Down a rabbit hole and the magic unfolds
You can easily put up a five-storey building inside it. At its widest areas, it is about 75 metres in length, 72 metres in width and 16 metres in height,” is how underwater explorer Dharshana Jayawardena recollects his encounter with a massive underground cave chamber. It is inside the belly of a mountain range, on [...]
Taking a memorable family musical around the world
The hills will come alive from February 14 to 18 at the Nelum Pokuna Theatre as Cinnamon Life in partnership with Broadway Asia International present the Broadway adaptation of “The Sound of Music” to audiences here. Set in 1930s Austria, the postulant nun Maria Rainer is sent to be governess to the seven motherless children [...]
East meets west in this aesthetic quest
The story of Ravana is a part of the prehistoric legend and folktales of Sri Lanka narrated from generation to generation with many opinions and interpretations. As portrayed by Valmiki’s Ramayana- the ancient Indian epic, Ravana is the Rakshasa (demonic king) of Lanka who abducted Sita, wife of the divine prince Rama. In the great [...]
The birth of a newspaper: The “Daily News” in the making
It has been suggested to me that I should take this opportunity to recall the circumstances of the birth of the “Daily News” and some of the more important incidents of its career. Twenty-five years is a long time in the life of an individual and there are only three members of the present large [...]
Romanian Day on a traditional note
Romanian musicians and dancers in their traditional attire were a highlight of the National Day of Romania celebrated in Colombo with Romanian Head of Mission Dr. Victor Chiujdea and Mrs Cornelia Marieta Chiujdea hosting a reception at the Samudra Ballroom of the Taj Samudra on December 4.
UAE celebrations at Shangri-La hotel, Colombo
The newly-opened Shangri-La hotel, Colombo was the venue for the 46th National Day celebrations of the United Arab Emirates earlier this month.
Letters to the Editor
As 2018 dawns, remember that a weak administration could destroy democracy The proverb says, “The wise man builds his house on rock, while the foolish man builds his house on sand”. How true, not only in terms of construction but also in terms of stability of life and even institutions. Come January 2018, the present regime [...]
Appreciations
He pursued his mission in life with courage, determination and commitment ALEC ROBERTSON It is 15 years since Deshabandu Alec Robertson – preacher, writer and broadcaster of the Dhamma and one-time Member of Parliament – passed away. Alec Robertson was born in Gampola on October 30, 1928, and died on the last day of 2002, [...]
Ikebana in full bloom
Japanese Ambassador Kenichi Suganuma and Madam Suganuma were the chief guests at Ikebana Artistry- an exhibition of this ancient Japanese floral art by Shiromi Soosaipillai and her students at the JDA Perera Gallery in Colombo last month
Seasonal cheer at Colombo Court Hotel
The Colombo Courtyard, now Colombo Court Hotel invited friends and patrons to celebrate the Christmas season with some wine and food recently.
Her quest for the Truth brought her to the Dhamma
We are driving through beautiful greenery in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. Huge green trees on one side, livestock farms stretching as far as the eye could see on the other. Our destination is Bundanoon, a rural town which is around a two hour drive from Sydney. A little away is the Santi [...]
It’s time that Sri Lanka takes a 21st century approach to learning
Holidays will soon be over and it will be back to the wonders or the drudgery of school. Friends, cricket, cramped classrooms, difficult transport and the preparation for more exams. The great exam crescendo is over for now, but it’s all about to start again.This monotonous, predictable routine is interminable; a never ending cycle. I [...]
Malcolm Guite: An ode to discovering life’s mystery
Malcolm Guite still remembers standing in John Keats’ bedroom, reading Ode to a Nightingale written on one wall. He was 16, and had been dragged by an aunt to the poet’s house in Hampstead. He was expecting “some boring old f—” and instead was utterly amazed.“I stood in the room looking out through the French [...]
Efflorescence of South Asian Sci-Fi?
I have long been a reader of science fiction not just for entertainment, but also for insights useful for my research and teaching. After all, the very word cyberspace was coined by William Gibson, a luminary of the cyberpunk sub-genre. I like all forms of sci-fi, but find near-future science fiction the most illuminating. So [...]
A tale of wit and woe, some home truths and more
Another volume has recently been added to the expanding canon of books by foreigners about Sri Lanka. As a foreign resident here for nearly 40 years, I find such books fascinating for what they reveal about the personality of the author, rather than about Sri Lanka. Jerry Smith, from Britain, brings a different viewpoint about [...]
What to expect at the FGLF children’s programme
The Children’s Programme at the Fairway Galle Literary Festival (FGLF) 2018 will take place on January 27 and 28 at the Thomas Gall School with two lively days of literature, art and music. The programme has been expanded this year to include sessions for 3 – 5 year olds, in addition to the 5 – [...]
Bring them home!
In 1804, James Emerson was born in County Down, Northern Ireland, the son of a Belfast tobacco merchant, William Emerson. He attended Trinity College, Dublin, but abandoned his studies to journey east to support the Greeks in their war against the Ottoman Empire. In the mid-1820s he returned to Britain – London not Belfast – [...]
Assistant High Commissioner for India bids adieu to her many friends in Kandy
Assistant High Commissioner for India in Kandy, Radha Venkataraman bade adieu to her many friends in Sri Lanka earlier this month after her successful tenure of office. From a Tamil-speaking family from Palakkad, Kerala, she was born in Delhi. After graduating in Political Science, Public Administration and Sociology she completed her post-graduate studies in Sociology [...]
Ven Devapriya Keerthisiri Fernando to be ordained Bishop of Kurunegala
The Ven Devapriya Keerthisiri Fernando will be ordained as the sixth Bishop of Kurunegala on January 6, amidst a distinguished gathering of national and international Bishops, clergy and laity at the Cathedral of Kurunegala. The Diocesan Council of the Church of Ceylon, Diocese of Kurunegala, elected the Ven. Fernando as the next Bishop of Kurunegala [...]
Green Path artists get a road-side gallery
They are a common sight on the sidewalks of Green Path, the artists exhibiting their paintings, hoping to attract passers-by and gain some sales. Though shaded somwhat by the giant trees that line this stretch, they were nevertheless at the mercy of the weather, forced to hastily pack up when the rains descended. Last week [...]