Pot on for the season
It’s that time of the year when we look back nostalgically at the traditions of the past mingled with bright hope for the future. Families get together to celebrate the dawn of a new year and take part in performing traditional customs and rituals. Of these, boiling a pot of milk can easily be identified [...]
A master laments the decline of Kandyan dance
The famed dancer who has danced in 70 countries had an important visitor last week, one who had come all the way from the US. Professor Nancy Wilkie of the United States Committee of Blue Shield visited Peter Surasena and also met the four famous families of Kandyan dance and drumming: Tithapagala, Amunugama, Nitawela and [...]
Letters to the Editor
The treatment meted out to a Gaurawa is far from honourable ‘The Gaurawa’ is the title the National Savings Bank (NSB) gives to a Senior Citizen whose deposits the Bank holds.Very honourable, pleasing, and distinguished. That was the day MR, then President,wearing an extra hat of Finance, during the Budget speech, slapped a tax on the [...]
Appreciations
A large-hearted man and a guru in the legal profession Dr. H. W. Jayewardene QC Twenty-eight years ago on April 19, 1990, Dr. H. W. Jayewardene, QC, a colossus in the legal profession, passed away whilst on a visit to India. It was the end of an innings of a great legal luminary Sri Lanka [...]
Verses that make an unseen world jump out of the page
“The Colony” was where, after a long peregrination across the world, Michael Roc Thomas decided to lay anchor. This house in Tangalle, an elegant British seaside villa built in the early 20th Century, is now a hotel, but it is still a delight to wander through. The sea, the grass, the palms and frangipani lend [...]
Oil anointing: Fostering a collective consciousness
Kalu kaputa sudu wenathuru (until the black crow turns white) Garandiyaata an enathuru (until a serpent grows horns) Molgase dalul enathuru (until leaves are sprung on a pestle) Ekasiya wissata desiya wissak aawada aayubowewa (may you have a long life) This is the blessing recited when the oil anointing traditional ritual is done following the [...]
When the ‘land of the leopard’ lived upto its name
The thrill of an impending safari never seems to wane, although one may have been through the familiar routine many a time before. It was no different this time either when my partner in crime, cousin Ajit broke the happy news that he would be in Sri Lanka in January this year. The ensuing visit [...]
Raising a cuppa to a flavourful 25 years
Hidden flavours from a spectrum of colourful teas pervaded the Cinnamon Lakeside Lobby Lounge on April 5 as Dilmah celebrated 25 years of tea in collaboration with Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo launching the Silver Jubilee Afternoon High Tea. An exquisite blend of tea mixology in a perfect marriage with afternoon delicacies was meticulously prepared by Cinnamon [...]
Catching up with friends at Jetwing Colombo 7
It was a chance for the ladies to have some time to relax and catch up with friends at Jetwing Colombo 7’s high coffee morning at the Barnes Room on March 31. The morning saw the launch of Ever Glow Natural Beauty Package, with the introduction of the range of spa treatments by Sothys Sri [...]
Around the world with Graze Kitchen
They say the best way to experience the culture of a city is through its street food. Albeit messier and less refined than most dishes, street food is undeniably satisfying and true to its roots. The Hilton Colombo’s premier restaurant, Graze Kitchen now invites diners to take a globe-trotting culinary journey through the cities of [...]
Spa your way to a good night’s sleep
Sleep is a luxury for most and on March 24, Spa Ceylon Luxury Ayurveda collaborated with the World Sleep Society for a workshop and deep sleep experience at the Mövenpick Hotel to mark World Sleep Day, which fell on March 16. A good night’s sleep brings a multitude of health benefits. Deep sleep is a [...]
The art of paper tubes
A 5’1” tall Eiffel Tower made with recycled Sunday Times newspapers stands proudly in Rekha Thayapararajah’s living room. The finely detailed work took her 17 days to create. Creator of the Eiffel Tower and other extremely interesting pieces, Rekha has an IT degree and worked as a teacher but her true passion lies in creating [...]
Cooking up something special in a male-dominated sector
Nonky Tejapermana is Executive Chef at the Shangri-La Hambantota and her 23- year journey as a chef has taken her across the globe, cooking on land, sea and air. Here she talks of her passion for cooking and being a female chef in a predominantly male dominated hospitality sector Tell us about yourself, and what [...]
With PET scan a reality, Fight Cancer team carries on the good work
The long-awaited PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scan machine was installed at the National Cancer Institute in Maharagama on April 1. Hundreds joined in to walk from the Galle Road in Wellawatte to Maharagama to raise awareness of the fund raising efforts. The funds to purchase the PET scan machine, amounting to Rs. 252 million, even [...]
It’s Bengali new year season too!
Visitors browsing through the Good Market on a rather hot Saturday morning last weekend would have chanced upon a stall with some very colourful exhibits. The exhibits were from Bangladesh, and the stall was there to highlight the Bengali New Year. Not many Sri Lankans would be aware that Bangladesh also celebrates the New Year [...]
A special Avurudu treat from HSBC
Each year, HSBC employees take time off their hectic schedules to spend time with children who don’t enjoy the abundance that many others do. This year too staff members brought the joy of Avurudu to over 350 children from four children’s homes and community centres this month. Children from the Meth Mihira Special Education Centre [...]
In need of a kidney
Twenty-year-old Rangani Sathsara Anthony of Ragama has been diagnosed with end-stage renal failure and needs an urgent kidney transplant. Her parents are desperately searching for a kind donor whose blood group is ‘A’ or ‘O’ who could donate a kidney to their daughter who is under the care of Consultant Nephrologist Dr. S. Mathu of [...]