Blinktorial The Bharathas of Bambalapitiya, Wellawatte, Colpetty and Thimbirigasyaya (BWCT) met at a community gathering at the DBU in Bullers Road. This was the first of its kind for this lot who had never met under this banner. Particularly centric to their network is the fact that either they lived, went to school or went to church in these three areas.
History
This Bharatha Community (BWCT) a very small segment of the Sri Lankan population who have their most recent ethnic roots in Southern India and this particular community marks their entry into Sri Lanka somewhere in the latter part of the 19th Century about 120 years ago. Historians tell us that they have an ethnic connection to the Bharathas of Sri Lanka who settled in the country around 1310 AD in the Puttalam and Mannar areas. Or some other reports say that they arrived around 1415. In 2001 the Government recognized the Barathas in Sri Lanka as a seperate community and were no longer connected with the Tamil community of the country.
The first Bharathas in Ceylon
The first few who came in the latter of the 19th centuary started up businesses under liscence from the British, says Michael Peter Gomez (Macter) the oldest Bharatha who was present at the community gathering. He said, F.X Pereira was among the first few who came to Sri Lanka and started a textile business on Main Street Pettah.
(Please see below for more pictures)
P.G. Gomez came around the same time and began a pharmacy which grew into Central Medical Stores and which his son Chevalier Christian Gomez continued. G.C Roche who worked under F.X. Pereira in the beginning during this period, subsequently began a butter business on Maliban Street importing and distributing ‘Globe Butter’. The Paiva’s traded in food & beverages, ice cream and music books and started business in Main Street, Pettah under the brand X. P. Piava's and was also know for the very famous Piava's Tea Rooms.
Conversion
The Barathas were initially Hindus; in 1532 they were converted by the Portugese in Goa to Catholism and the community acquired 63 Portugese family names. Many of the namesare common with other communities converted by the Portugese like Pereira's, Fernando's and the Gomes'.
In Sri Lanka till about 30 years ago the BWCT Bharathas sustained its homogenous structure by marrying within the community.
Far apart
Today the community is gradually integrating into mainstream communities and does not strongly identify itself as a homogenous ethnic group, due to a large amount of marriages happening outside the community. A generation ago this lot would have met at weddings and funerals, and maintained family ties. But today this does not happen and the adjacent generations have not moved and connected with each other.
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The Organizers
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| Macter Gomez with his brother Ignatius (red shirt) |
Just on a whim
"This party was organized just on a whim, because we felt that the Bharathas from this area, needed to meet in some way. There were over 160 attending the party from ages 4 to 94. Next year we hope to do this on a bigger scale and hope that there would be more participating," says Marius Gomez. "What was good about this was in addition to people from Colombo we had those from overseas attendinghere on holiday as well."
The function was begun with a prayer, shortly followed by the singing of Christmas carols. There was also live music by Nihal Jayamaha and the party ended with a buffet lunch.
Some of the highlights of the Meet was giving recognition to the oldest Bhratha in the community Michael Peter Gomez 94 and also the oldest Bharatha woman Beta Pereira 91 was honoured at the function.
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At the Bharathas Christmas Bash
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Video on the Bharatha's Christmas Bash
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