Within these walls performers are born
When I go out of prison for a performance I don’t feel like I’m going out as a prisoner. I feel like I’m going out as an artist, and for people like us that is immense. At least for a while no one knows that we’re prisoners; no one looks at us with judgement. We’re [...]
Appreciations
P.P. Jayasinghe Lasting memories of his cheerful voice and laughter will linger with us Pinshree Padmalal Jayasinghe, of John Keells Housing Scheme, Piliyandala, passed away after a brief but chronic illness on February 5, 2015. He was born on August 6, 1947 as the eldest child of G.W. Jayasinghe and Padma Jayasinghe of Poramba, Ambalangoda [...]
Letters
Some tips to rectify new traffic plan in Kandy I refer to the report under the title ‘Kandy’s new traffic plan working but pylons must go’ published in the Sunday Times of February 21.It is reported that traffic congestion on Sirimavo Bandaranaike Mawatha formerly Peradeniya Road and Gopallawa Mawatha had disappeared after the recent traffic [...]
A party for two or 2,500
We know it as the ideal venue for international conferences, conventions, graduation ceremonies, grand concerts and other similarly large-scale events. The Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall, widely known as the BMICH has earned its reputation as a star class venue over the years and not many realise that it has everything a five star hotel [...]
Savouring a gourmet trail in Penang
The Chief Executive Officer of several IT companies travels more than 350km at least once in two weeks on business to Penang, the sun-kissed beautiful island set amidst turquoise seas off Peninsular Malaysia. However tired or stressed he may be, come supper-time which could be any time between dinner and the crack of dawn, he [...]
Broome – Australia’s pearl on the Indian Ocean
Most Sri Lankan visitors to Australia end up seeing Melbourne and/or Sydney – with perhaps a side trip to visit the amazing Great Barrier Reef or the magnificent Uluru-Katajuta National park in the country’s red centre. But if you have the time, a diversion to the north-western Indian Ocean coastal town of Broome is well [...]
Remembering a day of “mischief” at Galle Face Hotel with Cannonball run
French Ambassador to Sri Lanka Jean-Marin Schuh and German Ambassador Juergen Morhard will take part in the Cannonball run celebrated by Colombo’s 150-year-old Galle Face Hotel, on March 18. The Cannonball run is an annual tradition celebrated on the Galle Face Green, to commemorate the extraordinary incident of a cannonball misfired by a member [...]
Felicia to spice up Hilton’s Curry Leaf
Curry Queen Felicia Sorensen also known as “Darling” is spicing up the Hilton Colombo’s authentic Sri Lankan restaurant; the Curry Leaf with her Sri Lankan cooking from March 11 to 20 during dinner. From luscious crab, to designer hoppers with cheese and chilli, beetroot flavour with seeni sambol and egg, mutton roti and double egg [...]
“Is being a daughter such a crime?”
“Is being a daughter such a crime?” the actress called out to the audience…. I was at a theatre in Colombo, watching an award winning all-women production on International Women’s Day. It was a brilliant and poignant performance that incorporated many of the issues we face, particularly as women of the South Asian region. I [...]
Transforming lives and livelihoods
The Jaffna coastline is full of interesting contradictions. At first sight it is hard not to be transfixed by the clear blue sea and white sand lined with colourful fishing fleets and fishermen pulling in their nets. A closer look though reveals a coastline visibly scarred with the damage and aftermath of both the [...]
Feast your eyes on three distinct styles
This week’s joint exhibition of artists Tissa de Alwis, Shehan Madawela and Pinki Madawela will showcase three very individual and distictive talents. These three artists have different styles and mediums and venue sponsor Sapumal Foundation promises an exhibition which will be ‘unusual, varied and exciting’. Tissa de Alwis grew up in Galle. His work was [...]
Chained and netted, an exhibition to reflect on
A young woman bound with a heavy chain is a shocking spectacle. But it was an image designed to shock and get the viewer thinking as was the sight of another young woman entangled in a net. Suanji Bandaranayake- the artist in chains put it simply: Women’s freedom is restricted by traditional ideologies in the [...]
Shehan to give writing tips
Shehan Karunatilaka, internationally acclaimed author of ‘Chinaman’ will give aspiring writers intriguing tips on how to set about writing their next story at a workshop organised by the English Writers Cooperative (EWC) of Sri Lanka on Saturday March 26, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. This will be a follow-up to his extremely popular session [...]
Funny Money now in Sinhala
“Saadaya Maarai Salli Hamari”, a Sinhala adaptation of British playwright Ray Cooney’s ‘Funny Money’, goes on the boards under the directorial vision of Dharmapriya Dias on March 18 at Sandalanka hall – Sandalankawa. The cast includes Gihan Fernando , Jayani Senanayake , Giriraj Kaushalya, Anuradha Perera, Dayadewa Edirisinghe,Dharmapriya Dias, Premjayantha Kapuge , Aloka Sampath and [...]
Indian director Ramanjit brings everyday stories of women to local theatre- goers
Since 2002, Ramanjit Kaur has been using devised theatre to reach out to people as a form of healing. What emerged as stories scribbled down during theatre therapy sessions developed over time into a full length play. Titled Baawre Mann Ke Sapne, the collection of real life stories found their way from the Indian [...]
Hafele unveils its state-of-the-art ware
A leader in German Hardware Technologies, Häfele who launched their largest Design Centre in Colombo 4 invited guests to experience first hand a state of the art ‘Live Kitchen’ at the Hafele Flagship Design Centre last week. First Secretary of the German Embassy G. Truemper was the Chief Guest at the event, while the [...]
Lankan hoppers selling like hotcakes in London
There’s a ‘W’ tattooed on Emily Dobbs’ wrist – a reminder of the culinary adventure she has undertaken, a perpetual post-it note of her dream inked on her skin. The founder of ‘Weligama’(Emily’s hopper pop-up in London, not the Sri Lankan town its toponym is derived from), is still a bit bemused by the success [...]
From La Vie En Rose, to Olu Pipila, Karoshee sang for the children
On February 23, Karoshee Vijayasekere serenaded a packed hall at the Waters Edge, marking her sixth solo concert. ‘Karoshee Live in Colombo’ raised funds for Karoshee Trust Children, an organisation she started aged 14 to help children affected by the tsunami. Karoshee has been musical since she was young, with performances alongside names like the [...]
Colourful outsiders that took root in our land
You can’t miss it when the ‘pink tree’ makes its brief but spectacular appearance in the capital and after a few glorious days, carpets the pavements with a thick mantle of delicate petals. Like many of the flowering trees we take for granted, the Tabebuia rosea, to give it its scientific name, is not a [...]
Enter Norway the third party: A book that is topical even in post-war years
Dr.Chanaka Talpahewa’s book on the Norway-facilitated peace talks in Sri Lanka (2002-2006) is a welcome addition to the limited array of scholarly publications on the subject, or for that matter on Sri Lanka’s conflict itself. It is based on his doctoral thesis accepted by the University of Cambridge,with an addedPostscript that looks at the post-war [...]
British Council Colombo wins global award
The British Council Sri Lanka last week announced it was very proud to receive a Child Protection Best Practice Award from the global British Council network in November 2015. In a press release, the British Council Colombo said: “Sri Lanka is a challenging context in which to work on implementing child protection policies, systems and [...]
WNPS lecture: ‘The leopard in Sri Lanka’
The Wildlife and Nature Protection Society’s Monthly Lecture in March, ‘The leopard in Sri Lanka’ will be held at 6 p.m. on March 17 at the Meteorological Department Auditorium, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7. The leopard is Sri Lanka’s apex predator, an endangered, endemic sub-species that plays an integral role in the effective functioning of the [...]
Lecture on Sri Lanka’s Natural Forest Services: Their sustainability past and present
The Sri Lanka Federation of University Women celebrates its Diamond Jubilee this year. As a precursor to the event the SLFUW has organised a public lecture on “Sri Lanka’s natural forest services and their sustainability past and present”. The lecture will be delivered by Savitri Gunetilleke, Emeritus Professor of Botany, University of Peradeniya on March [...]
Great bargains at WIC bazaar
As the Sinhala and Tamil New Year comes around again, gifts are very much on our minds. The Women’s International Club bazaar which will have all kinds of everything to suit all purses and tastes will be held on Saturday, March 19 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mrs Wijes Nagendran will be the Chief [...]
Neonatal transport comes of age with new pilot project
The Master Trainers’ Workshop on Neonatal Transport was inaugurated on February 22 at the Galadari Hotel in Colombo. This is part of the ‘coming of age’ of the Neonatal Transport Service which was initiated as a ‘pilot project’ under the aegis of the Lady Ridgeway Hospital (LRH) for Children and has now become a national [...]
New book will widen pool of astrological knowledge
Astrology is practised widely in Sri Lanka – with many people looking to astrology for auspicious times, names for their children, and most importantly to check the compatibility of two people before marriage. However, there is much more to astrology than the ‘porondan’ (synastry) or the auspicious times. ‘Astrology and Sex’ by Vivian E. Robson based [...]
Wedding planning checklist
Though nuptials have become a profitable business for those in the wedding market, ten years into her wedding planning career, Priyanka Emerson doesn’t see her services as purely entrepreneurial. Even when a busy bride calls to relinquish complete control over preparations to Priyanka, her advice has remained constant. “It’s nice to get involved” in the [...]