A Russian émigré’s canvas in Ceylon
In 1897, the French impressionist Camille Pissaro painted the “Boulevard Montmartre at Night”, highly regarded for its depiction of nightlights illumining the receding Parisian street. There’s another remarkably Pissaro-influenced painting of a street at night time, appearing this time in pre-independence Ceylon painted by the Russian émigré artist, Alexander Sofronoff. Sofronoff’s work in Ceylon was [...]
Bookish fun and the crowds keep coming
Each year you expect interest to dwindle, yet you’re proven wrong every single time. On the cards for the 14th successive year, the Colombo International…
Free education: The pearl of great price or pearls before swine
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went…
Letters to the Editor
Who should take the blame for bad governance of our universities? Last year, university students lost four months of academic work because of strikes by…
Beautiful, generous, loving and unworldly — Tissie was mother, sister, friend and counsellor
A flower of nature, unsophisticated and enchanting, its tender petals just blooming – this was Mallika, who was far too young to leave us. There…
Cover
Aacha was there for us at all the important stages in our lives
On June 19 this year, three days short of her 83rd birthday, Padmini Cooray, our Aacha, passed away…
Armed with a pinhole camera she’s set on a new life
Even before you hear her story, you know there’s something unusual about Liz Doles’ photographs of Sri Lankan…
On course on his eco-friendly boat
In 1915, I.S. Waidiyarathna Karunatilake’s grandfather obtained a licence for passenger and cargo transportation in waterways, from the…
One meal that went a long way on the streets of Madurai
It was not a bright vision that opened his eyes to the dire needs of fellow human beings…
Ceylinco: A story that took off with bus drivers and mill owners
The phrase, ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going’ serves not only as a title but…
The bitter reality behind that cuppa
The main objective of this book is nicely captured in the title. We are typically familiar with the…
Waste-gobbling stomach that holds much and churns out much more
It is usually food waste, but for Jayasekara Hettiarachchige Srimal Tissera, not only fats and oils but also…
Rag, an insider’s story
For Jehan Aloysius, Rag: the Musical is very much a personal thing. He has literally been in the…
Pera Singers in Concertaid XIV
Bridget Halpé presents her 14th concert in the Concertaid series in September/October featuring the Peradeniya Singers, the Kandy…
Church of St. Francis of Assisi, Mount Lavinia to hold worship musical
‘God in Us’, a dramatic worship musical, interspersed with congregational worship will be presented on Saturday, September 29…
Annual general meetings
The Sri Lanka Optometric Association will hold its annual general meeting today, September 23 at the Galle Face…
Get your pets ready for Bouwwa show
The Veterinary Department of the Colombo Municipal Council together with the Blue Paw Trust will hold its annual…
“New discoveries from Deeghavapi and Nilagiri sites”
The Royal Asiatic Society Sri Lanka’s (RASSL) lecture this month is on “New discoveries from Deeghavapi and Nilagiri…
South Asian art of late 20th Century
Jagath Weerasinghe will deliver the 44th lecture of the National Trust of Sri Lanka in its monthly lecture…
Jaffna Holy Family Convent old girls to converge for 150th anniversary
Old girls of Jaffna Holy Family Convent from around the world are on their way to Sri Lanka…
London Buddhist Vihara marks founder’s 148th birth anniversary
The London Buddhist Vihara, which was started by the Anagarika Dharmapala, held a public speech by the Ven.…
Awarded PhD research studentship from University of Southampton
Yawwani Poornima Gunawardana, 25, of Bellanwila has been granted a research studentship award from the University of Southampton…
It’s time for Galle Children’s Festival
The second Galle Children’s Festival billed as a ‘free festival for the children of Sri Lanka’ from October…
Blue Skies Montessori opens its doors
The Blue Skies AMI Montessori House of Children at Battaramulla was opened on September 10 with co-principals Nadine…
‘Teachers’ and ‘students’ bond and learn
We do not have to spend thousands to be philanthropists. It can be done through simple means. A…
Don’t read these books – those could be dangerous
Remember when life was idyllic? Not in the sense of plain bone idle or idiotically silly for want…