“Vale” Vajira Ekenayake

by Desmond Kelly “the Star of eLanka”

A simple, humble, hard-working Sri Lankan man, firstly, a good friend, Vajira & I had always “kept in touch” even though our “paths” had changed since I left the City of Dandenong nearly ten years ago and because, sadly, Vajira was diabetic, a great deal of his time was spent in dialysis at the Dandenong Hospital, we would speak to each other on the telephone and his first question to me would always be ” Desmond, how is your cat”?. Vajira loved animals, so, after I told him that I had to have “Portia ” put down because she, too had contacted the dreaded diabetes and this was my Vet’s recommendation, we would continue our “chat” on what else was “going on”.

Even though he was suffering a disease that generally “passes-by” people such as Vajira, as he was a confirmed vegetarian, never “smoked” or drank alcohol & to my knowledge, did not have any other serious medical set-backs, diabetes (the disease that comes like a thief in the night), struck him and sadly, we have to say goodbye to Vajira Ekenayake, a Sri Lankan who, sick as he was, still gave generously of his time for various “Community Charities”, standing roadside, for hours at a time collecting “donations” to help various causes, organized and ran “Christmas Carol Parties to visit hospitals and never shirked in his efforts to help others. To me, Vajira Ekenayake was a living example of someone who was “always there”.

He was not concerned with “religions or races”& as such, was recognized by the City of Dandenong for everything he did. There were not too many people in Dandenong who did’nt know Vajira Ekenayake.

I am proud and honoured to have been a personal friend, send my condolences on behalf of eLanka and The Lanka Times to his.family, and say, “Vajira, may you attain Nirvana, my friend.”
With the blessing of God & Lord Buddha himself.

Desmond Kelly.