Who’s afraid of Brotherless Night?
When I ask people if they have read Brotherless Night, V.V. Ganeshananthan’s stunning novel set in Jaffna during Sri Lanka’s civil war, the answer is always the same: I want to. I really want to. I just can’t bring myself to. And who can blame you? Thirty deafening years of war. Nearly fifteen years of [...]
If food be the essence of life, read on
A passionate foodie, Ramya Chamalie Jirasinghe evokes the exotic whiff of Bolo di Amor against the setting of a fictional 18th century colonial fort very much like our own Galle Fort in her new novel, ‘Father Cabraal’s Recipe for Love Cake’. It all seems all very inebriating – that tang of semolina and ‘puhul dosi’ [...]
Letters to the Editor
May Day rallies and the mindset of the people We have seen the impact of the leading political parties in the recently held May Day rallies. The crowd present at the May rallies clearly and strongly depict the mindset of the people who are mostly fed up with the political parties they have voted for [...]
Appreciations
He was the epitome of an honest public servant NEIL CHANDRANATH SENEVIRATNE The passing away of Neil Seneviratne, former Surveyor General three months ago has deeply saddened the entire Surveyor fraternity. He was born on September 21, 1936 to the family of D.B. Seneviratne and Sumana Seneviratne, and was educated at Trinity College, Kandy. On [...]
A poetic memoir connecting the past and present
“….he watched all his characters hiding in his youth.” – Ondaatje Michael Ondaatje, now in the later years, has not had the kind of life that can be self-told in factual prosaic mode. His world of wonder and imagination seeps itself naturally into the poetic memoir form which conveys the factual past transformed imaginatively into [...]
Changing sights and sounds through the eyes of a poet
Powerful and disturbing, Buddhadasa Galappatty’s new collection of poems Giri Hisa Sita (From the top of the hill) strikes a reader with a frisson of realisation. There is a scatter of entertaining extravaganzas, but many of his choices indicate a maturity that entitles a man to assess the landscapes he views. The previous collection, E [...]
Namel Weeramuni to launch anthology of short stories
Namel Weeramuni will launch an Anthology of Short Stories titled “Bhrayawagen Liyamanak” on May 21 at 4 p.m. at the Punchi Theatre, Borella. Prof. Praneeth Abesuriya will preside, and Kuruvita Bandara and Daya Dissanayake will speak on the book. The event is open to all.
Giving of their best to their alma maters
With more than a century’s traditions behind them, Bishop’s College Colombo (BC) and S. Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia (STC) are sister schools and this year, resurrecting a tradition that began two decades ago, they will be collaborating to present “Back to Stage”, a show that features the alumni of both schools. A varied and exciting [...]
Pradeep returns with ‘Pradeepanjalee’ series with signature style and something new
Pradeep Ratnayake’s ‘Pradeepanjalee’ series will return to the Lionel Wendt stage on May 21 at 7 p.m, after a break of a few years. This time, he takes the stage with some of the best musicians in Sri Lanka: Harsha Makalanda on piano, Dr. Ravibandu Vidyapathi on percussion, Alston Joachim on bass guitar, Shiraz Nooramith [...]
RASSL’s 175th Anniversary Memorial Lecture on Fr. Vito Perniola SJ
Ever since the Italian-born Fr. Vito Perniola SJ set foot in Sri Lanka in 1936, he involved himself with the people, languages and history of the country. He served as a teacher and subsequently Rector of St. Aloysius’ College, Galle. After joining the newly established Aquinas College in 1954, Fr. Perniola was assigned to teach [...]
Muslim Choral Ensemble presents “An’Nur”
Await a transcendent experience of sound and spirit as the Muslim Choral Ensemble of Sri Lanka presents “An’Nur” at the Lionel Wendt Theatre on Sunday, June 2 at 7 p.m. This evening celebrates the rich heritage, devotion, and transformative essence of Islamic spiritual tradition. From the ancient roots of Arab traders in the 7th century [...]
Soul Sounds Gospel special
Celebrating two decades of soulful melodies and harmonious rhythms, Soul Sounds, Sri Lanka’s premier female ensemble, is poised to return to the world of competitive choral singing at the upcoming World Choir Games which will be held in Auckland, New Zealand this July. The choir last participated in this prestigious competition in 2008, where they [...]