Digging deep into a monastery on the mountain
A small stupa lies at the very top of the rocky surface we’re scrambling up. It sits unhindered by the verdant forest growth around it with a bird’s eye view of a large water body. A simple stone inscription by it states; “Ye imadipa patamaya idiya agatana Idika-(tera-Ma)-teraha tube” translated as, “this is the stupa [...]
Keep smiling, all you happy wooed voters!
Tomorrow is Nominations Day. Several political parties will finally make up their minds, and conclusively throw their respective candidates’ hats into the ring. Even if the poor, long-suffering voters are more likely to want several of the aspirants to throw in the towel, chuck up that posturing nonsense, bow out, take early retirement – but [...]
Letters
The IGP is the sole authority when it comes to conduct of police officers It was surprising to note that there is a conflict between the Inspector General of Police and the Ministry Secretary regarding police officers being summoned to the Ministry without the knowledge of the Inspector General of Police and even transfers effected [...]
Appreciations
The “tall man” who was our leader and mentor Prof. Jagath Wickramasinghe Justin Wimalasiri Wickramasinghe was born in Matara on 16.03.1939 and passed away on November 6, 2014 in Colombo. A simple man by nature, he was an academic, economist, speaker, author, lawyer, orator, administrator and was involved in national politics. I would like to [...]
Historian who emphasised the peaceful co-existence between Muslims and Sinhalese
Dr Lorna Srimathie Dewaraja, the brilliant historian of repute who did not receive the recognition that she rightly deserved in her lifetime for her contribution to the Muslims of Sri Lanka should be engraved in their hearts and minds for her contribution with her luminous academic research and publication, “The Muslims of Sri Lanka – [...]
Sanghamitta Theri’s thousand-year mission in Sri Lanka
The sudden appearance of thousands of shaven-headed, saffron-robed bhikkunis, following the establishment of the Bhikkhuni Order by Sanghamitta Theri, may have made quite an impact on society in the ancient capital- Anuradhapura. According to ancient chronicles, inscriptions and literature, the impact in fact had lasted in the island for well over a thousand years. Sanghamitta [...]
Survivors turn stars
Some are born performers singing, dancing, speaking with confidence and one even playing the violin, while others are overtaken by stage-fright and stand frozen, with anxious mothers attempting to coax them gently to do their piece. But each and every one gets loud applause not only from parents but also doctors, nurses and other staff [...]
A time to stitch
The snowflake- like doyly is in stark contrast to the dark blue sarong underneath it, while intricately crocheted swans sit upright making the centrepiece all the more arresting. “I call it Swan Lake,” Dr. Carmeline Fernando chuckles. Several interesting looking bags sit on the settees of her friend Dr. Pushpa Perera’s sitting room, leaving one [...]
Crafts of Kathmandu for the season
The Hermitage Gallery invited a select clientele to view their latest offerings for the festive season- the crafts of Kathmandu – a diverse trove of lovingly selected mountain treasures. The collection abounds in variety, reflecting the multiple threads of culture, philosophy and tradition: Tibetan prayer wheels, Vajra brass thunderbolts, Phurba ritual daggers, Himalayan singing bowls, [...]
Lankan Spice Island goes to Britain’s House of Fraser
Spice Island, the Ayurveda based Sri Lankan brand announced its partnership with House of Fraser in the United Kingdom. Spice Island beauty products with limited edition gift packs for the Christmas Season 2014 have gone on sale for winter 2014. Harnessing the secrets of Ayurvedic healing and pure rainforest spring water, each set is infused [...]
From ‘playing’ school to art school
When it comes to teaching art, Shyamala Pinto-Jayawardena has a few years of experience that not many know about. She will tell you about her 32 years of experience as a teacher but the first art school under her tutelage started a lot earlier, when she was a child of six. Araliya flowers laid out [...]
Await yet another Christmas special with the SOSL
Christmas with the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka is an event looked forward to by the music-loving people of Colombo. The SOSL’s annual Christmas concert is its most popular and anticipated, and this year’s programme will not disappoint. On December 14 the SOSL, directed by Dushyanthi Perera, will whirl you into the Christmas season and [...]
Bollywood comes to Colombo!
It was a wildly enthusiastic audience that welcomed Bollywood songstress Sunidhi Chauhan for her concert in Colombo on Saturday, November 22. Tweeted audience member @MBImran; “@SunidhiChauhan5 what a great show!!! Such talent! You are a Rockstar! Colombo witnessed the best!” Organised by Imran Saibo of event management company Funtime, along with Dilshard Hassan, businessman turned [...]
Annual business awards
The annual Business Today Top Twenty Five awards ceremony was held at the Hilton last month with Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa as chief guest and Chief Justice Mohan Peiris as Guest of Honour. Pictured here are some of the guests at the event
Going for hair flair
Pix by Nissanka Meegoda It was a special day for young hopefuls in the beauty industry when ‘Hair Art 2014’, the graduation show of the Ramani Fernando Sunsilk Hair and Beauty Academy was held on November 25 at the Hilton Grand Ballroom for the ninth consecutive time. The chief guest for the event was, as [...]
Julius & Creasy marks 135 years
A book to mark the 135th anniversary of reputed law firm Julius & Creasy was launched on Saturday, November 29 at the Grand Ballroom of the Galadari Hotel. Our pictures show some of the invitees who attended the ceremony which was followed by a reception hosted by the Partners of Julius & and Creasy.
Evening of fellowship
It was an evening of fellowship for alumni of PwC (Pricewaterhouse Coopers) as they met at the Cinnamon Grand’s Oak Room last month..
NFOA awards to honour senior citizens
The NGO Forum on Ageing (NFOA) held their awards programme ‘Honouring Senior Citizens’ at the International Studies auditorium of the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies last Sunday. The project was first begun in 2012 by Mano Candappa and was held this year for the second time with project chairperson Estelle Joachim and her committee organising [...]
‘Birding with the 3rd eye’
Dushantha Wasala’s photograph “The Battlefield” showing a mid-air fight of Malabar Pied Hornbills was the overall winner of the “Birding with the 3rd Eye” exhibition. Sandaruwan Abayaratne, S.N.P. Rodrigo, Dr. Gihan Rajeev and Dr. Sudheera Bandara won first prize in the categories Bird portrait, Bird behaviour, Endemic and Rare Birds and Birds in Crisis respectively. [...]
Christmas shopping; save the date
The annual Christmas Life & Style Sale will be on Sunday, December 14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Moonstone & Amethyst Rooms Hilton Colombo. This will be a bonanza of bargain gifts for the discerning shopper! Every year, reputed retailers and niche artisans gather together at the Hilton Colombo, to offer a [...]
“Silver Pixels”: Virtusa’s global photographic exhibition
Virtusa Corporation held its annual global photographic exhibition “Silver Pixels” for the 10th consecutive year under the theme “Diversity” on November 26 at its Sri Lanka Advance Technology Center (SLATC) building in Orion City. Over 150 entries that captured the variety of the universe were sent in under the three categories of “Nature”, “People” and [...]
Christ Church, Matale carol service
The annual carol service of Christ Church, Matale will be held on Sunday, December 21 at 8.15 a.m. Bishop of Kurunegala Rt.Rev. Shantha Francis, will be the preacher at this event. The carols will be sung in all three languages indicating the fellowship and unity of Christians in Sri Lanka.
‘Run for their lives’ on December 13
Christmas is a time of giving and sharing with those who are less fortunate than us. For those interested in sharing, this is a worthy cause that you should sign up for on Saturday, December 13. Many of us have had the unfortunate experience of losing a loved one to cancer. It is no great [...]
“Silver Pixels”: Virtusa’s global photographic exhibition
Virtusa Corporation held its annual global photographic exhibition “Silver Pixels” for the 10th consecutive year under the theme “Diversity” on November 26 at its Sri Lanka Advance Technology Center (SLATC) building in Orion City. Over 150 entries that captured the variety of the universe were sent in under the three categories of “Nature”, “People” and [...]
Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka strengthens Habitat Youth BUILD initiative
Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka takes on Habitat Youth BUILD, a youth-led campaign to tackle the global challenge of substandard housing, for the first time this year. Now in its fourth iteration, Habitat Youth BUILD has grown each year, with Sri Lanka, Fiji, New Zealand, Singapore and Vietnam joining other Asia-Pacific countries for the first [...]
Talk on Royal Rituals in Thailand and Sri Lanka
Professor J.B. Disanayaka will speak on “Royal Rituals in Thailand and Sri Lanka” at the meeting of the Ceylon Society of Australia on Friday, December 12 at 5.30 p.m. at the O.P.A.Auditorium, Stanley Wijesundera Mawatha, Colombo 7. All are welcome.
D. S. Senanayake College’s ’98 Old Boys’ hold blood donation camp
The ’98 Group of the Old Boys’ Association of D. S. Senanayake College, Colombo 7, held a blood donation camp to mark the first death anniversary of the Founder Principal of the school R. I. T. Alles, The camp was held in the headquarters of the OBA from 9 a.m onwards on November 28. It [...]
