Rising to the occasion after the quake
Sasha Ekanayake was asleep in Istanbul – the city of minarets – when the security focal points of Save the Children (of which he is Country Director in Turkiye) rang through with news of the massive earthquake that had brought hulking buildings in parts of Turkiye down like sawdust. The time was 5.45 a.m. and [...]
When the Buddha visited his birthplace 7 years after Enlightenment
Medin Full Moon Poya is very important for Buddhists. It was on such a poya that Siddhartha Gautama Buddha proceeded from Veluvanarama to visit his place of birth, the city of Kimbulwathpura. This was his first visit to the Sakyan Kingdom seven years after His Enlightenment as the Buddha. From Rajagahanuwara traversing 60 yodun (a [...]
Art that prompts introspection and conversation
With My Back to the World – a month long exhibition for International Women’s Day opened at the Saskia Fernando Gallery on Thursday. It continues until April 2. Curated by Mariyam Begum and Ashini Nanayakkara, the exhibition highlights the subtleties of art-making, inviting the viewer to engage with not just the artwork but the process [...]
A little-known Bawa gem in Bentota
Geoffrey Bawa needs no introduction. Among Bawa’s iconic creations are the Sri Lanka Parliament, the Ruhunu University, Kandalama and Lighthouse Hotels, not to mention the early landmark beach hotels in Bentota and Ahungalle. Many have been extensively written about but there remain a few little-known gems too. One such is the Club Villa at Bentota. [...]
Ikebana blooms give hope to Apeksha Hospital
It was an innovative and eye-catching display of floral artistry by the Ikebana International Sri Lanka Chapter 262 that greeted Japanese ambassador Mizukoshi Hideaki who was the chief guest at their exhibition, ‘Blossoms Of Hope 2023’ on February 19 and 20 at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel. The members presented some 50 exhibits using fresh, dried, [...]
Inspired by her mum a tale unfolds of a Jaffna family
Gnanarathinam Muttiah Sachithanandam passed away at the age of 101 in November of 2017. The grand matriarch of a Jaffna Tamil family, she lived an eventful life and left her daughter with a myriad tales steeped in wisdom and value which she reflected upon frequently. In her memoir, ‘Gnanam – Timeless Wisdom’, Selvi Sachithanandam documents [...]
LCI meets up in SL to help make a difference
The APAC Mid-Term Meeting of Ladies Circle International (LCI) was held at the Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo, on February 24 and 25, with delegates deliberating on how to make a difference to those less fortunate by supporting community projects and raising funds for the needy, both locally and internationally. They were also able to enjoy Sri [...]
Bhagavad Gita online lectures by Sunandaji
The Bhagavad Gita is a manual of life. It enunciates the ancient philosophy of Vedanta that presents the eternal and universal principles of life and living that transcend the barriers of race, religion, caste and creed. Youth from all over the world from diverse cultural backgrounds study at the Vedanta Academy in Pune, India founded [...]
Appreciations
She said we had to sing for our supper and made us mow her lawn! Betty Boothroyd Nihal Seneviratne recalls his long friendship with Britain’s first female Speaker As the news of the passing of Betty Boothroyd at the ripe age of 93 years filtered in, I felt a tinge of sadness as I had [...]