A view from inside
Before sunrise, grab your sarong and swimmers and follow the swirling beams of the old city lighthouse to the ancient citadel’s hidden beach on Galle Fort’s Hospital Street. Walk across the ramparts’ historic walls and down some steps across a pebbly sandy beach and wade into the sea as the twinkling stars vanish into pinks, [...]
Weaving in the young
World Handloom Day that falls today – August 7, has been celebrated in recent years by Selyn, a company synonymous with handloom and this weekend sees many activities taking place at their flagship store on Fife Road, Colombo 5. The only fair-trade certified handloom exporter in the country, Selyn was formed by Sandra Wanduragala 31 [...]
The first Buddhist Council was held on a Nikini Poya
Nikini Poya (August 11) is important for Buddhists as the first Sangayana (Buddhist Council) was held on a Nikini Poya, after the Buddha’s parinirvana (passing away). There were reasons for holding this Sangayana. Arahant Kasyapa Thera seeing the disharmony among the bhikkhus decided that the Buddha dhamma should be recollected and protected to be kept [...]
Drama returns to Kandy with thought-provoking performance
Homegrown theatre returned to Kandy this past weekend after a lapse of several years with the staging of ‘Once Upon a Family’ by the Sri Theatre Company. Written and directed by Aslam Marikar who was also part of the talented cast of adults and young school leavers, the production was a welcome event for Kandy’s [...]
Fascinating insights into our heritage and history
“Hasini and Sujeewa situate Sri Lanka as an island of encounters, where people, ideas and traditions from all over the world arrived via sail boats and ships and then took root, adapted and grew into new forms.” Hasini Haputhanthri is a museologist, dedicated to the study of museums. I must confess it was the first [...]
Letters to the Editor
Need for law and order, meritocracy & discipline to gain confidence of foreign investors During the past few weeks, the writer has read several revealing and well written articles in the press chronologically analysing the factors that led to our current predicament. Now, it is high time to find specific solutions to mitigate the crisis [...]
APPRECIATIONS
With pluck and luck he reached the top in public service W.D. Aillapperuma My lifelong friend and colleague W.D. Aillapperuma, who reached the highest echelons of the Public Service has departed amidst grief, leaving an indelible impression of awe and admiration in the minds of all those who were associated with him. I first met [...]
Making a movie in a moving car
In The Apartment, a 19-minute short film, the protagonist is driving – presumably to his home in the suburbs – and in the course of several phone calls, reveals to us the plight of the youth, obliged to keep up with living standards that rise higher than the skyscraper apartments overnight, dwarfing the metropolitan landscape. [...]
Going virtual with Lanka’s culture and merchandise
A Sri Lanka-themed virtual celebration takes place in the United States on Saturday, August 13 and Sunday 14 on the Sri Lanka Foundation International platform introducing to a worldwide audience the country’s historical heritage and culture, music, dance forms, food and products. The show will originate from Australia and Sri Lanka, with special presentations in [...]
Coming together to help children
We Are For Children (WAFC) – the newly formed non-profit organisation aims to protect children and young adults from violence through awareness and education as well as providing physical and psychological support and legal protection to victims. WAFC’s founding members and honorary Board of Directors are Harshini Perera, Indunil Ukwatte, Kushan Atapattu, Probodhini Munasinghe, Saranga [...]