The voyage of HMS Trincomalee through the ages
Moored at Hartlepool, England, is a unique example of maritime history, a frigate built exactly 200 years ago, restored and now part of the Royal Navy’s National Museum. She is the oldest British warship afloat, a sleek fighting machine, a ‘heavy interceptor’ with excellent weaponry. And her name just happens to be HMS Trincomalee. Two [...]
The people of Meetotamulla finally have something to smile about
The mountain of garbage in Meetotamulla, Kolonnawa stretches 16 acres. This landfill has caused huge issues for the people in the area, struggling to live amidst the air, land and water pollution caused by the toxicity of these 16 acres. The canal next to the ‘kunukanda’ gets blocked with waste, while crows and other scavengers [...]
‘They are our children too’
Namal Udayanga is no more. From a remote village in Hambantota, this 20-year-old died in April. But his memory and the anguished efforts of his parents living in abject poverty who toiled against all odds not only to keep him alive but also to educate him has been the tiny spark that has fuelled the [...]
The gender pay gap – who’s really footing the bill?
It’s no big secret that in the corporate world…and even the world of arts, education, innovation, television, film, theatre, music – in almost everything – men out-earn women: for the same work, at the same level of competence and often for less time and effort, thus creating a gender pay gap. According to Naomi Grimley, [...]
Applause for young Shakespearean actors
Though he is an Associate for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Chris White had never actually judged a school Shakespeare competition before he came to Sri Lanka. He admits the thought itself made him a little uncomfortable, the idea of young people being forced in to boxes of winners and losers, the risk of the pleasure [...]
Sing and even dance along with Flame; and it’s all for charity
“We have a soft spot for charity,” says Naushad Rassool, explaining why ‘Flame’ has performed for many causes over the years. He adds that he is a firm believer of the fact that the good that you do comes back to you, and states that everyone should be charitable – regardless of whether they share [...]
Fascinated by the arena of politics and religion
When Lesley Hazleton decided to write a book about Prophet Mohammed, she knew she wanted to read the Quran herself. So, she took four well known translations and began reading them side-by-side with a transliteration of the original seventh-century Arabic version. Her previous research into Islamic history prepared her somewhat, but in a TED talk [...]
The Colombo Club inks its glorious past
It was in 1871, at a time when the environs of Galle Face were that much more expansive and played host to ubiquitous society events that had the British enjoy the then Ceylon’s balmy weather in their large numbers, that the statuesque edifice with its ‘nightcap’ architecture saw the birth of The Colombo Club. The [...]
80 years on and there’s always something interesting in its pages
The Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) originated as the “Ceylon Game Protection Society” in 1894. In the mid-1930s the Society chose to publish a journal which first saw light in November 1936. The journal was called LORIS after the Slender Loris, a somewhat mysterious dweller of our jungles. The front cover contained an almost [...]
A theme and production that struck hearts and minds
If there is one thing the Theatre Junction production company cannot be accused of, it is Colombo’s habit of making much of easy things. They are distinctly contemporary and they are not afraid of taking on a challenge. Sisters Anushka and Natasha Senanayake, the vision and driving force behind the company, are not yet able [...]
Soul Sounds sing for the children of prisoners
The award winning Soul Sounds Academy Choir will come together to sing music from the ‘80s to the present day for a worthy cause. The show aptly titled ‘Hello’, on Friday, October 14 at the Lionel Wendt is being held to assist children of prisoners to continue their education. The choir will take on complex [...]
Looking back and to the future
At a time where Sri Lanka has begun to rebuild and reconciliation efforts take shape in the north, the exhibition‘Since 1983’ looks back at the events that ignited the tension between races, between separatists and the Sri Lankan army and most of all the destruction of so many people’s lives, memories and futures. Gayan Prageeth’s [...]
The way it was: Remembering the songs of Sunil Shantha
Renowned musician Victor Ratnayake is distressed about the future of Sinhala music. He doesn’t mince his words when he wants to drive home a point. His is straight talk. Once I listened to him comment how he wonders whether local singers are trying to “rape music saying they sing rap music”. Listening to the Sunil [...]
Bedsa, simply serene
In the general area of Pune, some 145 km from Mumbai, are three very ancient Buddhist cave temples/monasteries dating from about 150 BCE or even perhaps a little earlier. The most interesting of these, at least to my mind, is Bedsa. Situated on the side of a high hill with a sweeping view over the [...]
From communities to mega cities
A city is a conglomeration of places. The assembly of them is often a result of spontaneous evolutions that take place with the location of things, environmental factors, activities and people’s participation in them. Great cities in the world have thus ‘come into being’ through processes of accumulation, abandonment, rejuvenation and reinforcement of spontaneously evolving [...]
Intercontinental beauties get a taste of Sri Lanka
Adding another feather to the cap of Sri Lanka’s tourism hospitality industry, on Sunday, October 16, Sri Lanka will host one of the three top rated beauty pageants in the world, the Dulux Ambiance Miss Intercontinental 2016. On Wednesday, some of the beauty queens from 70 different countries who arrived in Colombo earlier this week [...]
Magical evening in aid of SLACESA
The Sri Lanka Magic Circle presents “Maya Sandawa” in aid of the Sri Lanka Army Corps of the Engineer Services Association (SLACESA) on October 16 at at 3 p.m at the Youth Council, Maharagama. The Sri Lanka Magic Circle (SMC) was established in 1922 by Gate Mudliyar A.C.G.S. Amarasekera who was its first President. Gate [...]
Mahila Samithi’s Malkanthi Perera area president of ACWW
The 28th Triennnial Conference of the Country Women of the World was held in August at the University of Warwick. Around 650 delegates from ACWW member societies from 48 countries participated. The Lanka Mahila Samithi was represented by its President Mrs Thilaka Perera and Mrs. Malkanthi Perera. Mrs Malkanthi Perera was elected Area President of [...]
Hurry, send in those forms for All-Island Senior Citizens Scrabble Tournament
The annual All-Island Senior Citizens Scrabble Tournament will be held on Sunday, November 16 at the Colombo Hilton with players over the age of 50 invited to vie for the Deshabandu Clara Motwani Cup – the champions’ trophy. Registration will be from 8-8.30 a.m. and play will begin at 9 a.m. on November 16. Play [...]
Lankan to be ordained Deacon in Sydney
Aruna Perera, former tea trade executive and founder-leader of the Holy Trinity Community in the Catholic Renewal Movement of Sri Lanka will be ordained to the Holy Orders of Deacons in the Diocese of Sydney. The ordination to the permanent Diaconate will take place tomorrow at 7 p.m. at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney. The [...]
Revisiting role played by our Silver Age folks
To mark the International Day for Older People 2016, the Sri Lanka Association of Geriatric Medicine will hold a special programme today, October 9, at the Sri Lanka Foundation in Colombo from 8 a.m. The programme will have a series of workshops on Healthy Ageing, Nutrition, Exercises in old age, Memory Issues in old age, [...]
Appreciations
DR. DONALD JAYASINGHE Well known for his healing touch Whilst some doctors show an obvious desire to help a patient in pain or anxiety or both, others demonstrate a desire to end an examination somewhat abruptly. The former’s work is patently more humane and even ennobling whilst the latter’s seems more mundane. Dr. Donald Jayasinghe, [...]
Letters
Wigneswaran has let down the community of Retired Judges Retired judges, particularly Judges of the Supreme Court belong to a body of retired state employees held in the highest esteem. Whenever the state is in need of persons of unblemished integrity to lead or serve in ad hoc Committees of inquiry or serve in commissions [...]