his sarong and the boy ran away minus his sarong with grandma holding the spoils of her vigil under the breadfruit tree!

Generous Father and Mother

The happiness of my memories still linger though many years have gone by as I think of Father and Mother.

My father was a very generous man, who provided the family well. During the fruit season, there would be baskets of fruits, such as mangoes, rambutton, mangosteen etc.
Daily new baskets of various fruits would arrive, but the whole family including our cousins who lived with us could never consume all these fruits. Mother would wait till father goes to work. She would pack all the excess fruits in bags, get into the Buick and distribute it to all the lesser fortunate relations.

If my father were to see a pingo man on the road selling Rambuttan or any other fruit, he would call him home and buy both baskets as he felt sorry for the poor man walking in the hot sun to sell his fruit.

Father and Mother always kept an open house to all relations. I am happy that both my parents always intended to treat well, all who dropped in at whatever time to our home.

A Humourous Wedding Episode 

It was just one of those exciting days in early 1949. The occasion was the wedding of one of my brothers. 

As my mother was not living, and I was the married older sister, a prominent part had to be played by me. I too was a new bride having got married a few months earlier.

It was an era when strict Purdah was in force. The Purdah was a long overcoat, with a cap attached to the overcoat more like a hood, and georgette to cover the face, which you could see through to find your way to the car. The colour of the Purdah was mostly Black, Coffee Brown or Navy Blue, in silk or velvet. The young ones had two sets of Purdah. The overcoat and cloak and cap attached, georgette or net to cover the face. 

The cloak was mainly worn for an evening function. (Material Brocade) beautiful; pastel shades, and well tailored.

The Purdahwas always worn before departure.

The car too had its share of the Purdah when ladies travelled. It had a curtain dividing the front from the rear seat and curtained side windows. The ladies occupied the rear seat only

Even at functions the ladies and gents were seated separately, where the dividing line was a large curtain similar to one on a stage. 
To my father, it was a convenient time, not an auspicious time. Punctuality was his forte. 

The most wonderful gift the family inherited from an illustrious father was punctuality. The word forget did not exist, but a constant reminder was "Remember".

On my brother’s wedding day, at the bridegroom’s residence quite a number of relations had arrived, to accompany the groom to the Brides residence at High Street Wellawatta.

As the invitation stated 5 pm sharp, the ladies who had arrived on time were escorted to the cars in threes and fours. They were all rear seat occupants. The children sat in the front seat beside the chauffeur.
The retinue started from 76 Rosmead Place, Cinnamon Gardens in Colombo 7 and proceeded to High Street Wellawatte, Colombo 6.
The last car was usually occupied by the grooms, mother, sister or aunt. In this instance the occupants in the last car were my aunt, my younger brother of (14) and I.

Unfortunately for us, it was friend’s car from Moratuwa and chauffeur was not familiar with the roads of Colombo. Even my brother of 14 was clueless.
 

All the cars sped off, this car somehow with difficulty managed to reach Wellawatte, but did not know where High Street was. So the chauffeur took us in and out of many by roads. Eventually on inquiry from an old man whether he saw a procession of cars go by the old man replied “Al Nathuwa, Mama Raula Kapa Kapaa, Innakota Carr Wagayak Giya Thamai”.
So we proceeded further up and arrived at our destination. To my amazement, I realised that the time was 6.30 p.m.
 

The cars that had dropped the ladies at the bride’s house at Wellawatte had returned to Rosmead Place and arrived back at High Street with the Groom.
The Registration ceremony was over my brother, the groom was walking up to the throne for the Thali Ceremony, I hastened my steps walking behind, removed my cloak and threw it across to my seated cousins, and was on time to assist him.
 

As I turned around the relief on the faces of my cousins was clear. Anxiety had come to an end.
Fortunately for me, it has been a rewarding experience.

 

Events in the Arabic Calendar

I recall memories of these events that were celebrated by many in those days in the 1930’s and 1940’s.

The First Month Of Muharram – Thalai Fathiha

During my father’s time, he always held a Mowlid, and “Thalaifathiha” with a “poopandal”, (a canopy) covering the whole room with everything possible hanging from it, Haberdashery, trinkets and sometimes a few toys among other items.

The poopandal was much looked forward to especially by the young ones, an event never to be missed. 
Poopandal is believed to have originated when someone hung beautiful roses in the canopy and asked the children to pluck, but no child would do it. So the ladies plucked the roses and gave it to the children. The canopy was to mainly prevent the dust falling from the roof on to the seated ladies as there were no ceilings in those days.

There were always ceremonies and celebrations among the immediate family and the closest relatives. In one of the largest rooms, a white cloth that would be spread like a carpet, covering the whole floor of the room and all the ladies would be seated cross-legged on white cloth.
The ladies would then commence reciting the “Thalaifathiha” in honour of Lady Fathima (RS.) Ladies well versed in this recital were assigned to recite, while the rest would be glancing anxiously, from time to time, at the gifts hanging from the canopy and deciding which item they would like to have.

Once the prayers were over, it would be time to receive the gifts, in the form of jumping and plucking the items off the canopy, a most thrilling and enjoyable experience to everyone, and a pleasant sight to the onlookers. The children too had a good time picking up the nick-nacks which slipped through the hands of the ladies.

In the process of their vigorous “high jumps” to pluck the gifts hanging from the canopy, many hairdos came tumbling down to reveal cascading tresses. It was wholesome fun. Many of the ladies preferred to wear something casual, fully prepared to take the tugs and pulls in the process of plucking the gifts.

Muharram – Ashoora

The recital of Hussain Mowlid is celebrated for ten days during this month in memory of Hussain (Ra), Grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (Sal). The significance of the recital was the martyr of Hussain (Ra) in the battle of Karbala.

People have a whale of a time where they dress a man with a long tail attached and yellow stripes painted all over his body. He goes dancing from house to house shouting Ali Puli Ali Puli Jausen Jaliman which means Ya Hussain Ya Ali and he is rewarded handsomely.

The Third Month Rabu-Ul-Awwal 

Mowlid is recited in many homes in memory of the Prophet Muhammad (Sal) for twelve days and would culminate with grand celebrations of his birth.
Homes would be decorated and illuminated while the roads would have colorful streamers strung across.
My father used to have a display of fireworks and the man known as Burus Baas was in charge of lighting the fireworks at the end of the display, father would handsomely reward him.

The Fourth Month-Rabbiul-Aakhir

Mowlid is recited for 10 days in memory of Qutubul Akbar Muyadeen Abdul Quadir Jailani. On the tenth day people prepare ghee rice with fried Maldive fish sambol. The rice is in a bowl which goes from house to house.

In my 89th year, I reminisce all these most enjoyable and happy moments which have sadly come to an end but these memories still linger on.

By: Sithy Abbasiya Hathy