Whale of a task
Remember visiting the Colombo National Museum as children and being awestruck by the gigantic skeleton of the blue whale? The ‘whale’ synonymous with the Colombo Museum has now shifted to the new Osteology Gallery of the Natural History Museum, which will be open to the public from tomorrow. This new addition to the Natural History [...]
Letters to the Editor
Follow India’s example in the fight against corruption During my recent visit to Buddha Gaya, I read an interesting news report by Sirinivasa Rao in the Hindustan Times of September 27. I have kept a cutting of it. The gist of the Hyderabad-datelined report is as follows: Senior Andhra Pradesh Municipality Official (Director of State [...]
APPRECIATIONS
An eminent lawyer and amiable personality S. D. Percy Valentine, PC October 8 this year marks the 20th anniversary of the death of the late S.D. Percy Valentine, President’s Counsel. Percy was a wonderful personality who moved in all echelons of professions but never lost the common touch. He was the undisputed live-wire and strength [...]
Keep those ‘grey cells’ ticking with a cuppa
Ahumble ‘kahata’ a day could very well keep dementia at bay. This was the powerful message by Consultant Psychiatrist Prof. Shehan Williams that reverberated at the Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation in Colombo 10 recently, as he confessed that after studying the goodness of tea he, a coffee lover, is now entranced by tea. As an overcast [...]
In an ‘unsung office’ a new dictionary is in the making
Ever wondered what goes on within the colonial building of the Sinhala Dictionary Office on Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha, opposite the Colombo National Museum? Once the auditorium of the adjacent Archaeology Department, this ‘arched and pillared’ structure reflecting a flavour of an era gone by, lends space to the painstaking task of compiling and revising [...]
So far, so good
Sleek and elegant, with nary a scratch on its smooth yellow surface, it was the cynosure of all eyes at a simple welcoming ceremony on Monday, far away from where it was ‘recovered’. The “oohs” and “aahs” of admiration and jostling around to pose for photographs standing by it or with hands on it, were [...]
A taste of tapas
The Colombo Supper Club in partnership with Jetwing Colombo Seven hosted Spanish chef Carlos Montobbio this week. The Colombo Supper Club is the brainchild of former lawyer Naserah Tyebally, a Singaporean living in Sri Lanka. Naserah hopes to bring chefs from across the globe to the island to serve their signature dishes here. Chef Carlos [...]
Fashion for an urgent cause
Fashion Fusion, a show organised by the Lion Ladies Association of Lions Clubs International District 306 B1, will be held at the JAIC Hilton on October 15 at 6 p.m. The show is a fundraiser to provide equipment urgently required by the Cancer Hospital, Maharagama and the National Hospital, Colombo. With compere Faizal setting the [...]
Exotic sounds of Zoya at Sooriya Village
India- born, California raised songstress, Zoya, will be flying down to Sri Lanka to be part of a series of music exchange programmes hosted by The Sooriya Village as a part of their Workshop and Performance series. Zoya has been praised by the likes of The Huffington Post, Wondering Sound, Rolling Stone India, ELLE, and [...]
Taking GLF beyond literature
When most people think of literature, they think of books, poems and plays. However, the new festival team behind the Fairway Galle Literary Festival feel that the term encompasses much more than these traditional components. Festival Curator Jill Macdonald explains that literature is more about ideas than the written word. “Let’s not forget that Bob [...]
Beware of shadowy predators
On September 15, LEADS together with writer/director Angelo Pereira and several volunteer actors presented ‘ESCAPE’. The drama, based on real life experiences of child sexual abuse was created with the aim to launch a sustainable, long term advocacy and networking campaign with the hope of reaching schools, religious leaders, policy makers and regulators, international advocacy [...]
She makes the insignificant, fragile matter
From the rusted heavy metal chain over the head of a kitten as it peers at us with round, watery cerulean blue eyes; the sparrows perched on the rafter and the lamb frolicking, the delicate character illustrations seem straight out of Beatrix Potter but juxtaposed with thought provoking material they leave the onlooker mesmerised. “If [...]
Let’s play those old records once more
Last year sales of vinyls in the UK overtook digital sales for the first time.The rawness and richness of music on records was almost forgotten but vinyls have now made a massive comeback. And what an encore it is, when you consider how its popularity sank from the 80s onwards with the advent of new [...]
Some strange incomplete novels
Novels unfinished due to the inopportune death of the author form an intriguing aspect of the history of literature. Some have been published in their incomplete state: Robert Louis Stevenson’s Weir of Hermiston (1896), F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Love of the Last Tycoon (1941), Truman Capote’s Answered Prayers (1975), Albert Camus’ Le Premier Homme (1994), [...]
A legacy worthy of a spy master
British spymaster turned author, John le Carré, who completes 86-years on October 19, 2017, produces his 25th opus, A Legacy of Spies, the ninth in his George Smiley series, which one last read in his The Secret Pilgrim in 1990. Last year he delivered his autobiography, The Pigeon Tunnel: Stories from my Life in 38-chapters, [...]
Homage to a hermitage that embodies the timeless wisdom of the Buddha
“A gift of Dhamma is rarely possible without collective effort,” aptly justifies the labour of the anthology of teachings by monks of the Mitirigala Nissarana Vanaya lineage. The commemorative publication which celebrates 45 years of service to the Buddha Sasana by the Mitirigala Forest Hermitage (in 2012) which marked half a century of yeoman service [...]
Celebrating Germany’s unity day and Lankan ties
At a glittering celebration held under a large marquee in the spacious garden of “Berlin Villa,” the German Ambassador John Rhode noted that the 28th Anniversary of German Unity that fell on October 3 coincided with the celebration of 70 years of Sri Lanka’s Parliamentary democracy. In Germany, he said, just nine days ago, 77% [...]
China’s 68th Republic Day
Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China Yi Xianliang and his wife Wu Xiaoling hosted a reception at the BMICH on September 26 to celebrate the 68th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
‘Baywatch Miss’ turns promises into action
Barely ten days into winning the Crown Miss Intercontinental Sri Lanka title, Natalee Fernando is embarking on her maiden project. As Crown Miss Intercontinental Sri Lanka 2017, she articulated a public commitment to work towards empowering women and children. She made her customary visit to Kalpitiya, but this time with a determined cause in her [...]
Time to recognise a true blue leader of the SLFP
President Maithripala Sirisena announced at the 66th SLFP convention held in Colombo that he would create a new image for the SLFP free of waste, corruption and family rule and re-establish the party on the policies enunciated by the Party’s founder leader S.W. R.D. Bandaranaike.To assure people of his intentions, the iconic “hand” symbol reappeared [...]
The Big Bad Wolf has come to town
The books they have brought for the sale could cover 10 soccer fields or fill 3 Boeing 747s, and they are available from now till midnight on October 15. The Big Bad Wolf Book sale – a ‘24 hours a day for eleven days’ book sale with 1.5 million books is currently underway at the [...]
Raising awareness of the Post’s role in our lives
“World Post Day” which falls on October 9 marks the creation of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in 1874 and is celebrated by postal administrations all over the world. The Universal Postal Union, during the 16th UPU congress held in Tokyo, Japan in 1969 declared October 9 as the World Post Day. It was on [...]
Aabid wins National Scrabble Championship 2017
Royalist Aabid Ismail was crowned as the National Scrabble Champion for 2017 when he defeated Indunil Amerasinghe 2 -1 in a best of 3 finals at this year’s National Scrabble Championship. The main annual tournament of the Sri Lanka Scrabble League, the National Scrabble Championship on August 12 and 13, powered by Phoenix Industries Limited [...]
In memory of Prof. Stanley Wijesundera
The 9th annual scientific sessions of the Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of the University of Colombo was held in July with the participation of Prof Lakshman Dissanayake, Vice Chancellor, UGC board members and late Prof. Wijesundera’s family members, invitees, sponsors, staff and students. The Prof Stanley Wijesundera memorial lecture was delivered by Dr. Ranjan [...]
Wesley College alumni to hold Fun Motor Rally
Wesley College celebrated its 143rd anniversary in March earlier this year and the celebrations go on with the annual dinner dance on October 21 at the Cinnamon Grand. Preceding the dance is the first ever Wesley Alumni organized Fun Motor Rally which will be held on Saturday, October 14. The rally will be flagged off [...]
SLFUW AGM on October 14
The Sri Lanka Federation of University Women (SLFUW) will hold its AGM on October 14 at its headquarters at 96/25, Kitulwatte Road, Colombo 8. The AGM will commence at 9 a.m. with registration of members. The keynote address will be delivered by SLFUW member Mrs. Indra Samarasinghe, Principal of Law College, Colombo and will be [...]