Campus Par Excellence
	At the foot of the towering Hantane mountains on a land watered by springs and fountains adorned with tree of rich diversity lies the Campus of Peradeniya University. The mighty Mahaveli meanders below, through sand-banks, rocks, its waters flow. Trees in full bloom beautiful to see, a carpet flowers ‘neath each blooming tree. With blood red leaves, Na tress are alden, compared by poets, to lips of a maiden. Lush and green the landscape all around, from grassy slope to level playing ground. Grackles, mynahs, drongos, parakeets, sing with bulbuls, bablers, minivets, lorikeets. On this romantic Campus of eternal Spring, falling in love – spontaneous, natural thing, birds and blossoms warm the cockles of one’s heart, a target sure for cupid’s flaming dart. Many a friend picked ot his future wife to share his fun-loving, carefree campus life. Young we were – full of mischief and devilry, relishing riotous Bacchanalian revelry. Life crammed with socials, dances, trips, hikes, week-end trips on borrowed motor-bikes. Slips, falls, leech-bites, would not stop our lively hikes to Hantane’s lofty top. On Sunday at Gunnoruwa, on Mahaweli’s banks with fresh Kitul toddy we filled our tanks. The occasional pub-crawl in Kandy was fun, sozzled, to catch the last bus we’d run. The extra-mural activities numerous facilities were provided to develop our skills and abilities. The thrust and parry of sharp wits and minds at debates, discussions of diverse kinds, Radiating more light than heat. stimulating, rare intellectual treat. Offering an integral education – the varsity’s role forming well-rounded personalities – its primary goal. In amity we lived the good and bad, genteel and rowdy, beautiful–ugly, rich–poor, elegant and dowdy. Here we learnt, as we never did before the meaning of community, team-work, spirit-de-corps. Studied, played, sang and clinked our glasses with men and women of disparate social classes. Sans discrimination – ethnic, religious, class or caste, forged friendships enduring, strong and fast. This most beautiful, picturesque Campus on earth, verily an unrivalled gem of precious worth. Fortunate indeed am I to have spent four memorable years in this splendid environment. Derrick Mendis SJ Published in his book of poems Musings & Meanderings