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Baby Abilash and parents reunite, visit tsunami destroyed home village

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 February 2005, 05:52 GMT]
Baby Abilash, popularly known as Baby 81, was handed over to his mother Mrs. Jenita Jeyarajah and father Mr. Jeyarajah in a joyful reunion Wednesday morning at Kalmunai District Court. Mr. M. S. M. Nazeer, Registrar of the Court, received the barely 4 months old baby from Kalmunai Base Hospital Doctor Gopal Muhunthan. The District Court Magistrate, Mr. M. P. Mohideen read out 22 pages long report. The family, after praying at the temple close to the hospital and thanking the doctors and the staff at the hospital, visited their native place at Kalmunai-1, Beach Road. The village was completely destroyed by the giant waves of the December 26 Tsunami.

Parents were present at the open court room as relatives were waiting outside the court. Around 50 local and foreign media were covering the event at the court.

Kalmunai Police escorted the UNICEF vehicle with the family as people flocked to see the baby outside the court.

The reunited family, after paying a visit to the Tsunami devastated home village, visited their relatives in Pandiruppu, where the parents were residing after Tsunami waves wiped out their home on Boxing Day.

"Our top priority is to provide a good education to our child, to all our children", the parents said.

"We want to give Abilash a bright, happy and adventurous future", they said adding that they were heading to the Pillayar temple at Kaluthawalai to attend a special pooja ceremony and break 100 coconuts promising to carry out their vow.

Upon the family's arrival to the Kaluthawalai temple, the baby was fed sweet rice known as "Sakkarai Pongal", by the priest.

Two minutes silence was observed at the temple to remember those killed and left homeless by the tsunami disaster, following a request by Mr. Jeyarajah, the father of the baby, who broke 100 coconuts at the temple.

"Happy ending", said the proud mother, pampering the baby outside the temple.

A priest blessing the baby and his family at Kaludawala Pillayar Temple.	Mr.Jeyarajah, father of Baby Abilash, thanking the doctors and the staff at the hospital.

The parents visit their native village with the baby at Kalmunai Beach Road, completely washed out by the Tsunami waves.

Meanwhile, Mr. Samithamby Sriskandarajah (41), the person who saved the baby from the rubble and handed over to a neighbour, Mr. Sandanapillai Alagiah (54), to take the baby to the hospital, also met the family. He was released on SLR 25,000 bail after being arrested on charges of forcefully entering the Hospital together with the parents on a protest that turned violent.

Mr. Sriskandarajah, an English teacher, said that he first heard the cry of a baby and found the baby among the rubble when he went looking for the child.

Mr. Alagiah who took the baby to the hospital at 5.30 PM on 26th of December told TamilNet that all the hospital staff were struggling to save lives and he couldn't follow all required procedures, adding that he could recognise the nurse who initially received the child.

Welfare Society of the employees at Kalmunai District Court has opened a savings account for Abilash with an initial deposit of SLR 1,000 at Peoples Bank Kalmunai Branch, sources said.

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