A determined odyssey to where few have dared tread
Sunela Jayewardene was a child of the wilderness in that her extended family would regularly holiday in places like Wilpattu or Kumana where village trackers’ tales of pygmy men (the ‘nittaewo’) and extinct leopards (‘Lenama kotiyas’) thrilled her… She grew up fascinated by Lanka’s rural wilds and this was what has led her to become [...]
Plethora of dance forms that lit up Epic Black
Naomi Rajaratnam’s dance company ‘With My Feet’ is well known in Sri Lanka and there is always a buzz surrounding a new show. ‘Epic Black, the company’s recent production was a poignant and powerful production dedicated as it was to Naomi’s husband – the late Trevor Rajaratnam. The theme that explored the journey from darkness [...]
Letters to the Editor
Digital detox: Reclaiming your life from technology As technology continues to advance at a breakneck pace, it has become an integral part of our everyday lives, influencing everything from our communication methods to our home environments. While innovations like smartphones, smart homes, and AI systems bring unprecedented convenience and efficiency, it’s essential to remember that [...]
APPRECIATIONS
The epitome of academic integrity Emeritus Professor Chandra Gunawardene Three years have passed since her untimely demise on August 30, 2021, yet, I can still vividly recall the last time I met her, a few weeks prior to her death, at Professor Ariyadasa De Silva’s funeral. The vision of her in a pure white outfit [...]
A journey through the ages with a tapestry of ritual and dance
A few weeks ago, I attended the 75th anniversary celebration of the Kalalaya School of Music and Dance (part of the Sri Lanka Tamil Women’s Union) at Bishop’s College, Colombo 3. Principal Neela Thayaparan and producer Natyapoorna Dr. Nirmala John presented a rich history of dance drama that intertwined our culture with the country’s spiritual, [...]
Changing architecture of Jaffna’s temples
“The Building of a ‘New’ Identity: Mandapams of Jaffna Temples” is the theme of the National Trust lecture for August by Prof. T. Sanathanan. The lecture will be on Thursday, August 29 at 6 p.m. at the Auditorium of the College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka, No. 6, Independence Avenue, Colombo 7. (For those who [...]
RASSL lecture on the 13th century turning point
The Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka’s (RASSL) lecture this month is “Thirteenth Century as a turning point in the historical development of Sri Lanka?” It will be delivered by Prof. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri, Professor of History, University of Colombo, on Monday, August 26 at 5 p.m. at the Council Room, Royal Asiatic Society of [...]
Giving back: Sujeeva Hapugalle here for recital
Even one hundred years after George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue was debuted in 1924, it seems an extraordinary departure from everything that came before it. Gershwin brilliantly fused what he described as “a kaleidoscope of America, our national pep, our blues, our metropolitan madness.” With its influences of jazz and blues and even the soundtrack of the [...]
Courage in a cup: Clutch Theatre’s play with a purpose
Many go an entire lifetime without understanding what Alex Scott grasped easily in her early childhood: that life is a roller coaster of emotions and not simply black and white. “I mean, I could fake it and make it all really fun, but that wouldn’t be true. And I could make it all really sad, [...]
Stitching together memories of war and her grandmother’s stories
Artist Hema Shironi blends a legacy from her mother and grandmother – embroidery with the travails of growing up with the civil war, when they changed houses more than 16 times within Matale town alone, due to being part of the minority, her mother a Hindu Tamil and her father a Roman Catholic Tamil. In [...]
St. Francis of Assisi, Mount Lavinia presents ‘Alpha and Omega’
Celebrating 21 years of musicals in “worship, praise and thanksgiving”, the choir of St. Francis of Assisi, Mount Lavinia will present ‘Alpha and Omega’ on Saturday, August 31 at 5.30 p.m. at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, 80, Hotel Road, Mount Lavinia. From quiet moments of reflection to stirring moments of praise, the [...]
Amritha holds her Arangetram
Amritha Anandaraja will hold her Bharatha Natya Arangetram on Saturday, August 31 at the Buddhist Cultural Centre in Colombo. A student of Dr Nirmala John, Amritha is at the Colombo International School. Kalasuri Smt.Vasugy Jegatheeswaran is the chief guest at the arangetram.
It’s time for MJF’s People’s Market
On Saturday, August 31, the MJF Charitable Foundation Centre in Moratuwa will hold the People’s Market. Dedicated to supporting local entrepreneurs and fostering community growth since its inception in 2021, the People’s Market was created as a platform to boost small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has since evolved into a thriving ecosystem that [...]