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Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
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Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Vignettes of legal profession from Hulftsdorp
BY Hemantha Warnakulasuriya-September 3, 2014
In the bygone days lawyers and even judges travelled to Courts by CTB buses. Hemal Perera a lawyer friend of mine who is now domiciled in Australia has had to face a novel experience while travelling in a CTB bus. He was a standee passenger and after sometime he felt the person behind him trying to pick his pocket. He took hold of the fellows roving hand and turned around slowly to give him the usual treatment men normally used at such times. On taking a hard look at the would-be pickpocket his jaw fell and dropped the hand of the culprit immediately. He was none other than Panadura Chief Magistrate, Ellepola. He said "Well I blew it. I am learning to pick pockets.
I see I need more practice." Hemal displaying much respect the judge deserved said "Sir, why don't you sit at that empty front row seat. Conductor would have made arrangement for you to sit there." He said "No Hemal, that seat is reserved for clergy. As you can see I am not a member of the clergy. One day perhaps if I become one I might sit there. Until then I will travel as a standee passenger like now." He was always a very fair and an honest judge who won respect from all, litigants and lawyers alike. His position and status in the official bar never went to his head and he never became swollen-headed like some judges.
Legal profession then was an immensely respectable one. Judges and lawyers were well-read individuals and were like walking encyclopaedias. Now it is nowhere near it was in its halcyon days. Rookie lawyers who join the profession now are not interested in reading or acquiring knowledge. Sometimes they may not know who Colvin R. de Silva is but they know who Mervyn Silva is. They are interested only in making money and their love for motor cars also run deep in their hearts.
In the old days very few judges and lawyers had motor cars of their own. Most of them travelled in buses. A few big wigs in the Magistrate Court like Arumugam Mahesan, V. Nagarajah and Sirimevan Bibile travelled in their own cars. Their cars were patrol-guzzling big contraptions like the cars American millionaires used. Among these few car-owning lawyers there was a competition to own the biggest car as it was considered a symbol of status which would in the end mean more clients and more money. Mahesan who was the undisputed colossus in the Magistrate Court had a Stud Breaker car, a big ship-like affair. In silhouette his car looked like it had wings. His broker in his law office used to tell prospective clients that his car could fly when it hits high speeds. Our friend of whom we are talking today, though he will remain unnamed, was a six-footer with handsome looks. At one stage he also entered the fray to acquire the biggest car, a fight which was raging between Mahesan and Nagarajah. Not to be outdone by other two he also bought a Dodge, which he used to fill up with kerosene and petrol. For the purpose of this narrative we call him M.W. When he started the engine of his car it made a terrible noise like that of a steam roller and emitted clouds of smoke which made everybody dodge to avoid getting splashed with a combination of kerosene, petrol and a filthy smell.
One day, Mahesan made mockery of M.W's car and the oil combination telling a friend of his that the car runs on kerosene. Somebody who overheard his merry-making story had carried it to M.W. On hearing this story M.W started fuming angrily. We were famous for eons about our tale carriers cut throats and traitors. Politician's very life depends on this type of charlatans. In M.W's case the damage done to his self-respect was immense. Immediately after hearing the belittling story M.W started scolding Mahesan and went into crown hotel. He started hitting the bottle fast and furiously. Then he came straight to our office and started scolding Mahesan using foulest possible language, nonstop. When he ran out of steam he again ran into Crown Bar to replenish the courage giving stuff.
The day after this incident a big commotion was heard from near Mahesan's office which was right in front of the car park. Our hero M.W. had come early that day and had backed up and stopped his car right in front of Mahesan's office. He had revved up the engine of his car emitting a thick cloud of smoke straight into Mahesan's office. Because of the strange noise people had gathered outside his office and on seeing what was happening dashed away to avoid smoke and unbearable smell. Mahesan had been splashed with a copious dose of smoke and his clothes were drenched in drops of oil expelled from M.W's battleship-like car. He had to run home for a change of clothes. This state of affairs continued between the rivals for a few more days.
Mahesan was from good Jaffna stock and was a proud person. He could not tolerate M.W's harassment anymore. Therefore, one day he decided to take on his antagonist, albeit in a friendly fashion. He had a big pencil about 1 ½ feet long with a prominent curvature at one end which he used to scratch his back. When he wanted to show his importance to junior lawyers he would deliver a gentle knock on their head and call Putha in front of that lawyer's clients. He decided to use that tactic with M.W also to bring him down a peg or two. One day he delivered a gentle knock on the back of M.W and addressed him as Putha. M.W was stung to the quick and retorted, "Why sir? My mother never told me she had ever retained you as a lawyer." At this Mahesan, with his face getting charcoal black ran into the Chief Magistrate BGS David's chambers.
Next week saw another exciting episode of the clash of titans. Parked in front of Mahesan's office from early morning were several rows of cars and Lorries leaving no room for M.W to park his large car. Later, we heard Mahesan had hired a fleet of cars and Lorries from a mudalali in Bambalapitiya to do a fit for tat against his rival. Our hero was a thrice married man. He failed to get a divorce from his third wife to marry the wife number four. He then embraced Islam religion and married for the fourth time under that religion.
One day, we heard a big commotion from the lawyers' office. On one side of the parties in conflict was U.L.M. Farook a devout Muslim and a well loved person in the Bar. Whenever he got a big fee for a case he would invite all of us for a drink at A.A or Otters club. On one such day when we sat for the usual drinks Lal Perera called a waiter aside and gave him some instructions. Shortly after he brought a plate of meat which he said was Wal Gona Mas and offered a plate to Farook also, who ate it with much relish and ordered another plate. Later Lal Perera told me that he fed Farook pork.
The fight was between Farook and M.W. He was shouting at Farook accusing him of stealing one of his clients using brokers; a Rs. 15,000 worth case. While fighting, Farook said to M.W, "You, for all your big talk married under Muslim religion, our religion." M.W retorted, "Yes but I did not become a Muslim. I bought it from a Lebbe for 500 rupees. I eat pork; if you want I can send you some." At this Farook fainted and we had to take him to Kaleel's nursing home. As usual M.W had pirouetted to crown hotel for two quickies.
BY Hemantha Warnakulasuriya-September 3, 2014 In the bygone days lawyers and even judges travelled to Courts by CTB buses. Hemal Perera a lawyer friend of mine who is now domiciled in Australia has had to face a novel experience while travelling in a CTB bus. He was a standee passenger and after sometime he felt the person behind him trying to pick his pocket. He took hold of the fellows roving hand and turned around slowly to give him the usual treatment men normally used at such times. On taking a hard look at the would-be pickpocket his jaw fell and dropped the hand of the culprit immediately. He was none other than Panadura Chief Magistrate, Ellepola. He said "Well I blew it. I am learning to pick pockets.
I see I need more practice." Hemal displaying much respect the judge deserved said "Sir, why don't you sit at that empty front row seat. Conductor would have made arrangement for you to sit there." He said "No Hemal, that seat is reserved for clergy. As you can see I am not a member of the clergy. One day perhaps if I become one I might sit there. Until then I will travel as a standee passenger like now." He was always a very fair and an honest judge who won respect from all, litigants and lawyers alike. His position and status in the official bar never went to his head and he never became swollen-headed like some judges.
Legal profession then was an immensely respectable one. Judges and lawyers were well-read individuals and were like walking encyclopaedias. Now it is nowhere near it was in its halcyon days. Rookie lawyers who join the profession now are not interested in reading or acquiring knowledge. Sometimes they may not know who Colvin R. de Silva is but they know who Mervyn Silva is. They are interested only in making money and their love for motor cars also run deep in their hearts.
In the old days very few judges and lawyers had motor cars of their own. Most of them travelled in buses. A few big wigs in the Magistrate Court like Arumugam Mahesan, V. Nagarajah and Sirimevan Bibile travelled in their own cars. Their cars were patrol-guzzling big contraptions like the cars American millionaires used. Among these few car-owning lawyers there was a competition to own the biggest car as it was considered a symbol of status which would in the end mean more clients and more money. Mahesan who was the undisputed colossus in the Magistrate Court had a Stud Breaker car, a big ship-like affair. In silhouette his car looked like it had wings. His broker in his law office used to tell prospective clients that his car could fly when it hits high speeds. Our friend of whom we are talking today, though he will remain unnamed, was a six-footer with handsome looks. At one stage he also entered the fray to acquire the biggest car, a fight which was raging between Mahesan and Nagarajah. Not to be outdone by other two he also bought a Dodge, which he used to fill up with kerosene and petrol. For the purpose of this narrative we call him M.W. When he started the engine of his car it made a terrible noise like that of a steam roller and emitted clouds of smoke which made everybody dodge to avoid getting splashed with a combination of kerosene, petrol and a filthy smell.
One day, Mahesan made mockery of M.W's car and the oil combination telling a friend of his that the car runs on kerosene. Somebody who overheard his merry-making story had carried it to M.W. On hearing this story M.W started fuming angrily. We were famous for eons about our tale carriers cut throats and traitors. Politician's very life depends on this type of charlatans. In M.W's case the damage done to his self-respect was immense. Immediately after hearing the belittling story M.W started scolding Mahesan and went into crown hotel. He started hitting the bottle fast and furiously. Then he came straight to our office and started scolding Mahesan using foulest possible language, nonstop. When he ran out of steam he again ran into Crown Bar to replenish the courage giving stuff.
The day after this incident a big commotion was heard from near Mahesan's office which was right in front of the car park. Our hero M.W. had come early that day and had backed up and stopped his car right in front of Mahesan's office. He had revved up the engine of his car emitting a thick cloud of smoke straight into Mahesan's office. Because of the strange noise people had gathered outside his office and on seeing what was happening dashed away to avoid smoke and unbearable smell. Mahesan had been splashed with a copious dose of smoke and his clothes were drenched in drops of oil expelled from M.W's battleship-like car. He had to run home for a change of clothes. This state of affairs continued between the rivals for a few more days.
Mahesan was from good Jaffna stock and was a proud person. He could not tolerate M.W's harassment anymore. Therefore, one day he decided to take on his antagonist, albeit in a friendly fashion. He had a big pencil about 1 ½ feet long with a prominent curvature at one end which he used to scratch his back. When he wanted to show his importance to junior lawyers he would deliver a gentle knock on their head and call Putha in front of that lawyer's clients. He decided to use that tactic with M.W also to bring him down a peg or two. One day he delivered a gentle knock on the back of M.W and addressed him as Putha. M.W was stung to the quick and retorted, "Why sir? My mother never told me she had ever retained you as a lawyer." At this Mahesan, with his face getting charcoal black ran into the Chief Magistrate BGS David's chambers.
Next week saw another exciting episode of the clash of titans. Parked in front of Mahesan's office from early morning were several rows of cars and Lorries leaving no room for M.W to park his large car. Later, we heard Mahesan had hired a fleet of cars and Lorries from a mudalali in Bambalapitiya to do a fit for tat against his rival. Our hero was a thrice married man. He failed to get a divorce from his third wife to marry the wife number four. He then embraced Islam religion and married for the fourth time under that religion.
One day, we heard a big commotion from the lawyers' office. On one side of the parties in conflict was U.L.M. Farook a devout Muslim and a well loved person in the Bar. Whenever he got a big fee for a case he would invite all of us for a drink at A.A or Otters club. On one such day when we sat for the usual drinks Lal Perera called a waiter aside and gave him some instructions. Shortly after he brought a plate of meat which he said was Wal Gona Mas and offered a plate to Farook also, who ate it with much relish and ordered another plate. Later Lal Perera told me that he fed Farook pork.
The fight was between Farook and M.W. He was shouting at Farook accusing him of stealing one of his clients using brokers; a Rs. 15,000 worth case. While fighting, Farook said to M.W, "You, for all your big talk married under Muslim religion, our religion." M.W retorted, "Yes but I did not become a Muslim. I bought it from a Lebbe for 500 rupees. I eat pork; if you want I can send you some." At this Farook fainted and we had to take him to Kaleel's nursing home. As usual M.W had pirouetted to crown hotel for two quickies.
