A place to fall in love, with the wild again
The grass is alive. It’s after dark in Sigiriya and a full moon swims through a sea of stars above us. On my head I wear a headlamp masked by red tape (to protect the sensitive eyes of animals we encounter) and a pair of outsized wellington boots (to protect me from any irate reptiles [...]
Photographs that make you stop and take heed
If you were to walk into the Harold Pieris Gallery at the Lionel Wendt in the coming week, the first object to meet your eye is a large photograph of buffalo grazing through mounds of garbage, surrounded by a flurry of crows. The photograph is transferred onto a glass window and looms large. Firstly, there [...]
Letters to the Editor
Electronic gadgets can be great ‘babysitters’ but they can be harmful to kids too In this modern, scientific, technological and computerised world we live in, electronic devices such as computers, smart phones, tabs and tablets dominate our lives. People depend on them not just for work and entertainment, but to stay connected. But excessive use [...]
Appreciations
He shone here and abroad Dr. Nawalage Charles Neville Cooray Well known in this country and abroad, Dr. Neville Cooray practised Radiotherapy during his professional career. He was born in 1927 and had his early education at St. Joseph’s College, Colombo 10. He gained admission to the Science Faculty of the University of Ceylon in [...]
A legendary teacher in life and in death
A startling image on the screen – a fire-walker and then back to the present on Wednesday and a walk down not-too-distant memory lane to commemorate a colourful legend! He may have been a diminutive 5’ but he was a ‘giant’ who exuded a powerful influence over thousands of fresh-faced medical students, while striding across [...]
The one that got away – Malaka Pathmalal
In 2006, leaving for Anuradhapura on a family trip, Malaka Pathmalal decided on a whim to grab his simple ‘point-and-shoot’ Minolta. He got some pictures, found he’d enjoyed himself, and after that he always had a camera with him, even in school. “I don’t know where the desire to document came from; but I think [...]
Minneriya’s ‘Gathering’ beckons wildlife enthusiasts
With domestic tourism slowly picking up since July under ‘new normal status’ generating business for hoteliers and connected service providers, the Minneriya and Yala National Parks are two of the major attractions for Sri Lankan adventure travellers grabbing the enormously discounted hotel offers. Currently Minneriya has become the most popular destination to watch the mass [...]
Sansara: A canvas of despair
Nuwan Nalaka had initially planned a different series of work for his new exhibition, a selection of which are presented in the Cacti series of paintings, but he was so overwhelmed by the impact of the pandemic that he felt compelled to make this collection titled ‘Sansara’ which portrays the sheer suffering and despair currently [...]
CMSC breaks sound of silence with ‘Picking up the Pieces’
After six months of involuntary silence, the Chamber Music Society of Colombo looks forward to being reunited with audiences later this month, in a series of concerts entitled ‘Picking up the Pieces’. Led by music director Lakshman Joseph-de Saram, the CMSC’s string principals (plus flute), will perform a selection of shorter Baroque works by Corelli, [...]