Memories of my husband

My husband late. Mr. Sivaguru. Premachandra was born in Mayilidi South, Jaffna, Srilanka, as the second son for Late Mr. Sivaguru and Mrs. Sellamma. Both his parents were well known locally as they were both teachers. Premachandra was well cared by his parents and siblings during his childhood and enjoyed his school life with good friends.

After finishing his secondary education in school, he went on to Galgamuva Training College in Srilanka and completed his training as a Technical Assistant in Irrigation Department. Once qualified, he was employed at a Housing Development Scheme in Seeduwa, Colombo, that belonged to a Korean company. While he was working at Seeduwa Housing Development Scheme, with the blessings of both our parents, we got married and I joined my husband to Colombo and started our new life.

Everything was moving smoothly and cheerfully for some years. It was year 1983 that turned our peaceful life upside down due to the escalation of Sinhalese against Tamils who were living out of Jaffna. We were targeted as Tamils and thus we lost our belongings and feared for lives. With the help of some well-wishers, we managed to go to Jaffna in a ship. We have then decided to stay in Jaffna and my husband managed to get a job at a Housing scheme in Jaffna hospital.

Few years after we settled in Jaffna, the unwanted interference of the so-called peace keeping forces from India, on to the lives of people living in Jaffna made us to travel back to Colombo. Prema joined at his previous working place and worked there, before he moved to another job at Vaalachenai, Batticaloa.

The civil war was ongoing in Sri Lanka without any solutions. My brother was living in London UK, did suggest us to come to UK. With my brother’s encouragement and support we came to London and settled initially by running a small business. Prema fortunately obtained a job in the Home Office, London, as a Civil servant and continued working there till he passed away.
In London, Prema felt that a vital part of our identity was our religion, joined with people who had similar views and began to find ways of fulfilling his desire of having a Hindu temple in West London. Over the period, tireless efforts, hard work and the financial contribution of each of them in the group of people, resulted in forming beginner step towards an Amman temple in Harrow.

Fund raising events and generous financial contributions were used to obtain a land in Ealing in which, with Amman’s grace, ‘London Shri Kanaga Thurkai Amman’ temple was built. My husband’s contribution in raising money and to bring out the dream of building a permanent temple in West London was very much appreciated. He was a founder trustee and continued to serve towards the development of the temple till the end of his life. The temple has now gained its popularity and showering its blessings to all those devotees who have faith on Amman.
To further enhance the facilities of at Kanaga Thurkai Amman Temple, Prema, with the help of another member, managed to obtain many Saiva religious books, CDs of Bajans, stories of religious adventures and managed to establish a contended library in the temple.

As we all know, a massive racial destruction in 2009, left many Tamil women as widows, children as orphans and disabled mainly in Vanni district in Sri Lanka. Prema tried hard to rectify the living of people affected in Vanni, with the help of Amman temple. His efforts and activities were resisted by some of the trustee members. But he continued serving those in need in North and East of Srilanka, by successfully overcoming these barriers. Prema always followed a principle of ‘Serving people in need is serving God’.

Prema had a strong view that Tamil prayers could be easily understood by devotees and would bring them closer to God and worked hard to promote idea that ‘archanais’ ‘abishekam’, poojas and prayers of Hindu temples must be conducted in Tamil, instead of the unknown language of Sanskrit. He was pleased to see that his goal was partly achieved by two temples in Switzerland, a temple in Inuvil, Srilanka and a temple at Uchi Murugan temple in London now have all conducting their poojas in Tamil.

His own charitable work towards, Vanni and Eastern district of Srilanka are continuing through ‘London Saiva Nerikoodam’ for which he was a founder member. I am satisfied to learn that my husband’s good qualities and dedications towards the benefits of our people in Vanni are still being appreciated. Let him rest in peace.

Thank you.