Aththan ( My Brother-in-Law) came into our family in September 1954, I was then a student at Drieberg College. He was serving as a Land Development Officer in Kilinochchi. Soon after the wedding Aththan and Chinnacca travelled to Kilinochchi to set up their marital home. It was customary that the bride, on her first visit to the groom’s house, is accompanied by one of her very close relatives. Naturally my sister’s first choice was me and she asked my parent’s permission to let me go with them. Although I was only 14 years old, Aththan treated me with respect and talked to me as if was an adult. He used the polite form of you, “neengal” which really touched my heart! Before my Aththan, never have I been addressed as “neengal” by anyone! I was more used to being called, “Ai”, “Dai” and “nee”! Aththan was a very simple, down to earth person. Everyone found him easy to get along with. He had no enemies; everyone just loved him! He was always active and doing something worthwhile, like mending a fence, weeding the backyard or watering the plants. You would never see him sitting idly somewhere. He was trained in horticulture, and was very skilled in grafting plants. He taught me how to take plant cuttings for propagation, graft mango trees of different varieties etc. He was also an entertainer; always saying or pretending to do something to make people laugh. Many people became his friends just after a few minutes of chat with him. Aththan also has the remarkable record of living up to the age of 97, which is the first in my family, including males and females. Aththan was with my sister to the very end, but, alas, the time has come for the inevitable end. It is with great sadness I bid him farewell on his journey to the final rest. Good Bye Aththan! May your soul Rest in Peace!