Vision in ink for Batti hospital soon a reality
In Batticaloa, it’s one of those heavy grey days punctuated with intermittent showers. The rains have cast a momentary cloud but the air is thick with anticipation for the afternoon’s proceedings on Friday, November 13 at the Batticaloa Teaching Hospital. Pockets of people have thronged sections of the hospital, awaiting the dignitaries for the day [...]
Kasiya, kokiya: Getting artistic with shared words
It makes sense that Sri Lanka shares an element of its linguistic heritage with the countries that colonised it from the 16th century onwards. The Embassy of Netherlands in Colombo highlighted this shared cultural heritage in celebrating the friendship between the two countries at ‘Borrowed Words: spoken then & now”, part of a design collaboration [...]
Quick guide to Design Festival
The Sri Lanka Design Festival kicks off next weekend. Open to the public from Friday, November 27, the three-day event will feature discussions and shows cutting across a gamut of industries including fashion and apparel manufacturing, interior design and hospitality. The 2015 theme ‘Design Means Business’ is set to highlight the role played by design [...]
Step into Shakespeare’s gardens
English art historian, curator, writer, broadcaster and landscape designer Sir Roy Strong will talk on ‘Shakespeare’s Gardens’ in the run-up to the Fairway Galle Literary Festival 2016. The illustrated talk will be on Tuesday, November 24 at the Land Rover Showroom at No. 74, Flower Road, Colombo 7, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. At [...]
Afternoons of friendship and sewing unfold in an exhibition
Years ago, a group of four ladies found their way to Andrea Boekel’s sewing and knitting classes. A name synonymous with the art of embroidery and sewing in Sri Lanka, Andrea’s classes offered her students more than a how-to-sew programme. For Nirmala Gunawardane, the classes went beyond learning new techniques and styles for Andrea inspired [...]
Andrea’s seasonal beauties
The lure of hand-embroidery and handmade lace is timeless. Each piece invariably tells a story of patience, sheer dedication and absolute artistry. In time for the season Andrea Boekel will present a collection of elegant creations hand-embroidered and embellished with Brussels lace. The sale will be on Saturday, November 28 for one day only at [...]
KUR explores traditional with futuristic look
Lankan fashion designer Kasuni Rathnasuriya, founder of contemporary womenswear line KUR, recently showcased her latest collection for spring/summer 2016 (SS16) at the Sunshine Coast Fashion Festival in Australia. The collection was a mix of past and future with the incorporation of traditional Beeralu lace and 3D printing. To make her vision for this collection a [...]
Bulgari timeless beauty In Lanka
Several exquisite collections by luxury Italian jeweller and watchmaker, Bulgari, were launched for the first time in Sri Lanka at the Colombo Jewellery Stores flagship store at Alfred House Gardens on November 16. The extensive range includes Roman architecture inspired, Bulgari Roma, Bulgari Octo and Octo Retrograde, which is renowned for having the world’s thinnest [...]
Proclamation of the Republic of Turkey marked
The Turkish Embassy celebrated the 92nd anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic of Turkey with a reception hosted by Ambassador Tunca Ozcuhadar at his residence on Ward Place, Colombo.
Letters
Temple noise: It’s forbidden by law but it continues Lettters by D.S. Wijeyaratne of Ratmalana, (ST 8/11) and Krishni Iresha’s ‘Crackers after midnight for a perahera’ (ST 15/11) have revealed what people who live around temples all over Sri Lanka, not only in Ratmalana and Galle have to undergo. Although I am not a victim [...]
Appreciations
Charles Rex de Silva Power of Rex, sculptor of people Editor fostered culture free from fear of failure I would have walked on hot coals for Charles Rex de Silva, my editor, mentor and friend. And, I am certain many of my colleagues from the golden years of the SUN and WEEKEND newspapers in the [...]
Making a mark with old prints
Dr. Rajpal (R.K.) de Silva opens the door to his second floor flat off Jawatte Road to usher us in. Even the casual visitor to the apartment should have no trouble identifying the interests of her/his host. The walls are covered with paintings, many by de Silva’s mother. (In one he is only 16 years [...]
Taking their creativity to a five-storey car park
A carpark. Not quite where you would expect to find aesthetic pleasure. Nor is staring at a wall what most people would find therapeutic, but this is what we find ourselves doing on the fifth floor carpark of Cinnamon Red hotel, waiting for its first ‘Red Rave Art Walk’ to begin. The notion of street [...]
Debut novelist and international best-selling writer
Our new mini-series in collaboration with the Fairway Galle Literary Festival will over the next six weeks introduce you to visiting authors through our column. Follow along and you will stand to win two full festival passes in our draw. All you need to do is answer the questions we will pose later in our [...]
At 88, he’s still into heart and lungs
Veined and somewhat gnarled may be his hands but steady and skilled they are as Dr. H.G.S. Ranasinghe sticks electrodes to a bare-chested man to record, meticulously, the electrical currents of his heart. The bed on which the man lies is in the office room where also scattered are non-functioning electrocardiogram (ECG) machines awaiting repair [...]
Malta: From ancient battles to modern
A Maltese friend from my teens invited me to visit her in Malta when she knew I was visiting Southern Italy. Malta which is hosting the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting this month is a leading tourist resort with over a million tourists a year. Strategically placed, this Southern European island comprises an archipelago [...]
Head to Negombo lagoon for some thrills
Jetwing Lagoon in partnership with Jet Water Sports recently launched Sri Lanka’s first lagoon based water sports centre at Jetwing Lagoon Negombo. Flanked by the expansive lagoon, the new centre offers activities, such as skiing, mono and wake boarding, kayaking, banana boat rides and donut rides, jet skiing and sailing; for both water sport enthusiasts [...]
A giant of a man and jewel of a human being
The 28th Professor K.N. Seneviratne Memorial Oration will be delivered by Professor Michael Sedgwick, a Consultant Neurophysiologist from the University of Southampton, UK who will speak on “Physiology in Transition – Challenges for the Future” at the New Building Lecture Theatre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo on Friday, November 27 at 7.15 p.m. The [...]
Sri Lanka Federation of University Women office bearers
The 74th Annual General Meeting of Sri Lanka Federation of the University Women was held on October 31 at the federation’s Auditorium. The following office-bearers were elected for 2015/2016: President Ms Seela Ebert, 1st Vice President Prof Eugene Wikramanayake, 2nd Vice President Ms Indra Puvimanasinghe, CIR Dr. Sujatha Wijethilake, Secretary Ms Dushani Karunanayake, Asst Secretary [...]
Peradeniya Uni Colombo Chapter get-together
The Colombo Chapter of the Alumni Association of the University of Peradeniya will hold its Family Get-together for 2015 on November 29, at the Eco Friendly Bird Park 166, Buthgamuwa Road, Kalapaluwawa,Rajagiriya (2 km from Rajagiriya junction) commencing at 9.30 a.m. An array of activities for young and old such as games, competitions, prizes and [...]
Lion Ladies hold ‘The Great Colombo Car Boot Sale’
Introducing a new concept in Colombo, the Lion Ladies of Colombo (Host) will hold ‘The Great Colombo Car Boot Sale’ on Sunday, November 29 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Women’s International Club (next to the Lionel Wendt theatre). The sale is being held as a fundraiser for the Lions Gift of Sight [...]
GFS pre-Christmas sale on Nov 27
A Sale of miscellaneous items organized by the Girls’ Friendly Society (GFS) will be held at its headquarters at 58, Green Path, Colombo 3 on Friday, November 27 from 8 a.m. onwards, in aid of the GFS Hostel development and expansion. The GFS is one of Sri Lanka’s oldest women’s organizations. Since 1957 the Society [...]
Classical Bharatha Natya recital
Vimalothaya Classical Bharatha Natya Kendra (Dance Research & Bharatha Natya Training Centre) presents ‘Mathura Lavaniya’ – a classical Bharatha Natya recital by renowned Bharatha Natya dancer Subashini Pathmanathan and her disciples, on November 28 at the Ramakrishna mission hall, Wellawatte , at 6 p.m. Director of the Indian Cultural Centre Rajashree Behera will be the [...]
Kanthi says, “Let there always be dance”
Thirty years ago, Kanthi Ranchigoda started to give foundation to her dream of spreading her love of dancing. To her it was a magical human movement that combined in itself all the positive aspects of life. ‘Let there be Dance’ was her latest production and there it was bringing with it a dynamic fusion of [...]
Darkness into Light: A Christmas musical journey
The Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour choir will present “Darkness into Light”, a short choral programme, on November 30 at the cathedral located on Bauddhaloka Mawatha. Heralding the season of Christmas and its message of hope and peace, the music will narrate the story of Christmas through well known carols such as ‘O Come [...]
CSDB sing-along with Sohan and the Experiments
The Ceylon School for the Deaf and Blind (CSDB) will have a sing-a-long with Sohan and the Experiments in collaboration with guest artists Damien and Rajitha from Misty on November 27 at the Stables, Park Street Mews. Tickets priced at Rs.1,500 will be available at Park Street Mews, the Ladies’ College office, the Bishop’s College [...]
11th Annual Conference on Buddhist Studies
The 11th Annual Conference on Buddhist Studies organised by the Dept. of Pali and Buddhist Studies, University of Sri Jayewardenapura in association with The Buddhist Times Trust will be held on November 27-28 at the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka premises, No. 96, Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colombo 7. Those who would like to attend [...]
Seminar: “Know well your Heart… and Bypass Heart Surgery”
The National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka in association with the Heart to Heart Trust Fund, will hold a seminar/forum on “Bypass Heart Surgery” on Friday, December 4 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Chamber auditorium, No 450, D.R. Wijewardene Mawatha, Colombo 10. A panel of leading doctors will make presentations on [...]