The last time the hill country folk made their annual pilgrimage to Reid Avenue in distress and sorrow was in 2011. That was the 11th of June. Since then, history records of no such occurrence. The Trinitians of course didn’t stop doing their annual trip, but the last three of those to Colombo 7 have been ones that they would one day recall and relate to their next generation.
Preparations start a day of two early. The college premises is dotted with red, gold and blue as they gear up to provide the boys a perfect send off before the big game. The team usually depart a day ahead for Colombo. As the captain descends from the chapel premises followed by his team mates getting the blessings of the Holy Spirit, the entire schoolboy population gather around them and walk alongside their team to the quadrangle where the entire school gathers regardless of you being a student, a teacher or a worker to bid adieu to the pride of Lions. Such days are nostalgic and long etched in the memory of a Trinitian.
One moment I recall from is the send off in 2013 when the team took the gang by surprise to perform their ‘haka’ or namely the “Raiona Manwa” termed to be the Lion’s call which was specially written for the school on the hill. The ‘call’ took everyone by surprise and left them in tears. The team departs in the college coach with their beloved driver Ekanayaka who has been driving the 1st XV team for decades overhearing the echoes of the cheers.
On the eve of the big day, one might witness a flock of tourist coaches en-route to Kandy climbing the hills of Kadugannawa making their way to the college premises. These coaches who usually carry their overseas travelers are strangely parked near the President’s Mansion in Kandy (which is adjoining college of course!) leaving the public wondering what one earth is going on. The decorations committees start their business late in the night and go on till early morning in their attempt to make their coach the stand out from the rest. Over the years, the School Officers take the award for the most attractive traveler; must be due to the effort and commitment they key in all what they do.
The morning of the great day is a rush in any Trinitian household. Everyone eagerly waits to get themselves on the road and make it Colombo before the rest, the older boys ransacking their houses to find their old Trinity flags and the young ones getting their colorful supporters t-shirts ready. There are usually key rendezvous points. The main being the Old Trinitians Sports Club where the traditional toast is proposed prior to departure wishing for a red, gold, blue victory. The younger ones gather in the junior grounds in their vehicles all covered in school colors and they make it a point to first do a test run around the streets of Kandy before moving on to the Colombo highway.
Before mid-day all the coaches and the vehicles have commenced their pilgrimage from Kandy and progress onto the hills of Kadugannawa to cross the border. The rugby games are always an entertaining sight and the papare bands have been a close companion of the Trinitian support. It is seldom we see a Trinity support group without a papare band. As the bands play from the start of the journey, the trip to Colombo always is a long lasting memory. The cheering actually starts when you cross the Kelaniya bridge into the Colombo border and the closer the Royal Complex becomes, the louder the cheer becomes.
The tussle for Bradby Shield tickets starts a week ahead of the game (trust me getting cricket world cup tickets is easier). The ticket allocations for the Colombo leg is always a tough call as there are only a limited amount of tickets on offer for the grand stands that sell like hot cakes. Few get lucky in getting their hands on them and the rest go without any option but to go watch the match in what we call the “Chicken coop”. The unreserved area on the ground is often jam packed with hardly any space to move with an overdose of passion within. Royal should actually think of giving the Trinitians more tickets. I recall the 2011 episode in the Reid Avenue massacre where the roof of the coop almost went flying due to the overwhelming support for the Trinity lads.
The ride home after the match has been for the last four years victorious and joyful. Nothing beats the feeling to know that Trinity has won the game in Royal Complex or lifted the shield in the complex. That is one ride which the Trinity fraternity celebrates all the way up to Kandy. The pilgrimages have all ended up in a triumphant note since 2011 and carrying the tradition forward, the 2015 rituals will commence this weekend.
Someone from the 1970’s will recall their Bradby voyage to be one where they catch the Udarata Menike train in the morning from the Kandy station and arrive at Fort while later leaving in the Night Mail train from Fort. Things have changed over time but the traditions still continue to exist.
The 2015 ritual will commence this weekend as the pilgrimage will embark on its 71st tour and return to the hill capital with victory bells.
