Denzil's Stories

We Role Models and Mentors — Bro. Ignatius Warnakula We all have extraordinary people who shape our lives. 1st was my beloved father; I could write a book about him instead of a few short stories. Everything I do in life, I attribute to him. This is not to downplay my mother's role in my character-building. 2nd was a Christian Brother, beloved Bro. Ignatius who was my carer in the Christian brothers’ formative school when I was twelve. He was the best teacher one could ever have for an early adolescent. This is that story. I have written about  the third role model  in a previous story. I met Ignatius Warnakula, a De La Salle Christian brother when I was eleven. It was 1966. I was in my junior year in grade six at St. Anthony’s College, Wattala. Bro. Igi was a young man, twenty-five years old and a new arrival at the school. Bro. Igi was handsome. He had a genuine smile. He was tall and well-built. Unlike any other Christian brother, he was fashionable. He wore Ray-Ban sunglas...

Dear Mudiyansegewatta Road The residents of Mudiyansegewatta were captivating companions, marked by their zen-like attitude, kindness, humour, occasional poignancy, adventurous spirit, and inquisitive nature. Despite being a mere ten kilometres from the heart of Colombo, the village appeared tranquil and slow-paced through the eyes of the narrator, Denzil, who spent his formative years there. The narrative unfolds in the sleepy, backwater setting of Mudiyansegewatta during the 1960s and early 1970s. Within these pages, the author unveils the streetscape and introduces many characters, each with names with distinctly European flavour. As the story progresses, readers are granted a glimpse into the tight-knit, predominantly Catholic community that shaped Denzil’s upbringing. It   takes a village to raise a child. This is the story about the street where I grew up. Stoked with adrenaline after passing the Dalugama church compound, I left Kohalwila Road and entered Mudiyansegewatta Roa...