1990: Just a call away
Halfway into a watte in remote Horowpothana that they realized that right in front of them in the darkness, blending in was a wild elephant, while climbing up a steep incline on foot in Deniyaya, having parked the vehicle way below, they met a couple rushing down and within seconds helped the heavily pregnant mother. [...]
Jean Arasanayagam: The Life of the Poet ends
Jean Arasanayagam’s garden grew wild and fecund. Not the garden of the convivial, sylvan Jansz House in Peradeniya- where she lived and entertained with husband ‘Arasa’ and daughters Parvati and Devasundari- but the garden of her poetry: “a luscious overgrown garden”- as reviewer Patricia Melander once said- “that the poet does not want to curb; [...]
Letters to the Editor
Something’s rotten in the state of Sri Lanka Seemingly, following the church massacres last April, there are a growing number of Christians as well as sympathizers who seem to understand better the miracle following Christian martyrdoms of the 21st Century – (although it sounds rational when critics say that the Lankan Catholic hierarchy should exercise [...]
Appreciations
They don’t come like him any more… RAJAH SALGADO One of Panadura’s most illustrious sons, akin to the ‘last of the Mohicans’ of his era, passed away last week having lived a most fulfilling 94 years. Rajendra Tissa Salgado, better and aptly known as ‘Rajah’, was born to one of the most well-known families in [...]
His Sleepless Isle, warts and all
Andrew Fidel Fernando’s Upon a Sleepless Isle arrives at a time when travel writing about Sri Lanka is its zenith. Perhaps aware of this, the book quickly attempts to differentiate itself from the crowd. It opens in a place most tourists would not venture into – a Grama Niladhari’s office – and plunges into the [...]
Art for a cause at CFW’s ‘Celebrate Colombo’
Colombo Fashion Week’s “Celebrate Colombo” – a week long creative festival presented by So Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Tourism and Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) brings together four creative industries namely Art, Fashion, Food and Music. The art exhibit titled “One Won” sees 40 Sri Lankan artists coming together for a cause at the Stables at Park [...]
Big stars at Healing Notes for cancer
The Indira Cancer Trust initiated in late 2016 in memory of Indira Jayasuriya who lost her life to cancer has evolved into a beacon of hope for those living with the disease. The Trust has supported national cancer control programmes, promoting early diagnosis and treatment of cancer and palliative care among many other services. In [...]
The stage is set at the Wendt
Young Musicians at the Wendt’, a concert that will showcase the talent and skill of upcoming artists organised by the Lionel Wendt Memorial Fund will be held on August 10 at the Lionel Wendt Theatre. The concert will feature young musicians Anagi Gunasekera, Tiyanie Sahabandu, Sahan Samarakoon, Tharish Lanerolle, Genisha Dassanayake, Nimshi Wanniarachchi, Shashini Pandithasundera, [...]
For the sheer joy of dance
Naomi Rajaratnam’s dance lessons have never been the average social dancing class. Rather, they are done for the joy of teaching dance and giving back to people. As her students relate, Naomi handpicks the dancers and never charges a cent. They themselves aren’t professional dancers and do it for the same kind of joy and [...]
WNPS lecture on insects
If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos. E. O. Wilson Emeritus Professor Jayanthi Edirisinghe and Professor Nirmalie Pallewatta will deliver the Wildlife & Nature Protection Society’s next lecture [...]
Galle gets a taste of Italy
Paolo Gavioli, Ian Fernández and Roberto Vicario first came to Sri Lanka a decade ago and watched the country transform as they returned over the years. The Galle Fort captured their imagination the most – wandering through its cobbled streets they were strongly reminded of small Italian villages or ‘borghi’ back home, where classic architecture [...]