A historian looks back
Kingsley Muthumuni De Silva’s fascination with history began at the tender age of ten, when, on a visit to Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, he first came face to face with the country’s great classical civilization. The colossal architectural and engineering feats of the island nation’s forefathers left a lasting impression in his young mind. Years later [...]
White-eyes create quite a flutter
A surprisingly exciting ‘revelation’ surrounds a common bird, most often heard rather than seen, rocketing Sri Lanka to a ‘unique’ branch with regard to genes and evolution. Small and delicate is the bird with a distinctive white ring around its eye, aptly named White-eyes of the genus Zosterops who gave Zoologist Nelum Wickramasinghe and her [...]
Bringing music to their lives
It takes a considerable amount of time to figure out what your child wants to pursue,” says Australian violinist Ursula Nelius. She recalls her childhood where she was shown a world of endless possibilities from the arts to sports but one thing stuck – music. While most of us are on the continuum between the [...]
Fairway National Literary Awards shortlist out soon
The shortlist for the Fairway National Literary Awards 2017 will be announced on August 31 at the JAIC Hilton. Launched in 2015 to encourage, recognise and reward creative writing in Sri Lanka by offering emerging authors the opportunity to reach a wider reading audience, the FNLA offers a rich purse. The winner in each of [...]
Drawn by the lure of lichens
How does a sneaker abandoned in the wilderness get a priority view on a scientific presentation amidst a distinguished gathering? Still thrilled whenever she discovers new lichens, she talks with passion how ‘lichen-survivors’ are older than the dinosaurs, evolving over 200 to 300 million years. This is where the shoe comes into play to show [...]
Getting a feel of the ‘City that never sleeps’
The origins of New York can be traced to the arrival of Algonquian-speaking natives in 10,000 BC, when Manhattan was a forested land. It was first discovered by the French in 1524 followed by the Dutch in 1609. As part of the New Netherland it gained importance in the fur and agriculture trade. The Dutch [...]
Let the show begin
In 2006, a motley crew of young Thomians were given their big chance to make some magic- quite literally, when they transformed part of the S. Thomas’ College Hall into the bamboo-engulfed world of Narnia for their school production of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”. “We always wanted to do something with design,” [...]
Art teacher and much more at Ceylon Academy
Within a month after arriving in Galle in September 1846, while awaiting his teaching assignment at the Colombo Academy, Andrew Nicholl set to work on a series of botanical illustrations focusing on the common flowers and fruits along the coastal district, The first sketch of a group of coconut palms was dated as early as [...]
Rare sight:‘Kalu Muwa’ spotted in Wilpattu
It was a single brief sighting of about 10 minutes at the Wilpattu National Park. But it was adequate for conservationist and photographer Kithsiri Gunawardena to be overjoyed. For, what he saw was the ‘Black Spotted Deer’ or the ‘Kalu Muwa’ – a very rare melanistic Spotted Deer which he was able to photograph. Here [...]
On the big stage
People argue that the BMICH isn’t meant for performances,” says Rohan De Lanerolle. But come September 6, the De Lanerolle Brothers hope to shatter that cliché once again with “Keeping it Real”. The third instalment of a series of shows at Colombo’s famous conference hall, the duo’s last two performances of “Keeping it Real” saw [...]
For all you film fans
Transport yourself into worlds beyond – from The Lord of the Rings to the Chronicles of Narnia or embark on a Mission Impossible, traipse the streets of Chicago, immerse yourself in tales from Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King and watch The Gladiator from the grandstand! The Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka will [...]
Letters to the Editor
Sri Lanka’s self-destructing tourism industry: Some points to ponder I read with considerable scepticism the Tourism Ministry’s new ‘strategic plan’ to focus on increasing tourist spending rather than tourist numbers.Already Sri Lanka’s hotel and restaurant industry provides Third World services at First World prices. By imposing minimum hotel rates the Government effectively kills the competition [...]
Appreciatios
Ardent advocate of Tamil- Muslim unity is no more A.R.M.Munsoor Gentleman politician Abdur Razak Mohamed Munsoor, ardent advocate of Tamil-Muslim unity and known for his honest politics and commitment to the country, left us on Tuesday,July 25, this year. He was buried in his hometown in Kalmunai the following day. Summing up about Munsoor his [...]
Evening of fun among legal fraternty
‘Rendezvous 2017’- the Colombo Law Society’s annual dinner dance this year marking the Society’s 42nd anniversary saw members of the legal fraternity enjoy an evening of fun and fellowship at the Cinnamon Lakeside
The dazzle of Vogue
From the invitation on gold paper, it was a glamorous event when Vogue Jewellers launched their Tusker golden truffle chains at the Vogue Flagship Store in Colombo 3.
Driving in style
Prestige Automobile Pvt. Ltd., the sole authorised importer and distributor of BMW, MINI and Hyundai vehicles in Sri Lanka unveiled their all new BMW 5 series plug-in hybrid at an event held at Park Street Mews earlier this month. The new5 Series plug-in hybrid is equipped with a series of ground-breaking features such as gesture [...]
Buddhism’s appeal to the Western mind
The Buddhist Cultural Centre has just released a new book titled, Western Contribution to Buddhism by William Peiris. The publication of this fine volume will be a welcome addition to the literature in English on the important subject of Buddhism and the Buddha. A foreword by the late Ven. H. Saddhatissa Maha Thera, a distinguished [...]
Lankan Universities shine at Inter-Medical School Physiology Quiz in Malaysia
While the Faculty of Medicine, Colombo, rose to victory becoming the World Champions and winning the prestigious Prof. A. Raman Challenge Trophy at the 15th Inter-Medical School Physiology Quiz (IMSPQ) 2017 held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on August 16 and 17, two more teams from Sri Lanka clinched the 3rd and 5th places. The 3rd [...]
22nd Annual Scientific Sessions of the College of Community Physicians
The College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka (CCPSL) will hold its 22nd Annual Scientific Session from August 30 to September 2. While the theme of the sessions is ‘Strengthening the health system for improving quality of care and patient safety’, the inauguration will be on August 30 at the auditorium of the Sri Lanka [...]
National Trust lecture: Taking care of the Kala Oya basin
“Navigating conservation priorities of Kala Oya basin: a wish list” is the title of this month’s National Trust lecture by Dr. Sevvandi Jayakody. The lecture will be held at the HNB Auditorium, 22nd Floor, HNB Towers, 479 T.B. Jayah Mawatha, Colombo 10 at 6.30 p.m. on Thursday, August 31. The Kala Oya basin has three [...]
RASSL lecture: “Law of Manu” and its impact on modern jurisprudence
Punsara Amarasinghe, Visiting Lecturer, Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo will present the monthly lecture of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka (RASSL) speaking on the “Discovery of Law of Manu and its impacts on western jurisprudence” on Monday, August 28 at 5 p.m. at the Gamini Dissanayake Auditorium, No. 96, Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha, [...]
Taylor brothers mystery solved
Angela McCarthy, the author of “Tea and Empire: James Taylor in Victorian Ceylon” which was reviewed by Royston Ellis in the Sunday Times Plus of August 20, has written to clarify the mysterious existence of Taylor’s two brothers. Her phrase “two other Taylor brothers in Ceylon” refers to two other Taylors planting in Ceylon who [...]