The cenotaph once stood tall on Galle Face Green
‘They shall grow not old As we that are left grow old Age shall not weary them, Nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun And in the morning We will remember them. When you go home Tell them of us and say We gave our tomorrow For your today.’ British poet [...]
Letters to the Editor
A mother’s reaction to the President’s actions That Friday evening many of us were shocked to our very core. A hasty decision, an unexpected sacking and swearing in – no one expected that no one not even me a ‘mother who tends to be more focused on her children and their upcoming year end exams’ [...]
Appreciations
Wonderful man and brilliant Neurosurgeon Dr. Darrel Felix Weinman Darrel Weinman was born on November 20, 1929. He attended St. Peter’s College Colombo where he was a brilliant student and excelled at sport. He was the school cricket captain. A few years ago when a mutual friend, Dr. Tony Don Michael passed away, and I [...]
Crime busting in the US
The house was the launching pad for a spree of crimes. The suspects who had rented it out using fake names had fled but armed with a search warrant the Crime Scene Investigators (CSIs) were running the house through a fine-tooth comb when they found a camera. In the pictures, there were no faces, one [...]
Don Spater Senanayake and the Temperance Movement
This country and its people were under foreign powers for more than four centuries. The battle of Mulleriyawa, during the Portuguese era and the Uva Rebellion during the British, were two main uprisings against colonial rule in the country’s long struggle for independence. Although they were not fully successful mainly due to the social, economic, [...]
Waiting with bated breath as items fall under the hammer
“I can sell anything, lock, stock and barrel,” auctioneer Navinda Samerawickreme told me when I approached him about selling the contents of my bungalow. That appealed to me as I happened to have a miniature malt whisky barrel (long emptied) that I was about to chuck away. It may not be a catchy name but [...]
Philharmonic Choir returns with Amirthanathan to perform ‘Alleluia’
Colombo’s oldest performing choir, the Colombo Philharmonic Choir (CPC), will present a programme of sacred classical music titled ‘Alleluia’, after regrouping under the baton of its new conductor, Harin Amirthanathan. The performance will take place on Saturday, November 17 at the Church of St. Michael and All Angels, Polwatte. Amirthanathan first joined the Philharmonic choir [...]
Warscapes to landscapes: Sir Donald McCullin’s haunting images
The otherwise inexpressible horrors of war explode within his frames and you bathe in the grief and misery, bravery and sacrifice. No one brought the horrors and valour of the frontline to living rooms across the world as did Sir Donald McCullin. Which is why he could easily be Britain’s most renowned photojournalist. After his [...]
Culinary Ceylon: A unique flavour of history and cuisine
Walking down the cobblestoned Hospital Street in Fort, a curious sight greets you if you happen to notice it at all – a small ‘petti kade’ with its timber shelves lined with groceries nestled between the buildings. Not a typical location for a roadside kiosk. It is all part of the experience of Culinary Ceylon, [...]
A mature orchestra complemented by the relaxed technique of piano soloist
The Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka had their Masterworks Concert sponsored by East India Holdings on Saturday, November 3 at the Ladies’ College Hall. The concert programme comprised Chopin’s Piano concerto No. 2 and Beethoven’s monumental Symphony No. 3, the Eroica. The Orchestra was under the baton of Dushyanthi Perera and the soloist was young [...]
“Symphony for a Child”: The very best of its kind
The much awaited musical annual variety performance “Symphony for a Child” was held at the Lionel Wendt Theatre on November 4. An acclaimed concert pianist and music teacher, Mrs. Sirima Jayasekera has been the livewire behind it. Resident in the UK she spends quite some time in Sri Lanka and has undertaken this type of [...]
Spotting Nelu flowers in bloom five years before time
Driving to Nuwara Eliya on work recently I was informed by a friend Vimukthi Weeratunge, lead naturalist at Cinnamon Trails that the Nelu flowers were blooming on Horton Plains. So we decided to drive up to Horton Plains national park two Sundays ago. It turned out to be a brilliant morning after intense continuous rains [...]
An evening of opera and well-loved songs
It was a full house at the Nelum Pokuna on Tuesday, November 6 at the Colombo Opera Festival’s Gala concert featuring a stellar line-up of international artistes- Estonian mezzo soprano Monica Evelin Liiv, pianist David Gowland from the UK’s Royal Opera House, Chinese tenor Haoyin Xue and Polish baritone Krysztof Szumanski who joined Lankan soprano [...]
Wadduwa’s cosy villa
Guests were requested to come in white for the soft launch of Ayana Sea, the luxury 16-room villa-style resort in Wadduwa. Located by the beach with elegantly appointed interiors, the cosy hotel is fast garnering flattering reviews.
Three new faces add their colours to ‘Piyawara’
Brought together through a creative connection, the art collective ‘Piyawara’ will present their second joint exhibition at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery on November 17 and 18 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Meeting at an adult art class at the Artway Institute under the guidance of Ruwan Prasanga, the 11 artists who make up [...]
From social to personal, Jagath’s canvases of belief
Belief: the Promise of Absence, an exhibition by Jagath Weerasinghe opens to the public on November 15 and will remain open daily until December 6, at the Saskia Fernando Gallery, 41 Horton Place, Colombo 7, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. In his latest exhibition of multidisciplinary works Jagath Weerasinghe discusses social calamities and personal [...]
Grand annual International Christmas Charity Bazaar heralds the season
Returning for the 37th time and ringing in the festive season, the International Christmas Charity Bazaar (ICCB) will be held on November 25 at the Galle Face Hotel Ballroom. The ICCB has been an annual event since its inception in 1982, with the committee of local and expatriate ladies organising an extravagant Christmas Bazaar in [...]
Clean drinking water project to help communities battle CKDu
Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown aetiology (CKDu) has crippled communities across the country and become a national issue. Nowhere has its impact been more felt than in the North Central Province, where the disease was first identified in the early 1990s and which today records the highest number of deaths due to CKDu. Caused as [...]
It’s that time of year when Prithipura Home is abuzz with annual sale activities
The Prithipura Home’s annual fund raising sale will be held on November 14 at the Lionel Wendt from 10.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. The residents and staff are busy adding last minute touches to the handicrafts, handmade greeting cards and household linen they have made. There will also be footwear, semi-precious jewellery, Christmas decorations and [...]
A memorable evening for a good cause
Despite the torrential downpours, the charity show ‘Melodies & Memories Extravaganza & Sing Along’ organised by Dushyantha Abeyegunawardene of Symphony Pvt Ltd. in aid of the Paediatric Ward of the Cancer Hospital had a warm reception with the crowd singing and dancing to the favourite songs of yesteryear. The show was held on October 6 [...]
Bargains galore at Alzheimer’s Foundation sale
There will be bargains galore at the Grand Sale organised by the Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation on Saturday, November 17. The venue will be the Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation located at 110, Ketawalamulla Lane, Maradana (close to Ananda College). Export quality garments and children’s clothing etc. will be on sale. In addition, there will be a variety [...]
Girls’ Friendly Society pre-Christmas sale
A pre-Christmas sale organised by the Girls’ Friendly Society will be held on Friday, November 16 from 8 a.m. onwards at the GFS Hall, Green Path, Colombo 3. Miscellaneous items especially for Christmas will be available at bargain prices. Breakfast and lunch packs and other goodies will be on sale too. The Ceylon Bible Society [...]
WIC Bazaar
Are you looking for a head start on your Christmas shopping? The Women’s International Club (WIC) will hold its Christmas Bazaar on November 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the premises of the WIC, 16, Premasiri Kemadasa Mawatha, Colombo 7 (next to Lionel Wendt). There will be over 40 trade stalls and food [...]
A talk on orchids
A Lecture on ‘Sri Lanka orchids and their conservation’ will be delivered by Priyadharshana Imaduwa, tomorrow (November 12) at 5.30 p.m. at the Maths Dept. Auditorium, Colombo University, main building (upstairs). Architect Imaduwa has hiked and explored the length and breadth of Sri Lanka, observing and photographing indigenous orchids in their habitats and through this [...]