Riding towards their goal
On paper, cycling 1400 km around the entire coastal belt of Sri Lanka, over 10 days, seems a monstrous task but not impossible. It is only when you take into account the consistent 4.30 a.m. wake ups, blistering temperatures reaching highs of 40 degrees, combined with the toughest of terrains, throw in some sand, water-crossings, [...]
The wizard who waved his camera to create magic
Paying tribute to a great artiste is an easy task. But it’s not so easy when he happens to be a dear friend. That is my dilemma in writing about D.B. Nihalsingha– best known for his skills in cinematography, but a man of many parts. I first met him in 1965 (I can’t remember which [...]
More than about the arts
Halfway through our interview Graham Sheffield, British Council’s Director of Arts, remembers a speech he has to write. He needs to work on a lecture he will deliver in Brazil on the role of symphony orchestras in international diplomacy.This is Sheffield’s area of expertise – how such cultural programmes can be about much more than [...]
All the world is awhirl, in dervish meditation
“Everything is whirling.” The first time that Ahmad Dede Pattisahusiwa heard his master the Grandsheikh Sultan Muhammad Nazim al Haqqani an-Naqshbandi say these words, he did not understand them. It would take him years to see the truth hidden in that deceptively simple teaching. “Our soul is whirling in a completely different dimension, but even [...]
Building a family of social entrepreneurs
Social Enterprise Lanka’s vision sounds simple enough on paper – to have a vibrant social entrepreneurship sector in Sri Lanka by 2025 – but like with anything worthwhile, it comes equipped with its fair share of challenges. Social Enterprise Lanka isn’t daunted by this and the company’s enthusiasm to fostering a culture conducive for local [...]
‘Caught’ and then a hug for 7-foot croc!
He lifts it up like a baby, lovingly and tenderly, not carrying it by its ‘arms’ but holding it around the middle of its body. This is the nearly seven-foot, very aggressive Salty, a few minutes earlier that was thrashing about in the water, giving out guttural sounds, twisting and turning over and over again, [...]
Take a walk in the park and catch the Bard in action
As the world commemorates the 400th death anniversary of William Shakespeare, one of the leading theatre groups in the country, The Workshop Players, will present ‘Shakespeare in the Park’, a popular concept that makes Shakespeare’s performances accessible to theatre lovers from all walks of life. Founded in the USA as a New York Shakespeare Festival, [...]
Relishing the inimitable Shakespeare 400 years on
It is a rare coincidence that William Shakespeare died on the very day of the calendar, namely April 24, exactly 52 years after his birth on April 24, 1564 at Stratford-on-Avon. Originally introduced to Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) by the English educational authorities as examination texts for the examinations conducted by Cambridge and London Universities [...]
Is art criticism still relevant today?
It was another sweltering evening in Colombo. We were standing in a room packed with the city’s most prominent artists, journalists, lawyers, academics and politicians – including the ex-President of Sri Lanka, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. Normally this would make for an odd mix of professions at any gathering, but that day in the JDA Perera [...]
Reel life of immigrants, refugees in the spotlight
The Berlinale’s unique point is having many festivals within one festival. “The Berlinale is a film festival of many, many film festivals. It celebrates youth in the generations’ section, the future of cinema, of the Berlinale shorts and Berlinale talent campus. The first time awards given at the Berlinale open up the platform for debut [...]
A clever ambiguous movie that takes on Colombo society
Rehan Mudannayake is a gifted filmmaker. His short film “Elephant” (script by Ashok Ferrey, Sheela Lal, and Rehan Mudannayake) has nothing to do with elephants. Like the film, the title is enigmatic, and could be interpreted in terms of the saying: “There’s an elephant in the room and no one wants to talk about it.” [...]
The drapes of Anavila at Rithihi
A handpicked collection of Anavila sarees defining the quintessence of ‘pure’ in Sanskrit with the organic purity of textured linens will be at Colombo’s exclusive saree store Rithihi on April 29 and 30. Anavila Misra, founder and designer of Anavila Mumbai has showcased a number of collections in India including the collection titled The Secret [...]
Pickles and seenisambol straight from her garden
Walk into Nira La Brooy’s house in Pelawatte and the first thing you will notice is the artistic design. From flower arrangements and paintings to a table made out of an old window, the entire house is bright, colourful and unusual. If you happen to chat with Nira, you will notice the same thing about [...]
Reception by the Swiss Ambassador
The Swiss Ambassador hosted a reception last month at the Swiss Residence in Colombo to highlight Switzerland’s many humanitarian projects in Sri Lanka, both past and present.
Reception by the new Brazilian ambassador
The new Brazilian ambassador in Sri Lanka Elizabeth –Sophie Mazzella Di Bosco Balsa (right) hosted a reception at the Hilton Residences on the occasion of her presenting her credentials to President Maithripala Sirisena.
Giving back their hearing: Mission close to Brett Lee’s heart
When Professor Graeme Clark first introduced the concept of a cochlear implant he was referred to as “that clown Clark.” But in 1982, when the world’s first multi-channel cochlear implant was performed on Graham Carrick in Melbourne, Professor Clark disproved his critics. Carrick had been deaf for 17 years; then the implant in his ear [...]
Springing off with the off-spring
Unearthing travel cases; Sorting through seasonal clothing; packing the appropriate items; going through a travel checklist; not forgetting the few items hastily scrawled on the very bottom of the to do list at the very last minute; passport – check; ticket – check…put it all together and you have that moment of ‘soul-replenishing-mentally-relaxing-me-time’ to look [...]
New Scottish blend; no not whisky but tea
“This will make your body active and lusty!” It was the first time I had filled my mouth with antlers. Tentatively, but with more curiosity than trepidation, I pushed my lips forward. “It was grown by a Church of Scotland minister on Mull. ” It sounded a terrible deformity. Our tea tasting session was [...]
Await a treat on International Jazz Day
Leading musicians of Sri Lanka led by distinguished jazz pianist Harsha Makalande, will come together as the South Asian Jazz (SAJ) ensemble in collaboration with Jazz Unlimited, to celebrate the power and beauty of limitless music on International Jazz Day on April 30 at the Lionel Wendt Theatre at 7 p.m. Pradeep Ratnayake, Ravibandu Vidyapati, [...]
P.R. Anthonis Memorial Lecture
Dr. Nihal Jayawickrama will deliver the Deshamanya P.R. Anthonis Memorial Lecture on May 11 at 5.30 p.m. at the Sasakawa Memorial Cultural Centre Auditorium. The event which is organised by the Lanka Japan Friendship Society will be on the subject “Healing the Nation – A Question of Leadership”. Dr. P.R. Anthonis who was born on [...]
‘ Trade routes and services for the traveller’
Architect Ashley de Vos will deliver the 83rd in the monthly lectures presented by the National Trust of Sri Lanka when he talks ‘on Trade routes and services for the traveller’ on Thursday, April 28 at 6.30 p.m at HNB auditorium, 479 T.B. Jayah Mawatha, Colombo 10.
5th century Mathematics in Buddhist commentaries
The RASSL monthly lecture on ‘Mathematics in the 5th century as recorded in Buddhist Commentaries’ will be delivered by Chandana Jayawardane on Monday, April 25 at 5 p.m. at the Gamini Dissanayake Auditorium of the Mahaweli Centre, Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colombo 07. This lecture is one outcome of a three- year RASSL programme which has [...]
Celebrating World Dance Day
Dance lovers are in for a treat on April 29 when the very first World Dance Day celebration takes place in Colombo. 12 styles of dance will unite on a common platform to entertain the audience. The current Asian Salsa and Bachata champions are being flown down courtesy of Sri Lanka Sports Development Authority, especially [...]
Chamber Music Society performs String Quintet today
The Chamber Music Society of Colombo, in association with the Goethe Institute and sponsored by Fairway Holdings, presents three works for String Quintet by Mozart, Michael Haydn and Bruckner. The concert goes on the boards at the Goethe-Institute Hall at 39 Gregory’s Road, today, Sunday, April 24 at 7 p.m. The featured principal string players [...]
Samanalaya 2016: Best regional dramas in Colombo
‘Samanalaya -2016’ – the annual drama festival presented by the Sunera Foundation to highlight the talents of young disabled participants of its performing arts workshops will go on the boards on May 18 at the Lionel Wendt, from 7 p.m. Leading up to the final performance in Colombo were nine regional drama festivals held during [...]
Concert marks Saptha Rangi School of Dance 25th anniversary
The Saptha Rangi School of Dance marked its 25th anniversary with a concert ‘Lasya’ at the Lionel Wendt on April 8. Nearly 90 students took part, trained by directress of the school Visharad Radeesha Samangi Bodiyabadu, who is also dance teacher of the senior section of Musaeus College, Colombo. The concert had Kandyan, low country [...]
Folk and Bharatha Natyam performance
The Indian Cultural Centre and the High Commission of India present ‘Folk and Bharatha Natyam Dance Performances’ to mark World Dance Day on April 29 at 6 p.m. The students of Natya Kala Mandhir will perform under the guidance of their guru Kalasuri Vasugy Jegatheeswaran. Kalasuri Vasugy Jegatheeswaran who received her initial training in Bharatha [...]
Annual get-together of RC Group of 82
The Royal College Group of 82 is organising their annual get-together on Saturday, April 30 from 8 p.m. onwards at the Women’s International Hall Colombo 7.
Please help this cancer sufferer
Mother of two, W.N.S. Priyadarshini, 43, living in Galle is suffering from oesophageal cancer and has to be fed liquid food through a tube to keep her alive. She is under treatment at the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital, as the cancer is controllable though it is incurable. Her husband, H.W. Ranjith, who drives a three-wheeler, is [...]
International flavour at Bradby Fiesta
The Royal College Union is set to host the Bradby Fiesta for the third consecutive year on April 30 at the Bloomfield grounds. The rugby game between Royal and Trinity college will be telecast live on LED screens at the grounds so that a wider audience is able to watch the game and the Bradby [...]
Letters
Traffic terror in Nuwara Eliya: Police in the cold On April 16, a group of us visited Nuwara Eliya to show Hakgala Gardens to our children and some others who had never seen the beauty of “Little England”. We were aware that it was the “season” and we knew it would be crowded as some [...]
SLSIM: Internal Medicine Specialists form society
Internal Medicine Specialists in Sri Lanka, commonly known as General Physicians, play a key role in delivering health care to the people. These Specialists are highly-trained and provide a range of non-surgical health-care to adults who are suffering from difficult, serious or unusual medical problems. In most institutions, medical emergencies are initially managed by Internal [...]
Appreciations
Nanda Mendis A wonderful sister– a gift to the heart “A Sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life.” This quote wonderfully describes what my eldest sister Nanda meant to me. Born on February 20, 1930, she was a dutiful and respectful daughter [...]