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What Wasana said those days about Chaminda Vas who left wife and three children
After much popularity was given by the media in various ways about family life of well-known personalities, on the occasion when they have a drastic change, how such things can ever happen is a question that is often posed to readers.
The fact that reputed cricketer Chaminda Vas abandoning his wife and 3 children and then entering into a marriage once again is another piece of news for the common reader which
astounds them about these famous people. Chaminda Vas who was the father of 2 sons and 1 daughter is understood to have lost interest over his first marriage from a number of years back.
Chaminda -- Wasana were a couple who even clinched a prize some years ago at a contest where the most charming husband and wife cricketing couple were chosen. During that time they had expressed some wonderful and attractive ideas about family life. But of late everything has taken a different twist. During the period Vas was on a coaching stint in Ireland he had come across a lady by the name of Bernie de Alwis with whom he struck up a friendship which later blossomed into romance and finally ended up as a marriage. Vas has left his former wife, daughter and 2 sons where the marriage existed for 16 years and has now started a new family. Only the two of them know to what extent the reasons were justified in this case. Whatever it is, Sri Lankans who have heard the fantastic earnings and luxurious liver of cricketers may not be surprised about all this. It is however pertinent to delve into the ideas expressed at a newspaper interview by both Vas and his wife some years prior to this. (The following interview was published in the year 2010).
Questions posed to Chaminda and his responses
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* Being busy means a person being kept away from one's family ... is it so?
That's true. But after I kept away from Tests, much of my time was saved. That time saved ... I spent on behalf of my wife and children. At that time I lived very much close to them. Actually a family life spent that way is indeed wonderful. As such what I always try to do is to do that properly.
* But popularity is something where external influences have an impact on family life ... isn't it?
When married and when is a father of his children, what comes first is to find out about one's own family and to see to his duties. Since that responsibility is fulfilled by me, there's no unnecessary problems between us.
* What support do you render on behalf of your children and wife in domestic matters?
In most instances it's I who bathe my children. Things like dressing them up and taking them to school are done by me whenever possible.
* Did you ever think that you could handle this sort of responsibility at the time you were a bachelor?
Truly speaking it never occured to me at that time. After getting married ... when getting children ... everything changes. I don't like to keep to myself after transferring everything to my wife as such.
* Was there any special reason to choose your wife?
It was before I became a professional cricketer thtt I met her. She's someone who leads a normal life. We are affectionate to each other as we were at the beginning.
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Questions posed to Wasana and her responses
* What do you think about being Vas's wife?
I am very proud. Because of that a lot of people look up to me too. What I like most is many people talking good about him.
* What type of qualities does Vas possess?
Chaminda is a very good husband. However much he's busy, he loves and cares about us. Actually I am proud that I am his wife.
* There are instances when the boy friend becomes the husband and the sweetheart becomes the wife. Do you also have such experiences?
Yes ... I do. That's why he became a lot better person after he got married. During our courtship period he used to lose his temper a lot. Those days even if I got a bit late, he used to get upset ... loses his temper. But after marriage all that changed. What he's trying is to avoid doing anything that hurts me. After we got our daughter he changed a lot. It's the same after we got our sons.
* What type of bond does Vas have towards the children as a father?
His world is the 3 children. He loves the children very much. Those days I didn't tell him much about domestic responsibilities ... because he used to get upset very much. Just as much as he knows about Cricket, he knows how to attend to domestic work well too.
* When father is away from home how do the children feel about it?
Daughter has of course got used to it since she's big. The two sons really feel it ... specially the elder son finds it difficult to bear it.
* Do you share your domestic routine?
That which concerns the small ones ... it's not necessary to tell him. He even washes the milk-bottle.
* There can't be moments that your heart didn't skip a beat in the case of responses by his fans ... isn't it?
It was difficult to bear it at the time when I was his girl-friend. After getting married of course I understood it. Chaminda knows how to associate them and what distance to keep from them when it came too close. Therefore I have no fear about it.
* Because Vas is a popular figure don't you feel jealous at the time he's away from home?
That thing called sincerity should be well maintained when it's a family. That's the bond between us. Now it's 11 years since we are married. That sincerity has never been broken.
(Note on discussion: Ranga Vidana; Photos: Nadun Baduge)
