Sri Lanka's master filmmaker Lester James Peries was introduced as 'The Formidable Genius' when he was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Government of India in 2000. D.C. Ranatunga met him on his 92nd birthday on Tuesday, April 5.

In the days of the Kandyan Kingdom, where the traces of Sinhala culture were better preserved, there were four major national festivals, namely, Aluth Sahal Mangalyaya (festival of new rice) held in January, Sinhala and Hindu New Year that came in the middle of April, Esala Perahera in August and finally the Karthi Mangalyaya - a festival of light shared by both Tamils and Sinhalese that was held in November. Of these festivals, Sinhala that Hindu New Year was the most prominent.