Suharshini Dharmarathne is a distinguished poetess and a much-loved figure in Sri Lankan literary circles. A crowning achievement of her literary career came in 2012, when her poetry collection Girihisa Tharanaya won both the Godage National Literary Award and the State Literary Award. In recent years, at least three of her poetry collections have been shortlisted for prestigious national literary honors.
Beyond poetry, she has also made her mark as a short-story writer. She has further established herself as an educator and children’s author as well as a promoter of social justice and women’s empowerment.
She has several books for young readers to her credit. Her recent novel, Puus Gedara Lamayi (Vidarshana Publications, 2025), was shortlisted for the 2026 State Literary Awards.
Puus Gedara Lamayi (Children of the Cat House) is a charming young adult novel woven from a series of interconnected tales narrated by a few dogs, several cats and one owl. These are not merely fictional characters but beloved animals adopted and raised by the author’s family in their own home.
Drawing inspiration from their real-life adventures, the novel offers a delightful blend of love, adventure and humour. Those are also interspersed with moments of inevitable heartbreak.
It is impossible to read this book without a smile frequently finding its way to your lips. Also without moments of introspection that draw your thoughts towards the deeper mysteries of life and beyond. Or without occasionally finding yourself wiping away the mist of tears that has silently gathered in your eyes.
In the very first line of the opening chapter the author reveals what inspires her and her family to embrace both the challenges and the joys of raising their beloved pets: the true happiness is the comforting knowledge that, whenever you return home, your furry companions will be waiting to welcome you with love.
It is a simple yet profound truth.
Then, one by one, beginning with the family dog, the animals take turns telling their stories. Suharshini skilfully adopts the perspectives of her beloved pets. She allows each to speak its piece freely. Every one of them has a distinct history, personality and life story. Through their touching and often amusing accounts, they reveal how they came into the family’s lives and forged enduring bonds of love and trust with Suharshini, her husband and their children.
Yet these tales are not merely about rescue, adoption and the joys of companionship. More than once, they confront the inevitable realities of loss, grief and the heartache of saying goodbye while misting your eyes.
It is Suharshini’s remarkable ability to see the world through the eyes of her animals, and to give voice to their joys, fears and sorrows, that elevates this young adult novel beyond a simple pet story. In doing so, she crosses the boundaries between humans and animals, reminding us that love, suffering and the longing to belong are not exclusively human desires.
My personal favourites were the tales of S. M. Bokashio and, in the following chapter, his sister, Shiromani Sudumanike. As it turns out, Sudumanike is a budding poet herself, much like her beloved owner.
I was particularly moved by the poignant little poem Suharshini composed in memory of Kiribande. In those few tender lines, she wonders whether her beloved cat slipped away without saying goodbye on a moonlit night, perhaps to chase the rabbit in the moon. Then comes a question as beautiful as it is heartbreaking: Are you the one who now sleeps where that rabbit once slept?
You will cry too.
And yet, I cannot help but wonder whether the tale entitled Bakishi Baba’s Cat Love is entirely a product of Suharshini’s fantasy. After all, Bakishi Baba is neither a cat nor a dog, not even a rabbit or a cow or even a deer. She is, of all creatures, an owl! The book concludes with a heartfelt letter from high above addressed to this amazing family. Who wrote it, and what does it say? I shall leave that mystery untouched. You will have to get yourself a copy and read to the very last page to discover its touching secret.