Preventing a human-leopard conflict at Horton Plains
With its rolling hills, misty landscapes and unique biodiversity, the Horton Plains National Park holds a special place in the hearts of nature enthusiasts and conservationists. Its iconic World’s End cliff, cloud forests and picturesque waterfalls are just a few of the awe-inspiring features that make this small 32-sq.km park a must-visit destination. Like many [...]
A novel that explores what it means to be Australian
Shankari Chandran’s ‘Chai Time in Cinnamon Gardens’ (Ultimo Press 2022) has won the 2023 Miles Franklin Award, Australia’s biggest literary prize. This is the third book authored by the Sydney-based mother of four, whose parents emigrated from Sri Lanka in the 1980s. The Miles Franklin Award was established in 1954 by the estate of ‘My [...]
significance of Esala
Esala Full Moon Poya falls on August 1 this year after the Adhi Esala Poya, an extra Poya, which fell on July 3. This year’s Esala Poya is in the month of August (Nikini), bequeathing that month with two poyas. Prince Rahula, the son of Prince Siddhartha and Princess Yasodara, was born on an Esala [...]
Letters to the Editor
The people expect more from the Minister and Health authorities The stepmotherly treatment given to the people’s health by the powers-that-be, does not seem to support the need to have a Cabinet portfolio for Health. Considering the recent incidents of the deaths of some patients who were admitted to Government hospitals it is becoming more [...]
Appreciations
A distinguished public servant and writer TISSA DEVENDRA We are deeply saddened at the passing away of Tissa Devendra, former President and Convenor of the Ceylon Society of Australia, Colombo Chapter (CSA CC) on June 22, 2023, following a brief illness. Deshamanya Tissa Devendra was a well-known and respected civil servant, accomplished author, and writer [...]
Hidden in the Knuckles
Nature enthusiasts would be delighted to know that another attractive orchid was added to the rich floral heritage of Sri Lanka recently. After almost 25 years, it was a challenging but fascinating task to unveil this conclusively. During 1998- 1999, we conducted a study in the northern end of the Knuckles World Heritage site (an [...]
When all roads led to Lunuganga
In celebration of the 75th anniversary of Geoffrey Bawa’s garden Lunuganga, the Geoffrey Bawa Trust launched ‘To Lunuganga’ a programme featuring a range of talks, tours, exhibitions, and installations that reflect the inseparability of art, ecology, and architecture. So all roads seemed to lead to Bentota when the Geoffrey Bawa Trust threw open the gates [...]
Siblings with a passion for art
The forthcoming art exhibition ‘Thesuth-Ru’, brings together the artistic talents of two sisters and their brother, who each pursued different paths. Jayamini de Silva, Nilmini de Silva and Jagath de Silva are coming together for the exhibition that will be held from August 4-6 at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery, Colombo 7. Their work spans [...]
Book launch
“Makara Deshaye Sita” by Upul Wickramasinghe, will be launched on August 8, at 3 p.m. at the auditorium of the Public Library in Colombo. The author, a journalist with the Lankadeepa, had spent 10 months in China, visiting many provinces. The book describes his experiences.
RAASL talk
‘A Brief History of the Development of Trigonometry in Ancient and Medieval India’ is the topic of this month’s Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka lecture. It will be delivered by Dr S.H. Sathish Indika, Associate Professor of Mathematics Virginia Peninsula Community College, Hampton, USA, on Monday, July 31 at 5 p.m. at the Council [...]