Silent saviours
Dropped from a chopper onto the bund of a wewa, the battle scene was not good. He knew his Malli’s unit had been fighting within the thick jungles just beyond. His younger brother’s buddy looked out of the tent but could not meet his eyes. He feared the worst but got down to his job, [...]
Letters
Holding a ‘toy’ pistol to the head of a ‘sovereign’ people For some time now there have been repeated challenges to the so-called sovereignty of the people in the form of gross lawlessness displayed by a privileged few enjoying the luxury of being blessed by the greats of the ruling party and, thereby, becoming a [...]
Madame Tussauds may soon have a rival
The gallery is buzzing with activity; people who have flocked to gaze at the celebrities of local and international fame and to pose by their side for a photograph. Lined up on either side of the National Art Gallery are 14 figures -Visharada W.D. Amaradeva, Ravindra Randeniya, Prof. Sunil Ariyarathne, Malini Fonseka, Sunil Edirisingha, Victor [...]
A good leader according to Buddhist teachings
What exactly do we want to see in a leader? What characteristics make a person stand out from the rest? What do we seek in one that makes us believe in and trust one as a leader? What does society expect from someone so accepted? According to contemporary thinking, you would be presented with a [...]
Harold Edward Musson’s extraordinary journey to becoming Nanavira Thera
“Only in a vertical view, straight down into the abyss of his own personal existence, is a man capable of apprehending the perilous insecurity of his situation; and only a man who does apprehend this is prepared to listen to the Buddha’s Teaching.” -Nanavira Thera One day in 1948, almost a decade before the flower [...]
Fixing hearts with ‘virtual surgery software’
To Ajit P. Yoganathan a malfunctioning heart is also an engineering problem. To a select group of surgeons, he is the man they visit before they enter the operating theatre. They are looking to him to understand what to expect and to help them make the smartest possible choice. Currently the Regents’ Professor in the [...]
Coming to Sri Lanka is sweet music to his ears
Dressed in a bright red and black batik shirt, Gregory Rose tells me returning to Sri Lanka always feels like coming home. The British conductor has been to Sri Lanka no less than eight times, his most recent trip being in 2009 when he conducted Verdi’s Requiem in the Anglican Cathedral for an audience of [...]
Alex continues his colourful exploration of two cultures
Artist Alex Stewart’s work, now on show at the Barefoot Gallery in Colombo 3 can be viewed at many levels. Myths and stories, diverse histories, a varied cast of characters including masked tricksters and angels, foxes and dogs colour his canvas and draw the viewer into a deeper contemplation. All these characters are part of [...]
‘Golden songs’ from the ‘Golden voice’
Music fans, particularly the ardent Pandit Amaradeva fans are in for a treat with the release of the first album of ‘50 Golden Songs’ of the maestro. The ‘Gold Project’ has been launched by a group of enthusiasts and the first CD with ten songs has been released. Titled ‘Sonduru vuminisa’ (title of a song [...]
Mother Earth belongs to all beings, not just us humans
Photography in itself is a hobby pursued by many. With so many different cameras in the market, photography has soared in popularity recently. Among the many different types of photography Bamunu Arachchige Mahipala believes, wildlife photography is the best hobby one could have. Travelling to six continents and more than 20 different countries, he has [...]
Every bit a diva
It was a cause close to her heart and Kishani Jayasinghe delivered with all the passion and fondness that her schooldays at her alma mater Visakha Vidyalaya brought to mind when she performed a concert in aid of her school last Sunday. The packed audience at the school’s Jeremias Dias Hall was spellbound despite the [...]
Up with the republic
Today, five years after the event, there will be those who still look back to the day for a reassurance that all is still well because it all ended well for those of us who lived to tell the tale with gratitude mixed in with all the glory. Today, four days before another long-forgotten or [...]
Appreciations
A. S. M. Abdul Razak Dad, this is for you and all that you did for us A little over ten years ago, on a breezy winter morning in London, I woke up to a call from my Uncle in New Zealand with a much unexpected message for me. At first, he said he wanted [...]
Events
Amarillo all set for tonight’s show The Amarillo School of Music is ready for its first concert seven years after it was started. ‘The Way to Amarillo’ will see more than 90 of the school’s 200 students presenting vocal and instrumental talents. The concert will be held tonight, 18 at 7 p.m. at the Sri [...]
