A new heart begins to beat
Overjoyed is H.A. Wijaya Kumarasiri from a village in Anuradhapura. His Sudu, with her new heart beating strongly within, had opened her eyes and given him a smile that morning, as he murmured endearments to her. We meet him the same day, Wednesday, at noon as he lingers outside the Kandy Teaching Hospital’s Cardiothoracic Intensive [...]
Capturing day-to-day scenes
The exhibition ‘Yet another exhibition of photography by Lal Hegoda’ which opened at the Harold Pieris Gallery in the Lionel Wendt Art Centre on June 22 was in some ways unconventional. There were only 22 exhibits rather big in size measuring about 18 inches by 20 inches. It was a mixture of both colour [...]
Pulimood Oration: Remembering a special legacy that still lives on
The annual Susan George Pulimood Memorial Oration of Visakha Vidyalaya, this year will be held on Sunday, July 23, at 5.15 p.m. in the Jeremias Dias Hall of the school. This year, the Oration will be delivered by Dr. Iyanthimala Abeyewickreme who will speak on “30 Years into the HIV Epidemic in Sri Lanka ; [...]
The magic or realism: It’s yours to pick
Who doesn’t know Cinderella – the fairytale about the girl ill-treated by her stepmother and stepsisters who yearns to go to the ball and is magically transformed by a fairy godmother. Here’s a different take – the 2013 adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella which was performed on Broadway brings in modern messages of self-empowerment [...]
Chaos at the Vicarage: Tickled to bits, both cast and audience
Colombo’s patrons of the arts, along with a new bunch of exuberant youngsters, were entertained to an evening of blissful hilarity on June 30 and July 1 and 2 at the Lionel Wendt, where a cast of fresh-faced and talented thespians from the Creative Art Foundation brought to life ‘Chaos at the Vicarage’. We lovers [...]
Letters to the Editor
Stop high rise buildings coming up in residential areas The Urban Development Authority (UDA) has demarcated certain areas as residential areas, others as commercial areas and some as mixed development areas. Unfortunately when you look at the unusual rate of high rise buildings coming up in residential areas and marshy lands in Colombo and the [...]
Appreciations
Farewell, kind spirit of the inky way Manny (E. C. T.) Candappa With the death of Manny (E. C. T.) Candappa, last week in Melbourne the media mourned one of its most eminent and proficient personages who wielded a pen as newspaperman, author, poet, playwright and broadcaster for more than six and a half decades. [...]
Young and not so young artists; all there at Nawa Kalakaruwo
Since 1998, the George Keyt Foundation has been encouraging promising artists with the Nawa Kalakaruwo (Emerging Young Artists) exhibition, which has become an opportunity for them to exhibit their paintings and build up a rapport with the public. The artists are drawn from all parts of the country and have emerged through several exhibitions and [...]
Revelations: A shared musical foundation then and now
The anticipation and excitement that members of the ‘Revelations choir’ feel as they prepare for their reunion concert, at the Bishop’s College auditorium on Sunday July 23 at 7 p.m. is no doubt shared by their many fans. We were greeted by eight smiling faces at the Cinnamon Lakeside lobby, and founding member and choir [...]
Sturdy and stark; a place for young minds to blossom
It was unfamiliar terrain for Architects Chinthaka Wickramage and Nileeka Senerath of Chinthaka Wickramage Associates who took turns to go to Jaffna every other weekend when their project to build a vocational training institute in the north was in progress. Travelling by train, it was an intense nine months. Now the simple yet distinctive grey [...]
Samanthi Vidyapathy: 35 years of dance
Renowned Sri Lankan dancer, drummer, choreographer and painter Ravibandu Vidyapathy is presenting an exhibition of photographs today, July 16, to mark 35 years in dance of his wife Samanthi Vidyapathy to celebrate her 55th birthday. The exhibition features a collection of 40 dance photographs of Samanthi from her young days as a dancer, her first [...]
Movie night at Hilton
Popular singers Umaria Sinhawansa , Noeline Honter, Geoffrey Fernando , Randhir Witana , Donald Pieris and the multi talented band Flame entertained guests when Mobitel presented ‘A Night at the Movies’. together with Sri Lanka Telecom at the Grand Ballroom, Hilton recently . The show was produced and conceptualized by Classic Funtime, who created the [...]
Maniumpathy: Old world Jaffna charm in heart of Colombo
Last month Kynsey Road Colombo warmly welcomed the new kid on the block, boutique hotel “Maniumpathy” – one of the latest ventures for Manor House Concepts. The organisers opened the property in style with some festive tea tasting and goodies, an ideal afternoon delight. Maniumpathy, a renovated heritage home, is the latest addition to the [...]
Tex-Mex fast food chain Taco Bell is here
Famous American fast food chain Taco Bell will be opening its doors in Colombo next week, with a focus on bringing a modern experience to consumers. Taco Bell is one of the world’s biggest Mexican inspired fast food chains which serves tex-mex favourites such as tacos and burritos. Tex-mex is a fusion of Mexican and [...]
Greek food with Lankan twist at digital dining gala
Laughter and fun abounded as curious visitors scanned the edible QR codes on their spanakopita and pastitsio, tucking into their Greek dishes as dusk descended over the city. For visitors at the Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct, the digital dining experience was a first in Colombo. The Knorr Greek Food Tasting served up free Greek tasting [...]
Traditional nail art from Spa Ceylon
Making a colourful fashion statement, Spa Ceylon has just introduced a range of Ceylonese Nail Art in designs influenced by traditional floral motifs from the grand palaces of ancient Ceylon. These colourful nail art designs are available in 8 signature Spa Ceylon themes, with matching hand and nail care products to complete each set.Tropical and [...]
An invigorating draught
Ceylon Tea is a must-read, must-absorb work of art. Its review of the history of tea in Sri Lanka is set in deep context – context historical, context political and context social. As such, it is a tour de force. Presented in simple yet arresting prose with a commendable economy of words, Ceylon Tea illuminates [...]
Don’t confine commemorative coin for 150th anniversary of Ceylon Tea to prestige only
On July 12, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, issued a stainless steel Rs 10 commemorative coin for the 150th anniversary of Ceylon Tea minted at Kremnica in Slovakia to the specification of the standard Rs 10 coin in circulation since 2013. The Lion with 17 spots is gazetted as the intellectual property of the [...]