Beginnings of Bakthi Gee and its continuing tradition
“Poya sande sanda kiranin, lowe andura duru wewa” ‘From the light illuminating from the full moon, may the darkness in the world heal’- this line from the well-known song, “Poya Sande Sanda Kiranin” captures a very familiar Buddhist wish through one simple line. Through our own light and power, may we be able to take [...]
Arahant Mahinda: He changed the culture of the country
Poson Full Moon Poya is important to Buddhists in Sri Lanka, as it commemorates the arrival of Arahant Mahinda Maha Thera, son and special emissary of Emperor Asoka of India. The Emperor wished to spread the Buddha Dhamma in nine other countries and chose to send his own son to Lanka as King Tissa of [...]
The man behind Miley Cyrus’s first ever Grammy
Reaching over one billion streams on Spotify, Miley Cyrus’s Flowers became the most streamed song of the year. This official break-up anthem won two Grammy awards at the 2024 Grammys in February, including Best Pop Solo Performance and Record of the Year 2024. Behind Miley’s first-ever Grammy is Brian Rajaratnam who won the award for [...]
Sri Lankan wins Nebula award for best science fiction book
Vajra Chandrasekera’s debut novel The Saint of Bright Doors has won the Nebula Award for best novel. The award was announced last week. Nebula Awards recognize the best works of science fiction or fantasy published in the United States. Previously, The Saint of Bright Doors was the winner of the 2024 Crawford Award, presented annually [...]
Letters to the Editor
Lack of facilities only drawback on the Ella Odyssey We were on our way to Ella on the Ella Odyssey, a popular tourist attraction. This special train operates from Colombo to Badulla via Kandy on Thursdays and Saturdays offering travellers breathtaking views of the tea plantations and of the cascading waters. It was truly amazing [...]
Appreciations
He led from the front and paid with his life Major Namal Mendis We fondly remember our brother officer Namal Mendis of the 4th Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment, who died 34 years ago on June 13, 1990, in Waripathanchena, Ampara. As peace negotiations between the government and the LTTE broke down in 1990, LTTE [...]
The return of Pradeep and a journey of fusion music
A few weeks ago, on the evening of the 21st of May, I had the pleasure of listening to Pradeep Ratnayake’s music once again. On this occasion at the Lionel Wendt Theatre, he performed with the following accompanying artistes: Harsha Makalanda (piano), the multi-talented Ravibandu (drums), Alston Joachim (bass guitar), Shiraz Nooramith (acoustic drums), Peshala [...]
The last time I saw Derek
June is said to be the beginning of winter in Melbourne, the Australian city where I spent several decades of my life working as GP. The first week of June is when I always remember the last time I saw Derek – and the lesson he taught me. At that time I was one of [...]
From classical to lighter numbers; a concert by Soundarie and Thushani
Soundarie David Rodrigo will be seen in concert with Thushani Jayawardena next Sunday, June 23 as they present ‘Classically Different’ at the Lionel Wendt Theatre. It is the first time the two are doing a show together. The concert is titled Classically Different “because both Thushani and I are deeply rooted in Western Classical training [...]
New store at CCC
Beauty & Luxe by Exclusive Lines opened its doors at the Colombo City Centre last week. The new store offers a selection of world-class beauty products and luxury fragrances.
Arts 4 ADR project: Bridging the gap between art and community
In the vast landscape of art and community, a groundbreaking initiative is taking shape to bridge the realms of culture, dialogue, and societal transformation. Supporting Effective Dispute Resolution (SEDR) partnered with the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Sri Lanka (MMCA) last December to increase awareness and understanding of community-based Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms [...]
CMSC presents an evening of Schubert Lieder with soprano Dhanushi
The Chamber Music Society of Colombo (CMSC) will present Dhanushi Wijeyakulasuriya in ‘The Art of the Lied’ on June 29 and 30 at 7 p.m. at the Goethe-Institut Hall. A classically trained soprano living in Seattle, USA, Dhanushi Wijeyakulasuriya’s focus lies in the Art Song and Lieder repertoire, particularly German Lieder from the 19th Century. [...]