In search of the perfect Mahavamsa
Within a subterranean room in the vast pink-hued arcadia that is the Peradeniya University, is a unique ola manuscript – a national treasure. This is the version of the Mahavamsa; the chronicle our island nation’s saga that has gone into the annals of the UNESCO list of items of documentary heritage. It was in July [...]
Stepping into the pages of Pride and Prejudice
A simple board with ‘Jane Austen’s House’painted on it, stands beside a picturesque, red-brick cottage on a country road. A visit to Jane Austen’s House, in Chawton, Hampshire, United Kingdom, where she spent the last eight years of her life is an unforgettable experience. It was in this cottage that the renowned author wrote and [...]
Letters to the Editor
Turning the country into charcoal! I write with reference to ‘Chinese project to make charcoal from forest timber stirs Thanamalwila rage’, by Tharushi Weerasinghe, published in the Sunday Times of August 27. I intend to point out the environmentally harmful consequences if this project is implemented. At the beginning of this news report, it is [...]
Appreciation
Random reflections on some conversations Prof. Lakshman Jayathilake It is a year since the passing of Professor Lakshman Jayathilake, a Peradeniya University Emeritus Professor in Mechanical Engineering. Apart from his professorial role, he was also Vice-Chancellor of Peradeniya University, Chairman of the University Grants Commission and Chairman of the National Education Commission. He was an [...]
Creating unique keepsakes
“I love the idea that you can take an old shoe box and fill it with all your cards and letters and many years later, revisit them. I think things like that are so precious. This is a notion I’d like to pass on to my children as well – they will hold in their [...]
Sounds of music and singing that drove weather blues away
Gloomy weather did not stop the return of the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka’s in-demand POPS concert this past weekend at the Ladies’ College Hall after a break of almost five years. Organised and presented by Ladies’ College to collect funds to refurbish the nearly 70-year-old Mabel Simon Hall, the concert presented a crowd-pleasing selection [...]
Dotting together lifelike scenes
Dots (Thith) marks the debut exhibition of veteran jewellery designer Sarath Ariyawansha’s collection of artworks at the Lionel Wendt this month. He seeks most of his subjects through a camera lens first, capturing the desired snapshot and then scrupulously recreating them in ink with the use of an isograph pen. The result is a series [...]
Subs and sandwiches packed with unusual flavours
Anyone who goes to the Colombo City Centre invariably ends up making a pitstop at the Food Studio on the third floor to grab a coffee, snack, or meal. This June, Colombo City Centre’s outlet launched its latest venture, PRIMO, a deli serving fresh made-to-order subs and sandwiches with flavour profiles covering many cuisines. The [...]
Bring out your creativity with 30 Days of Akuru
Akuru, the local collective that bonds together lovers of letters, will be hosting 30 Days of Akuru for the fifth year, exploring boundaries of Sinhala and Tamil letterform design. Whether you are a visual designer, illustrator, type designer, typographer, writer or simply someone who loves letterforms, Akuru challenges you to create your own new and [...]
The company of friends
It is a great privilege to grow old in the company of friends – like-minded individuals who have been your companions since the time of your childhood and youth. They have lived their lives in the same environment as yourself and have more or less lived through the same life experiences that you have had. [...]
Sing-along with Sunrise Senior Foundation
“Come join us,” invites the Sunrise Senior Foundation (SSF) for a sing-along next Saturday (September 16), 6 p.m. onwards at the Sapphire Hall of the BMICH, Colombo. The artistes set to entertain you includes Annesley Malawana and Rukshan Perera backed by the Super Chimes. Tickets are priced at Rs. 4,000/- (including food) and Rs. 2,500/- [...]
Two scarves and a sarong inspired by two Keyt paintings
They were probably two of the most Sri Lankan paintings done by George Keyt- in hues redolent of Kandyan countryside- and now they have become the inspiration for two scarves and a sarong- coming in limited editions- ready to brush off some truly Lankan ethnic chic on you. The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art [...]