Asoka the Buddhist convert, pilgrim and patron
For Sri Lankans, King Asoka’s name will always be associated with the formal introduction of Buddhism to the island nation. But for historian Professor Nayanjot Lahiri, a keen student of the life of the third emperor of the Mauryan dynasty that ruled India between 332 B.C to 185 B.C., there are many fascinating aspects to [...]
The day we won Winter Gold
The day when a sportsman stops thinking above all else of the happiness in his own effort and the intoxication of the power and physical balance he derives from it, the day when he lets consideration of vanity or interest take over, on this day his ideal will die – Baron Pierre de Coubertin, founder [...]
Appreciations
My uncle, the great artist, my teacher and friend STANLEY KIRINDE On Friday, February 13, 2009, I received a phone call from my father around 9 o’clock in the morning. He said that Aunty Ira had called him and said that Uncle Stanley was not well and he wanted me and my mother to go [...]
Letters
Ginger, garlic, goraka, bandakka, watakka in political soup! There is an ancient Chinese curse: “May you live interesting times” and that is exactly what all voters will face in the forthcoming provincial council elections. We have certainly experienced the antics of the clowns and comedians in the different political parties over the years but reading [...]
After a hectic 2013, Shani to delight audiences here
Shani Diluka returns to Sri Lanka to perform in a concert that will likely go down among the finest of the year. She comes to us fresh from a hectic programme of numerous international concert appearances in 2013 – 60 in all. Shani has serenaded fans of classical music across the world, leaving Germany’s music [...]
Pradeepanjalee XVII: A tribute to Ravi Shankar
Pradeep Ratnayake will return to the Sri Lankan stage with Pradeepanjalee XVII: A Tribute to Ravi Shankar on February 23 at the Lionel Wendt Theatre at 7 p.m. In it, he will play the pieces made world famous by Ravi Shankar, in honour of the master sitarist who passed away recently. Ratnayake’s latest classical music [...]
Pariahs in paradise
They say it takes a dictatorship to make the country’s trains run on time. Pity this could not be said of certain plays on authoritarian or totalitarian regimes. But I quibble. The show may have got off to a late start (half an hour is a long time for dinner- and theatre-starved Sri Lankans to [...]
‘Making history’ around Colombo
One of my favourite things about art is watching people instinctively responding and reacting to it. “It reminds me of scoliosis” remarks a gentleman, scrutinizing Sunil Sigdel’s installation with a medical eye. The installation made of used workers’ gloves, examines the consequences of a civil war in Nepal and the medical condition fits in nicely [...]
CFW hits the ramp
Krishna Mehta: Cool designer and designs Stepping behind the scenes of Colombo Fashion Week is voluntarily entering a whirlwind of colour and nerves, hairspray and chaos. In the midst of it all looking calm and collected, in a pink linen ensemble is Krishna Mehta. Be it her experience of more than 25 years in the [...]
Tracing Pakistan’s Buddhist heritage
Chandana Wijekoon launched his fifth publication, “The Glory that was Gandhara; Journey in Search of Buddhist Ruins of Pakistan” on January 29 at the National Library and Documentation Services Board. The distinguished invitees included Ven. Batapola Nanda Thero, Dr. Praneeth Abeysundera of the Department of Social Studies, Sri Jayewardenepura University and Pakistani High Commissioner in [...]
A rich read on a majestic animal
When we talk about elephants, more often than not we refer to wild elephants. We read about wild elephants and we discuss their future but seldom do we talk about tame elephants. We do talk about Raja carrying the Sri Dalada and we count the number of elephants walking in the Dalada Perahera or the [...]
Use your anger to fuel creativity
Looking like anybody’s favourite aunt or great-aunt – diminutive, portly and rounded in a huggable way, her wavy silver hair neatly combed and in place and sparkling under the lights – the British writer Doris Lessing walked slowly, inching past us, as she was led down the steep stairs to the podium of a lecture [...]
Felicitation of retiring NSACP Deputy Director
It was a simple but poignant felicitation ceremony for a “giant” in the field of venereology. As Senior Consultant Venereologist and Deputy Director of the National STD/AIDS Control Programme (NSACP), Dr. Kulasiri Buddhakorale retired from service after 31 long years, accolades were showered on him not only by colleagues but also by his students at [...]
Not a eulogy, but, an elegy: On Mel G.
Last weekend was not a very good one for living out our post-conflict dream of the pursuit of happiness, despite being cast in the coming shadow of the country’s national day – a day of putative liberty, independence, freedom, equality. The one evening there was the not very surprising, perhaps, news that an outspoken commentator [...]
‘Valley of Gems’ launch
‘Valley of Gems’, a compilation of Parliamentary Speeches made by the late Dr. A.C.S. Hameed was launched on February 1 at the BMICH Committee Room A.
Applications open for University of Peradeniya MDP
Applications are open now for the fourth intake to the Master of Development Practice degree (MDP) at the University of Peradeniya. The Master of Development Practice (MDP) programme is a two-year postgraduate degree open to individuals with a career interest or experience in development practice. Closing date: February 15. The programme begins in May. Eligibility [...]
Induction of new principal of Ladies’ College
It was a historic moment for Ladies’ College in its 114 year history when the eighth principal of Ladies’ College, Mrs Eesha Speldewinde, a second generation old girl of the school, was officially installed at a meaningful and moving service of induction at the Chapel of the Hope of the World, on January 10. The [...]
Awad Al- Ameen appointed Justice of the Peace
Awad Al- Ameen took oaths on January 16 as Justice of the Peace for the Whole Island before Mrs. Rashmi Sangappuli, Adl District Judge of Colombo. A Senior Executive of Al-Fardhan Establishment, Doha he is also reading for a London LLB. He was educated at St. Peter’s College, Bambalapitya, where he took an active part [...]
Donation of Haemodialysis machine
Relatives and friends of the former General Manager of Railways, Daya C. Lelwala donated a haemodialysis machine to the Colombo North Teaching Hospital, Ragama, on February 5, to mark his first death anniversary. The donation was accepted by the Director-General of Health Services, Dr. Palitha Mahipala and Colombo North Teaching Hospital Director Dr. Roy Perera. [...]
