It’s an extremely disgraceful incident, Rukmani Devi, former queen of silver screen was annoyed. Please allow her to “REST IN PEACE”
Posted on August 17th, 2011

Claude Fernando,Brampton, Canada

Another shell-shocked news reported from Negombo in Sri Lanka. Late Rukmani DeviƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s tombstone and safety fence removed and dislodged byƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  unscrupulous gang for unknown and unclear reason.

Needles to say who Rukmani Devi was, to the living souls in Sri Lanka. Her talented and artistic performance and capabilities were excellent as a movie star as well as a popular songster. Thousand of people mourned and paid their last respect and gatheredƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  to the same cemetery thirty three years ago( October 28th– 1978) to express their top level esteem.

As an on looker and enthusiastic participant of her funeral,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  I noticed thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  late Ranasinghe Premadasa(then Prime Minister) who came to the Grand Street church in Negombo to pay his last respect, was unable to reach to the church aisle because ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  unimaginable, congested crowd outspreaded the whole area. Therefore even late PM had to go to the balcony ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  another building to view the funeral procession.

On that particular day when Rukmani met with an accident, was coming back to her home situatedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in Bolawalana, Negombo, after singing at a mega musical show with her husband Eddie Jayamanna in Matara area. Unfortunately the vehicle she was travelling, collided with a oil bowserƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  at the Thudalla junction just in front of the house of late film star Laddie Ranasinghe. ItƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s reported that she died on the spot. National radio immediately stopped itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s regular programs and announced that sad story about fatal accident of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-queen of silver screenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ to the weeping nation and declared a grief-stricken days. Her famous musical extravaganza named ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-mavilla penavi rupe ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚was also scheduled to be staged on Negombo Town hall in that same weekend when her death occurred.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Her name would be remembered and commemorated every year by her fans in Sri Lanka. If anyone tries to insult her I presume it just likeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  kind of blaspheme, becauseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  RukmaniƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Devi was a great and prestigious asset to the motherland. There is no argument regarding it and no one oppose with my notion.

4 Responses to “It’s an extremely disgraceful incident, Rukmani Devi, former queen of silver screen was annoyed. Please allow her to “REST IN PEACE””

  1. Devinda Fernando Says:

    Mr. Claude Fernando, your article is knee-jerk reactionary and highly irresponsible. But what else can we expect from someone like you who is living over ten thousand miles away and hearing your facts through word of mouth and gossip? This so called “unscrupulous gang” you refer to in your fact-less inflammatory article above are in actuality members of Rukmani Devi’s family who coincidentally also own the very plot she is buried in. They had found out that a non family member had been recently buried there and were in the process of relocating the remains of the outsider when they were remanded to police custody as they were unable to produce the proper documentation of ownership at the time. Incidentally such documentation can be found in the national archives. I suggest you consider doing some proper fact finding before writing more tabloid trash like this. – Sincerely. Devinda Fernando

  2. Claude Fernando Says:

    Dear Mr.Devinda Fernando,
    Thank you for expressing your point of view in this regard. Yes,It’s true I came to know this eye-opening news from the SL media.As you mentioned in your crtical comment that out sider had been burried in Rukmani’s grave without any permission from her relatives , Ipso-facto, family members of Rukmani Devi intervened& were involved in to this issue to make the rightful thing.If this is true, my opinion is, wouldn’t it be better to first inform to the parish-priest of the relevant Catholic church explaning the situation then the Police to get the legal action& finally at least to make aware the poor watchman of the general cemetery?.Furthur you write the documentation of ownership can be found in the National archives.If so the photo copy of that legal document should have been exhibited or posted just in front of the main gate. Then such a problem didn’t arise. Mr. Devinda Fernando, Do you agree with me? because not like others,Rukmani Devi was very specilal artist & her tremendous popularity was still engraved &deposited in the hearts&minds of the people in Sri Lanka.That’s whySL media gave a huge publicity for it. Thank you again,
    Claude Fernando.
    .

  3. Devinda Fernando Says:

    Claude,
    Rukmani Devi is not the only Sri Lankan Celebrity buried in that plot, Eddie Jayamanne and B.A.W Jayamanne are also buried there along with 15 other members of my family… and regardless of her status as a celebrity, it does not excuse those who want to report media events to omit facts and engage in sloppy journalism. – Devinda Fernando.

  4. Claude Fernando Says:

    Devinda,
    I totally agree with your idea revealed about family members of Rukmani Devi( including illustrious giants in the Sinhala cinema,Hon. BAW&EDDIE JAYAMANNE) were also buried in the same grave in General cemetry. Of course it’s the formal procedure. But it’s not the issue that media has reported.
    Rukmani devi’s headstone&fence were forcibly removed.The head stone has an exceptional&extraordinary value for artisic minded people as well as loving fans of the “queen of the silver screen” as the priceless cherished, useful details of her imaginative artistic history was written on it.
    (I INVITE YOU TO READ AN ARTICLE TITLED “Rukmani and seetha maligaya” PUBLISHED ON “SARASAVIYA” WEEKLY CINEMA NEWSPAPER WRITTEN BY ARUNA GUNARATHNA< ON AUGUST 18th th THURSDAY.Then you will get to know how the people honestly&ethically thinking about this "incident" without selfish or hypocritical mind.
    Claude

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