Discovering SLML’s treasure trove
Nestling within a historic building is a rare treasure trove of knowledge coming down the ages. Ordinary is the door within the home of the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA), Wijerama House, in Colombo 7 which gives entry to the Sri Lanka Medical Library (SLML). Walk through this door and an enthralling world of books, [...]
Letters to the Editor
What is it that Sri Lankans living here really want? Ever since President Maithripala Sirisena decided to replace Minister Sagala Ratnayake as Minister of Law and Order, conflicting and opposing view-points have been expressed across the board both here at home and abroad. The majority of these people I have been listening to are among [...]
Appreciations
Her fragrance will remain in our memory RUKIE EHELIYAGODA As the curtain finally came down on March 19, last year, Rukie Eheliyagoda, at 90 years of age, stepped off the stage of life. Love that transcended biological ties was snuffed out leaving in her trail a colourful luminescence which the passing of time can hardly [...]
Striding the English academia without losing his Sri Lankanness
With his new Guide to Poetry, Emeritus Professor D.C.R. A. Goonetilleke grants to Sri Lankan students of literature a request they have long made of him. It was in the mid ’70s that the scholar first wrote three booklets on literary studies which made him a pocket guru; much valued, treasured and then photocopied and [...]
The “Rat Pack” comes alive with Gananath and En Route
Despite a few hiccups in the “sound”, Gananath Dasanayaka with his versatile band “En Route” kept an audience of 500 plus enthralled with music and song at Volume 3 of “The Great American Song Book” at the Hilton Ballroom on Sunday, February 25.The concert was modelled on the lines of the old “Rat Pack” with [...]
Her own kind of cabaret
When “Mayhem Past Midnight” took place at the Fairway Galle Literary Festival, on January 28, the sold-out event saw the actress/singer/ comedienne Dillie Keane accompanied by Michael Roulston pay tribute to their love for cabaret comedy. Dillie Keane’s resilience as an artiste boils down to her chosen art form. “Cabaret was officially considered a dead [...]
Internationally acclaimed mother and daughter duo to perform here
A treat awaits classical music lovers this April as works for piano and violin by Bach, Strauss, Beethoven, Grieg, Tchaikovsky, Saint-Saens and Zisapel will be performed by Israeli violinist Hadar Rimon and her mother, pianist Natasha Tadson. As part of the Dr Earle de Fonseka Chamber Music Concert Series, the Lionel Wendt will play host [...]
Picking up discards to create stories within
Mahen Perera’s paintings-as-sculpture-as-paintings contain subtle yet sustained moments of un-theatrical anarchy. His works are dramatic, but they do not function on the same wave-length as a tragic life event that suddenly destabilizes one’s guiding constants and frameworks. Although there is destabilization, Mahen’s works are quieter: like a passing comment or a question dropped by a [...]
This Easter Prestantia Chorale once again sings for the School for the Deaf & Blind
Award winning choir, the Prestantia Chorale, directed by Dr. Priyeshni Peiris Perera will hold an evening of Easter choral music for the fifth consecutive year to raise funds for the Ceylon School for the Deaf & Blind. Prestantia Chorale won the “champions” trophy with the highest ranking Gold medal in the Musica Sacra category at [...]
There was laughter and food for thought
Ladies VIP Night celebrated International Women’s Week 2018 on an organic note on March 7 at the Shangri-La Hotel. The well conceptualized event was set against a leafy, eco-friendly background complete with sounds of nature and menu partnered with Saaraketha, Sri Lanka’s leading organic food company. In keeping with this year’s international theme #PressforProgress, the [...]
Bon appetit a la French Embassy!
The Goût de France or Good France is a culinary event that unites chefs from all around the globe for a celebration of French cuisine. Following the success of the past three years, the French Embassy of Sri Lanka is bringing this unique culinary celebration to Sri Lanka and Maldives on March 21 in collaboration [...]
Watch out for these young trendsetters
When Ajai Vir Singh, Founder and President of the HSBC Colombo Fashion Week (CFW) was invited to the Commonwealth Fashion Exchange reception last month in London, he took with him a sleek backpack. The backpack exhibited along with other designs from Commonwealth countries at the ‘100% Made in the Commonwealth, exhibition’ has got the greenlight [...]
HSBC Fashion Week: Enter designing with responsibility
The 15th instalment of the HSBC Colombo Fashion Week will take place from March 19 to 25 this year. Kicking off Fashion Week on March 19, will be the Responsible Fashion Summit, at Hilton Colombo. A new addition to the usual CFW line up, the summit is the first on sustainable fashion to be held [...]
GFH honours its female staffers
As the female guests at the International Women’s Day celebrations at the Galle Face Hotel walked into the Grand Ballroom, they were given a single red rose. The event was geared to celebrate the hotel’s female staff– recognising their talent and the hardwork in running the hotel from behind the scenes. The event held on [...]
Royal College 62 Group reunion in Kerala: Rekindling old bonds and making new ones
It has been scientifically established that positive social interactions exert a buoyant power on people. When such socialization is between friends who have known each other for about 60 years, the benefits to all are significant. Royal College’s 1962 Group, held a reunion in Kerala at the Kochi Marriott Hotel recently. A group of 47 [...]
Muslim Ladies Study Circle’s Kahatovita vocational centre gets new building
The Muslim Ladies Study Circle which recently received well-deserved praise and recognition for 45 years of dedicated service to the nation is due to mark another milestone. The Muslim Ladies Study Circle is a multi-faceted social service organisation which renders service to all communities irrespective of age, religion or ethnicity. The activities cover a broad [...]
Presentation of Men and Memories
Advocate, politician and author Buddhika Karunaratne presented his books ‘Men and Memories’ Vol. 1 and 2 to G. Parinathan and other members of the Ex-Co of the Mercantile Cricket Association. Looking on are Mr. Najeem and Mr. T. Punithan (Ex-Co members), Jeewaka Muthukuda ( Senior Vice-President) and Vini Vignesar (Asst. Secretary).
Pera Uni Ramanathians get together
The 29th annual get together of former residents of Ramanathan Hall, University of Peradeniya will take place on Sunday, April 1, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Police Families Welfare Association Hall next to the Police Officers Mess at No.07, Joseph Frazer Road, Colombo 5. All former Ramanathians are invited with their spouses. [...]
Positive Living with PD – Support Group meets on Tuesday
The next meeting of the Positive Living with PD – Support Group will be on Tuesday, March 20 at 6 p.m. at the Methodist Church, Mount Lavinia (opposite St. Thomas’ College on Hotel Road). Positive Living with PD is a secular, non-profit support group, that hopes to break through the stigma that surrounds Parkinson’s Disease [...]
Talk on wetlands and wildlife
An illustrated talk on ‘Wetlands and their wildlife: Essential for human sustenance’ will be delivered by Prof. Devaka Weerakoon, Professor of Zoology, University of Colombo tomorrow (March 19) at 4.45 p.m. at the Colombo Museum auditorium (second floor of the Main Building) accessed through the rear entrance of the museum. The lecture is organised by [...]
March Market at the GFS
The annual March Sale will be held at the GFS Hall, 58 Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colombo 3 on Friday, March 23 with a variety of miscellaneous items ranging from beautiful sarees to yummy cup cakes and desserts. Breakfast packs, lunch and tea will also be available. This year, the GFS has invited women from low [...]