She only wants to hear the word ‘sorry’
“Sorry” seems to be the hardest word to say in any language. For 70 long years, and counting, the Chinese and Korean people and their governments have been demanding this one word from the Japanese Government for what was a World War II military exercise in having what was then called ‘comfort stations’ – an [...]
A special win for Akbo
Two pistol-shots at different times on hot summer afternoons across the seas in Los Angeles and he takes off like the wind. ‘Gold’ he brings back home both times. Akbo Manula Jayawardana has not only secured a personal triumph for himself and his family against all odds but he has also brought glory to Sri [...]
There’s some corner of a foreign field that’s forever, er, s(t)inking
A diplomat in the good old days used to be one who could lie abroad for his or her country. Today’s ambassadors are vastly more versatile, to go by recent media and social media reports. They cheat; they steal; they allegedly procure arms for rebels hell-bent on violently engaging their host country or modern empire. [...]
Walking, talking, viewing Cinnamon Colomboscope
Cinnamon Colomboscope unfolded over the weekend of August 22-23, focusing on themes of ‘City. Identity. Urbanity.’ An exhibition ‘Shadow Scenes’ had a multi-faceted collection of artists at the Rio and elsewhere in Slave Island, a programme of panel discussions drew an interested audience. Duvindi Illankoon and Adilah Ismail attended some of the sessions The City [...]
Life then was one big splash
It was neither a shark nor a whale that fascinated six-year-old Rex De Silva. It was a tiny wew maluwa. Caught at the Basawakkulama, the young boy carried his prize home and hid it in his cupboard. Its pungent aroma was strangely refreshing – with it came a sense of freedom. The same smell would [...]
Writing to the beat of Bombay
Naresh Fernandes arrives for his session at Cinnamon Colomboscope covered in sweat. It’s a hot day but Fernandes has been on a brisk walk around Slave Island. He is fascinated with the parallels he sees between this city and his own – the frenetic development, the deepening class divide,and the contradictions inherent in democracies that [...]
In step with humanity
Inventor Aruna Samarawickrama was the recipient of the second Ray Award, awarded by the Ray Wijewardene Charitable Trust in memory of one of Sri Lanka’s most iconic inventors and thinkers. The Ray Award is given to an invention with the greatest potential for commercialization. Samarawickrama received the award for his invention of an artificial limb [...]
Letters to the Editor
We want, no we demand, good people on National List The elections have come and gone, and as usual, the leaders are busy running from temple to kovil to thank the gods for their victory. How nice! How about paying pooja to Citizen Perera for keeping his sanity and letting good sense prevail? Can one [...]
Shattered silence deep in the jungle
Night time, a little after midnight. Silence within the bungalow, but some serious bustling outside. Looking through the shadows cast by the trees in the moonlight, as the stars and fireflies seem to flutter aimlessly and to shine of the same light, I felt a sense of excitement and wonder. The jungle is my favourite [...]
Kicking up a storm indeeed
It was an evening of pure heavy metal wizardry where the ‘saints’ marched through the ‘storm’. The latest Stigmata/ Salvage combination at a somewhat crowded QBAA last Sunday evening saw two of Sri Lanka’s finest bands share the stage at a concert titled ‘Saints and Sinners’. Together they put on a show that awed both [...]
A narrative drawn out of drawings
There’s a very easy brand of camaraderie between C. Anjalendran, David Robson and Dominic Sansoni, perhaps because they’ve worked with each other for so long. The three are well known voices in the discourse of architecture in Sri Lanka. Their new book, ‘The Architectural Heritage of Sri Lanka: Measured drawings from the Anjalendran Studio’ draws [...]
Country Road 2015: Flame joins regular favourites
Fans of Country and Western and Folk music have much to look forward to this October, as South Asia’s longest running concert for children Country Roads will be held once again, for the 27th year. Excitingly, this year’s line-up of Sri Lankan bands features the locally famous Flame, along with Country Road concert regulars Cosmic [...]
The Good Market is getting better
With its premise ‘Good for the Planet. Good for the country. Good for you’, the Good Market is one of Colombo’s more popular weekend jaunts, with many-young and old alike-regularly making their way to its venue at Racecourse for fresh, organic produce and ethically crafted products. The event was first introduced in December 2012 at [...]
Appreciations
60 years of selfless service Ethel Fernando Mrs. Ethel Fernando joined the Mallika Nivasa Samithiya (Society) Ltd. in 1955 as an executive committee member. Since then for nearly 60 years she had been associated with the society in varying capacities and rendered a selfless service until her demise a year ago at the grand old [...]
Collaborative fusion music
Confining Pradeep Ratnayake’s music into a single genre is not just a mind boggling task, it is unjust to the music itself. A name synonymous with Sri Lanka’s music scene, the sitar virtuoso will launch “Serendib” an album of collaborative fusion music between sitar and piano. Joining him on the album is renowned Japanese pianist, [...]
Japanese Cultural Exhibition
A Japanese Cultural Exhibition featuring Ikebana (floral arrangements), Bonsai (miniature tree planting) and Origami (paper folding) in the form of display and demonstrations. will be held at the Lionel Wendt Gallery, No. 18, Guildford Crescent, Colombo 7, on September 5 and 7. The exhibition has been organised by the Embassy of Japan in collaboration with [...]
Kaleidoscope Two features over 100 quilts
Kaleidoscope Two – an exhibition and sale of quilts, presented by the Hill Country Women’s Association to raise funds to support its service projects in the hill country, will be held on Saturday, September 5, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Colombo Art Gallery . Dr. Maithri Wickreme-singhe will be the Chief Guest [...]
Sri Lankan Buddha Image
The Royal Asiatic Society Sri Lanka’s (RASSL) monthly public lecture this August will be on “Sri Lankan Buddha Image: Re-examining the History and Artistic Elements” . It will be delivered by Dr. (Mrs.) Prashanthi Narangoda, on Monday, August 31 at 5 p.m. at the Gamini Dissanayake Auditorium, 96, Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colombo 7. The lecture [...]
Alpha course at Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour
Are you keen to explore or deepen your Christian faith? The Alpha course at the Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour on Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7 starts on September 2. The course is free of charge and conducted over 11 weeks, from 6-8 p.m. every Wednesday ending with a fellowship dinner. Contact Delani (077 382 [...]
Essay competition: “Future of Sri Lanka- Thailand Relations”
An essay competition for school children on the theme “Future of Sri Lanka- Thailand Relations” was held to mark the 60th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Thailand. The awards will be presented by Ambassador of Thailand Nopporn Adchariyavanich on Saturday, September 12 at the Auditorium of the Organisation of [...]