Book Review: Raja never feared the fight

“I Flew Over the Mountain” is the just-published autobiography of a fellow Richmondite, Raja Arambewela of Galle. The youngest (“bada pissa”) in a family of eight siblings, he claims he had to grow up with all elder siblings looking down on him making him somewhat timid. 

With the guidance of a loving strong-willed father, he could stand on his feet. With much effort, he got selected to the junior cricket team of the College. Unfortunately, before he could play the first interschool match, he was struck down by polio, apparently the first victim of the deadly epidemic in Galle. He was only 15 years old then.
What followed is a story of courage, determination, and perseverance.

From the first night in hospital, having overcome the initial distress and pain of not being able to walk because of an almost totally paralysed left leg, he has been planning meticulously his recovery to get back on his feet. Despite the pain, he underwent physiotherapy.

He refused to use the wheelchair and instead, walking up the staircase to the physiotherapy department. Later on, resuming school, he ignored the hiring car arranged by the father, instead of walking up and down Richmond Hill.
As classmates, we could see him walking smartly despite a slight drag in his left leg. He describes how he observed teachers and others walking upright and how he made a conscious effort to emulate them keeping an erect body, which tended to stoop slightly because of weak muscles supporting the backbone.
Looking back, he succeeded as many of us hardly noticed any abnormality. Though quite conscious about the disadvantage of his physical disability, he was confident enough to fall in love with a pretty girl in a nearby school, who remains his caring partner to this day.

Having retired prematurely from the Telecommunication Department, his subsequent activities as an employee in a hotel in Belihul Oya is beyond belief. He had been the pioneer organizing many hiking tours for tourists. He undertook the tours first with the guides. There is hardly a mountain he has not climbed, a river bed he has not crossed or a remote waterfall he has not seen. How he nearly fell into a precipice on several occasions while scaling a cliff is scary.

The fine detail covering over half a century shows how meticulously he has kept notes throughout life as if he had planned all along writing his autobiography. 
Raja now lives in retirement in Nawala with his wife. He is independent physically though he walks with a stoop and with the help of walking sticks.

His life story is a masterpiece. Very well written absorbing narration over 140 pages should be read by all especially every person with a disability or by careers of such people.
Raja is a living example of the old saying, “Perseverance Triumphs”. Or as Richmondites say, “Never mind a knock or two, never fear the fight”!

Arambewela, Raja. I Flew Over the Mountain. LKR 300. Until available at bookstores. Copies can be obtained by calling 0777356863 or 0777875959.