“The Bonsoir Diaries” by Kumar de Silva is a cocktail of chapters, bursting at their seams with pithy asides, a trail of faux pas, and tit-bits from behind the scenes, marinated with anecdotes and drizzled with nostalgia, revealing everything you never saw on your favourite television show…from the ‘80s through the ‘90s into 2000.
Once upon a time in the late 1980s, the French Government gifted water pumps to the farmers off Ratnapura. It was done, I believe, in liaison with Sarvodaya. As part of the project, a French expert (yes, yes, he did speak understandable franglais) was flown into Colombo and then motored down to the Sarvodaya office in Kahawatte.
As predicted, we too had to pack bag and baggage, camera and cables, mics and stands, et al, and follow Monsieur l’Expert, prior to the formal handing-over ceremony the following day. The Bonsoir team was housed at Sarvodaya in Kahawatte. We were very comfortable and certainly enjoyed the warm Sarvodaya hospitality.
That evening, we did our preliminary filming, got the general shots we needed, did whatever interviews we could, and readied for the next day. The French expert spoke in Fringlish through a translator, and when he got stuck with his Fringlish, he spoke with his hands and legs. The recipients did the same. This part was hilarious, and gave the impression of an intense Franco-Sri Lankan acrobatic performance.
The morning of the handing-over ceremony arrived and the Sarvodaya building at Kahawatte sported the French tri-colore and our Lion flag. There were lots of them all over. If my memory serves me correctly, there was music all over with an “isspeaker” even tied to one of the coconut trees in the garden. This was nearly a quarter of a century ago, and the whole ambiance exuded a simple rural charm that I knew the French would like very much.
The breakfast table was laden with kiribath, kevum, kokis, and other Sri Lankan delicacies. The thoughtful organisers had even taken pains to prepare less spicy food for the French palates.
Visiting ambassadors were a rarity in those parts at that time and so the villagers had gathered in their numbers, dressed in their Sunday best, although it was a weekday morning. At the entrance were the drummers doing their final tuning while the dancers checked their headgear.
They were all there – the Sarvodaya officials, VIPs, local politicos (remarkably much less visible than today’s hordes), the clergy – awaiting the arrival of the chief guest who was to be the French Ambassador. The garland was ready, and, I think, so were the firecrackers. The air was heavily P-R-E-G-N-A-N-T with great anticipation!
The Ambassador was to be welcomed at the main gate on the Ratnapura Road and brought in procession to the stage which was further inside the premises. I was on stage to make parallel announcements (in French) when suddenly I heard someone scream: “Eluwek avillaaa! Eluwek avillaaa !!!”
The festive ambiance was shattered and a great commotion descended upon us. The ambassador’s arrival was imminent. People began shouting and running around looking for the goat and trying to chase it away. The organisers ran helter skelter, as did some of the helpful invitees. The goat had to be chased at any cost.
Only the Bonsoir team knew what had really happened, and we vainly tried to keep a straight face. Play-acting does help at times. The gleaming diplomatic Peugeot, flying the French flag, had just arrived with chauffeur Sisira Malalasekera at the wheel. As the drummers drummed, the dancers danced, and the firecrackers rent the still of the morning, out stepped the almost six-footer Ambassador for France in Sri Lanka and the Maldives Monsieur Serge Elueque.
One doesn’t pronounce the last two letters – ‘ue’ – of his name. Now try pronouncing his last name!
P.S. – I later related this incident to the Ambassador, who had a hearty laugh at his own expense.
Once upon a time in the late 1980s, the French Government gifted water pumps to the farmers off Ratnapura. It was done, I believe, in liaison with Sarvodaya. As part of the project, a French expert (yes, yes, he did speak understandable franglais) was flown into Colombo and then motored down to the Sarvodaya office in Kahawatte.
As predicted, we too had to pack bag and baggage, camera and cables, mics and stands, et al, and follow Monsieur l’Expert, prior to the formal handing-over ceremony the following day. The Bonsoir team was housed at Sarvodaya in Kahawatte. We were very comfortable and certainly enjoyed the warm Sarvodaya hospitality.
That evening, we did our preliminary filming, got the general shots we needed, did whatever interviews we could, and readied for the next day. The French expert spoke in Fringlish through a translator, and when he got stuck with his Fringlish, he spoke with his hands and legs. The recipients did the same. This part was hilarious, and gave the impression of an intense Franco-Sri Lankan acrobatic performance.
The morning of the handing-over ceremony arrived and the Sarvodaya building at Kahawatte sported the French tri-colore and our Lion flag. There were lots of them all over. If my memory serves me correctly, there was music all over with an “isspeaker” even tied to one of the coconut trees in the garden. This was nearly a quarter of a century ago, and the whole ambiance exuded a simple rural charm that I knew the French would like very much.
The breakfast table was laden with kiribath, kevum, kokis, and other Sri Lankan delicacies. The thoughtful organisers had even taken pains to prepare less spicy food for the French palates.
Visiting ambassadors were a rarity in those parts at that time and so the villagers had gathered in their numbers, dressed in their Sunday best, although it was a weekday morning. At the entrance were the drummers doing their final tuning while the dancers checked their headgear.
They were all there – the Sarvodaya officials, VIPs, local politicos (remarkably much less visible than today’s hordes), the clergy – awaiting the arrival of the chief guest who was to be the French Ambassador. The garland was ready, and, I think, so were the firecrackers. The air was heavily P-R-E-G-N-A-N-T with great anticipation!
The Ambassador was to be welcomed at the main gate on the Ratnapura Road and brought in procession to the stage which was further inside the premises. I was on stage to make parallel announcements (in French) when suddenly I heard someone scream: “Eluwek avillaaa! Eluwek avillaaa !!!”
The festive ambiance was shattered and a great commotion descended upon us. The ambassador’s arrival was imminent. People began shouting and running around looking for the goat and trying to chase it away. The organisers ran helter skelter, as did some of the helpful invitees. The goat had to be chased at any cost.
Only the Bonsoir team knew what had really happened, and we vainly tried to keep a straight face. Play-acting does help at times. The gleaming diplomatic Peugeot, flying the French flag, had just arrived with chauffeur Sisira Malalasekera at the wheel. As the drummers drummed, the dancers danced, and the firecrackers rent the still of the morning, out stepped the almost six-footer Ambassador for France in Sri Lanka and the Maldives Monsieur Serge Elueque.
One doesn’t pronounce the last two letters – ‘ue’ – of his name. Now try pronouncing his last name!
P.S. – I later related this incident to the Ambassador, who had a hearty laugh at his own expense.