Page 51 - Memorial Book Thilaga Mylvaganam

morally defunct and those lacking the basic skills of
civility. He worked as a superintendant of the posts and
telecommunication service. We think that our father,
David Liyanage, joined the Posts and Telecommunication
department in his early working life due to the absolute
respect and adoration he had for Mr. Ambalavanar who

was his role model. However, the transfer did not affect
the close friendship which now included the two husbands
and of course the children on each side. Now the
relationship was under the married names of these two
close friends namely the Liyanages and the
Mylvaganams.

Every family event on each side was duly attended by the
other as were frequent sojourns in each other's residences.
When the eldest of the Liyanage siblings, Chandra, came
to Colombo to study Law, it was the Mylvaganam family
that found the lodgings and the catering for his
subsistance. Aunty Thilaka and Uncle Myl became his
putative parents and guardians. He was entertained to
wonderful 'Kool' parties and Scrabble games. There were
so many arguments over the Scrabble games that Aunty
Thilaka used to refer to them as 'Squabble' games. He
was treated as their eldest son and all the Mylvaganam
siblings still use the term 'annah' after his name. He often
baby sat the Mylvaganam brood and soon came to
understand that they all had very active renal systems!!

The most important aspect of this strong and wonderful
friendship was the cultural exchange that took place
between the two families. They began to understand the

finer points of differences of their not too dissimilar
cultures. They both visited each other's residences and

Late Mrs. Tilakavati Mylvaganam 43