Off to Sri Lanka

Photo: IHs with members of Subud Sri Lanka, Hamid and Isti Da Silva in front of the new latihan hall. IH area 1: Sudarmadji Haryono Sumohadiwidjojo, M Mustafa Syafrudin, Rusdi Bustillo, Elisabeth Medina, Hermina Flynn & Suzanna Dayne

International Helpers from Area 1 made a last-minute trip to Sri Lanka in May. We had been planning to go later in the year, but the group was going to inaugurate their new Latihan space, so the time was right. Hamid and Isti Da Silva had already been invited, so off we all went to Colombo.

The chairman of the Sri Lanka group, Malik Sideek, a lawyer and property developer, explained that Hamid was behind the plan.

“Hamid and Isti visited us about two years ago, and he suggested turning a cramped guest house in the garden into a new Latihan space. So, we did,” said Malik.

Malik and his wife, Ayesha, helped design and decorate the hall. It includes three glassed-in garden areas, one with a water feature, giving the hall a wide, spacious feeling.

We held a Kejiwaan day, which included the first Latihans in the new hall, testing, and a Bapak talk. The group provided lunch, which included delicious local curries.

The son of a Subud couple had just arrived from the US, where he is studying. He met with the IH men and local helpers to talk about Subud. The ladies waited and waited and wondered why it was taking so long. Well, it turns out he decided to be opened!

The little group that could

The group is small – about 14 active members, many of whom are seniors – and all are very devoted to Subud. Many of their children and grandchildren are either studying or living abroad, so the group hasn’t grown much. But that hasn’t stopped them from moving forward.

Malik explained how they came to purchase their new Subud house. Previously, they had owned a large property near the beach, but it had become too difficult to look after.

“At first, the group wasn’t sure about selling. But it became too expensive to run, so in 2017, as property prices had risen, they agreed, said Malik.”

Malik said they used about half of the proceeds to buy the new house and the rest they invested. Since then, they have purchased two apartments.

IHs and Sri Lanka Subud group

The group also has a social program to help senior members over 70.

“We provide transport funds for members to come to Latihan and medical care,” explains Malik.

Hosts with the most!

Several members of the group also took us up to Kandy, located in the mountains about three hours from Colombo. It was a great opportunity to be together, share stories, and do Latihan. The oldest member of Subud Sri Lanka, 92-year-old Hussain Pakir Saibo, and his wife, Zareefa, were among our group. He recalled how he came to Subud.

“It was in the late 1950s I came across John Bennet’s book, “Concerning Subud.” But it wasn’t till years later when I met a Subud member in Sri Lanka and remembered that book that I decided to be opened,” recalls Hussain who spent 20 years as a journalist in Iran. A rather amusing story involved Icksan Ahmed, the man Bapak entrusted to bring Subud to Sri Lanka, then Ceylon, in late 1957, and Varindra Vittachi, the chair of Subud, for more than 30 years. At the time, most of those interested in Subud were members of Gurdjieff, and they had raised funds for the visit.

“My father Sooty Banda and Varindra had gone to the airport in Colombo to pick up Icksan and another Subud member from Indonesia.

They had expected to meet with spiritual leaders,” said Lakshman Joseph de Saram, a musician and composer.

“But when they exited the plane, the two men were wearing colourful, Hawaiian shirts and Icksan was carrying a guitar,” he added.

Lakshman said it was a bit of a shock for his father. It wasn’t the type of person he expected to bring them a new spiritual practice.

“My father turned to Varindra and said rather jokingly “I want my money back!” With all that said – he remained a very devoted Subud member,” said Lakshman.

As we ended our stay and said our goodbyes, we were very touched by an invitation to return. Several members said the visit brought a new energy to the group – a feeling we all felt. Many thanks to everyone for their warm welcome and to KC Miriam Jacob, who helped organize our visit.