All aboard: Art and environment
In the heart of Maradana lies an old building with a dilapidated railway platform, disused train carriages and overgrown tracks adjoining it. Relics of a bygone era, the building is the forgotten former Railway terminus, which acted as the central railway station of Colombo until the Fort station and the south line were built. But [...]
Letters to the Editor
Cases that go on for years: Why can’t more judges, lawyers be appointed The Judiciary has become the talk of the town- from law’s delays to the conduct of lawyers/Judges, Attorney General’s Department etc. Unfortunately nothing appears to have been mentioned about the verdict delays. This letter is to bring to light the delay experienced [...]
Appreciations
I will miss those corridor conversations with this humble journalist Ranjith Bandara Attanayaka Ranjith Bandara Attanayaka, 69, couldn’t hurt a fly, literally. He was among a breed of journalists, who I think, took to the media profession after dabbling in other pursuits. I came to know Ranjith when he worked at the Lankadeepa and did [...]
Clean water flows from well of goodwill
The farmer’s face was incandescent with happiness as he gazed up at the two-storey structure built on land he had given away so that other lives in his village might be saved, if not his own. For Lathpana Thilakaratne, 60, had not long to live. The scourge that has the world scrambling to find its [...]
A time for laughter and even a little dance
Battaramulla’s Diyatha Uyana – a hive of activity on a Saturday morning. Men, women and children, strolling leisurely around, stopping-by stalls selling ornamental plants and fish, fruits and vegetables and much more. For newly-weds it is an ideal photo-scene, what with the Diyawanna Oya flowing quietly by. On Saturday, August 26, though, all these people [...]
Volunteer intervention in suicide-prone communities brings positive results
I will attempt to share with you my work experiences at the grass roots level, in suicide-prone remote rural communities. These communities live under stressful conditions where most of the recognized suicide risk factors are a constant presence. These factors include poverty, extreme poverty at times. Poverty, I know, is relative but the poverty I [...]
We can all help save lives
Today, hundreds of survivors, friends, family and allies will walk from Diyatha Uyana at 3.30 p.m. to the Viharamahadevi Park Amphitheatre in memory of loved ones and those that struggle every day. The walk is also in support of the survivors of suicide, says co-organizer Nivendra Uduman. “Survivor guilt is a phenomenon that is often [...]
Another Segar steps out with her canvas
The stubby fingers of a two-year-old dipped into the captivating colour palates, smearing streaks of colour onto her father’s canvas. Without reprimanding his young daughter, D. Raja Segar too started painting alongside her on the same canvas. Twenty three years later the abstract painting hangs in the living room of the toddler finger painter turned [...]
20 girls all set for grand finale of the Miss World Sri Lanka pageant
Get ready to mark your calendar as Model Shop in association with Siyatha TV and Kiss FM presents the grand finale of the Miss World Sri Lanka pageant on Monday, September 18. This year marks the fifth edition of the pageant and with over 500 applications received, the organisers at Model Shop had the mammoth [...]
SOSL to take you on an adventurous musical journey
Everyone loves an epic… dark lords, evil witches, unlikely heroes, journeys fraught with danger, incredible battles … the stories that hold us spellbound and breathless, which never grow old, no matter how many times we read or watch them. Feel a sense of nostalgia for those tales of courage and the triumph of good over [...]
Blossoming as an artist with hi-tech as her guru
It took Sanjeewani Wijewardhane her undergraduate years and Facebook to discover and be recognized for her artistic talent. The self-taught artist created a ripple in the international art scene back in 2015. Selected to showcase her work at a gallery in Singapore together with internationally acclaimed artists, Sanjeewani whose only teachers were YouTube and her [...]
Unique jazzy sounds by Russian saxophonist at Sooriya Village
Enjoy an evening of smooth jazz under the fairy lights as London- based Russian jazz musician Zhenya Strigalev, considered a maverick in jazz for his unique style and ingenuity and willingness to bend the rules, plays at the Sooriya Village on September 16 from 7.30 p.m. onwards. Zhenya will play from his own creation -an [...]
New look Stigmata enters with a bang
Lanka Comic Con, in its third consecutive year saw a lot of surprises. With much controversy surrounding domestic memes springing up ridiculing local Cosplayers, the overwhelming response from fans and Comic Con patrons alike , even drew DC’s ‘Wonder Woman’ director Patty Jenkins and the film’s star Gal Gadot’s support, praising the local Cosplayers for [...]
75th b’day bash
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his wife Prof. Maithree Wickramasinghe dropped in to wish birthday girl Sheranee Sellamuttu as she celebrated her 75th with friends and family at the Jubilee Room of the Galle Face Hotel on Monday, September 3.
Book launch amidst friends, art lovers
It was a colourful gathering of art lovers as well known artist Marie Alles Fernando launched her book ’50 Years- A Retrospective’ at the Colombo Hilton last month.
GAIA care now in Lanka
The Blue Elephant at the Hilton Colombo was the venue last week for a well attended launch in Sri Lanka of GAIA Skin Naturals (Australia), an organic skin care and baby care range.
Evoking empathy through his writings
On August 26, well known director, dramatist, playwright and author Namel Weeramuni, launched “Nambukara Ganikawa” (The Respectful Prostitute) and a collection of riveting short stories titled “Atharamaga” at his Punchi Theatre in Borella. “Nambukara Ganikawa” a Sinhala translation of the 1946 French play by Jean-Paul Sartre “The Respectful Prostitute” was undertaken by Namel in his [...]
Malays as part of Sri Lanka’s multicultural mosaic and a wider diaspora
Persaudaraan, the Revised and Upgraded Edition, is an anthropological tome written by Tuan. M. Zameer Careem, a Sri Lankan Malay medical student who has in this enlarged edition provided an insight into the unique way of life of Malays, an ethnic minority living in Sri Lanka. Tuan M. Zameer Careem already has a number of [...]
Two books on language teaching by Madhubhashini
Two books related to English language teaching by Gratiaen Award winning writer Madhubhashini Disanayaka Ratnayake, Grammar through Literature and a memoir A Thousand Voiced Choir published by Godage International Publishers will be launched on September 23, at the National Museum Auditorium from 2 to 5 p.m., with the Vice Chancellor of the University of Sri [...]
A handy book for international trade and Customs officials
The Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, popularly known as Harmonized System or simply HS, is a multipurpose product nomenclature developed by the World Customs Organization and is used by more than 200 countries and economies as a basis for Customs tariffs and for the compilation of trade statistics. The HS serves as a universal [...]
Nothing deterred this lady who entered Law College as a mother of six
You wonder sometimes why only some are always ahead of others in honesty, forthrightness and a strong sense of right and wrong. I have pondered upon this question about my aunt, my father’s cousin, Sivagamasundary Aruchuna, daughter of Vallinayaki and Sathasivam of Thambachetty, Puloly West, Point Pedro and married to my uncle, the late Chelvathamby [...]
Pera Uni Colombo Alumni presents Kelani Palama
The Alumni Association of the University of Peradeniya, Colombo Chapter will stage R.R.Samarakoon’s ‘Kelani Palama’ on Saturday, September 16 at 6.30 p.m. at the New Town Hall, Greenpath, Colombo. Ramya Wanigasekara, Palitha Silva,Madini Malwatta,Geetha Kanthi Jayakody and Prasannajith Abeysooriya will play the lead roles in this production.
Wheelchairs donated to Apeksha Hospital
A consignment of 15 wheelchairs, port needles, ICC and DVR stockings were handed over to the Director of Apeksha Hospital, Maharagama Dr.M.Y.K. Wilfred recently. This donation was made by Sri Lanka Care and Compassion organization in Sydney Australia led by chief organizer Timothy Ching, Sunil & Mignonne Ranasinghe as well as the representatives of the [...]
Sept. 17: Big night for 2017 Zonta winners
Zonta Club 1 of Colombo has announced the winners of the Zonta Woman of Achievement Awards 2017 with SAGT. Since 1985, the Woman of Achievement Awards has actively recognised and rewarded women who have achieved outstanding success in their respective fields and contributed significantly towards national development.This year, the awards ceremony will be held on [...]
Thai Food Festival at Cinnamon Lakeside
Cinnamon Lakeside’s premier Thai restaurant Royal Thai and the Terrace come alive with aromatic flavours of Thailand in an ‘all you can eat’ culinary treat as the Thai Food Festival returns for the 3rd consecutive year from September 14-24 from 7 – 11 p.m! MasterChef Ms. Bongkot Sabpong and the talented team at Royal Thai [...]