When the crackers went silent and hearths put out
April 1935 was to be a rather grand Avurudu. Ceylon was still a British colony and the silver jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary fell that year and this meant New Year celebrations could quadruple. The ‘Sailor King’ was beloved for his solid values and mores, and all the pomp of the jubilee [...]
Let the message of Easter cast light on last year’s tragedy
‘No one truly dies until they are completely forgotten’ By that measure the innocent victims of the Easter bombings of 2019, will never be forgotten. Their death at the hands of a terrorist organization will be remembered, at the dawning of every Easter Sunday for decades to come. The killers chose the most sacred day [...]
All set for a virtual Avurudu celebration
Avurudu is here, but the Sinhala and Tamil New Year will be somewhat different from the joyous community celebration that Sri Lankans usually look forward to. Mindful of the current constraints, yet eager to celebrate through new avenues, the Ministry of Education along with the Independent Television Network (ITN) and the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation [...]
Letters to the Editor
A time for reflection Mother nature has reacted angrily Demonstrated her power to us humans To the rich and poor, to the powerful and to the powerless From East to West and North to South with no one spared. A warning to us humans to be truthful, modest A time for reflection. Humans all powerful [...]
APPRECIATIONS
Amma, we will cherish every moment spent with you Yvonne Wijesinghe Just a year has passed since you left us and we miss you more than ever. I wish you had been with us just a while longer, but to ask this of God would be unfair because your life was complete in all aspects. [...]
Adding a bit of colour in these bleak times
Horton Place is a hive of activity at all times, from the bustle of morning traffic to the throngs of late-night patrons at the various eateries. Except these days, when the streets are all but deserted due to the ongoing curfew. And yet, behind closed doors and in the safety of their own homes, some [...]
Funny Boy @ 25: How the story finally found its voice
Funny Boy is a cult and more. It comes with the conspiratorial whisper “Just be yourself- however hostile the world may be”. Winner of the Canada First Novel Award and the Lambda Award, the book has been translated into more than eight languages, and turned into a film, still to be released. As Funny Boy [...]