Tribute to Our Friend Nihal Pancratius எல்லோரும் நலம் வாழவும், அதோ அந்த பறவை போல வாழவேன்றுமென்று, அன்னையை போலே உன்னுடல் தன்னை வருடி கொடித்திடவா என்றும் பல பாடல்களை யாழ் நகரில் பாடி பழைய இனிய நினைவுகளை விட்டு செல்லும் எங்கள் அன்பு நண்பன் நிஹால் பங்கிரஸியஸ் (Nihal Pancratious) அமைதியுடன் துயில் கொள்ள, எல்லா வல்ல இறைவனடி சென்றுள்ளார். “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 We the Canberrans in Australia had the pleasure of meeting and listening to Nihal live again on 24 November 2014. Nihal and my youngest brother Alex from UK joined and Nihal performed in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne and met his fellow Patricians of Jaffna, that was his final trip to down under. Singing was his passion. Our Dearest friend Nihal, “You have gone from our sight, but never from our hearts.” Oh you found another home On a personal note: I met this good hearted man Nihal in Jaffna when he was in Bankshall Street Jaffna and then Press Rd near our house in Cathedral Street. We used to participate in the various Talent Contests in Jaffna. Nihal had an acoustic guitar and he used to lent it to me for months because he knew that I could not afford it at that time, such a kindhearted lovely human being. One of our memories still linger in our mind that us Richard, Emmo and Nihal performed for the famous Thinkaran Festival in the Jaffna Stadium. We will greatly miss you but your memories and the songs you sang in Jaffna and in overseas will be in our hearts always, until we meet you . God Bless your soul and our prayers are with your family to carry on with strength.