A Harvest of Memories is Jivaka Atapattu’s heartfelt and spirited tribute to his life in the lush, misty highlands of Sri Lanka’s tea plantations from 1964 to 1990. For those who know Jivaka-whether from a raucous evening at the Uva Club, a tense rugby scrum, or a quiet moment on a bungalow verandah-this memoir feels like sitting down with an old friend, swapping stories over a glass of arrack or a steaming cup of Ceylon tea. With his trademark humour, warmth, and unflinching honesty, Jivaka invites us to relive the adventures, misadventures, and unbreakable bonds of his planting days, while offering outsiders a vivid window into a world where tea was more than a crop-it was a way of life.

Jivaka’s journey begins as a young “Creeper” at nineteen, learning the ropes on Edinburgh Estate, shivering through chilly Nanu Oya mornings and mastering the art of pruning under the watchful eyes of seasoned planters. His tales of tearing through Cocogalla’s winding roads on his metallic apple-green BSA B31-often with a spectacular skid into a ditch-will have you chuckling, recalling similar escapades on those smooth yet treacherous estate roads. From his first exhilarating days as Assistant Superintendent, settling into a colonial bungalow with polished floors and dedicated servants, to his meteoric rise to Chairman of Board 2, overseeing 61 estates, Jivaka’s stories capture the rugged charm and relentless demands of plantation life. His Mini Minor dodging water buffalo and his rugby-fueled rivalries with mates like David Witham and Hilary Marcelline paint a picture of youthful exuberance, tempered by the discipline of managing vast estates and diverse teams.

But this memoir is more than a nostalgic romp. Jivaka doesn’t shy away from the darker moments-the 1971 JVP insurgency, when planters like him patrolled estates under threat, or the 1983 LTTE-fueled violence, when he safeguarded workers’ valuables and raced through burning Kandy streets to rescue his son Romesh. His accounts of ghostly sneezes at Cocogalla and the eerie “Lady in White” haunting Madulsima’s roads add a spine-chilling layer, reminding us of the mysteries that lingered in those isolated bungalows. Through it all, Jivaka’s love for the land and its people shines through-whether he’s reviving Mooloya Estate to its former glory or navigating the political tightrope of post-nationalization estate management with tact and grit.

A Harvest of Memories is our story too-a tapestry of laughter, camaraderie, and resilience woven through the tea fields of Sarnia, Mahadowa, and Rangala. For the planting fraternity and our families, it’s a chance to revisit the days of planters’ clubs, where spears clashed and chairs flew, and to honour the spirit that bound us. For new readers, it’s an invitation to discover an era when every day was steeped in adventure, tradition, and the unmistakable aroma of Ceylon tea.

Reproduced with the kind courtesy of History of Ceylon Tea & The Mascots

Book preview: A Harvest of Memories by Jivaka Atapattu.