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Are
you an August-born? Take the Alawathugoda
family next door. Papa Aley celebrates his birthday on the 1st.
Mama Aley's falls on the 4th and the two junior Aleys were born
on the 22nd and the 24th. All in August, of course. "My birthday
falls in March. But let me see how many I know celebrate their birthdays
in August..." ponders Minoli while she waits for her father
in front of the Information Resource Centre of the British Council,
Colombo. "My father,
his sister, three of my cousins, my niece, my brother's fiance...about
seven altogether." Her eyebrows rise towards the sky in amazement.
We slap hands. I have found a companion. She too sees August and
birthdays as a phenomenon. An acquaintance
of Minoli's, joins our conversation. "Yes it is surprising
how many birthdays fall in August. In my office hardly a day goes
by without either one or the other of my colleagues giving us birthday
cake. Beginning from August 2, almost everyday has been somebody's
birthday." Is there something
special in those who are born in August? According to the Western
almanac if your birthday falls somewhere between 1-23, your sun
sign is Leo and this is what Jill Davis in her book, "Everyday
Astrology" says about you. "If you are a Leo, you are
an extremely proud creature and you have many qualities in which
you can justly take pride: you are generous of spirit, affectionate,
charismatic and creative. But pride is
also your downfall. You find it almost impossible to admit you might
be in the wrong, and pride combined with the fixed nature of your
sign, can result in bloody-mindedness and obstinacy. But allowances
should be made for the lion; for if you are a show off it is because
you have been the centre of attention all your life. If you are
bossy it's because you are the best person to wear the "I am
in charge" badge. And when it comes to romance, Leo has written
the book. Your tender and skilful lovemaking will leave your partner
starry-eyed, and feeling cherished and adored. Virgo is the
sun sign of those who are born between August 24-31. Everybody belonging
to this sign is supposed to be precise and methodical in his or
her thoughts, says Davis. "They are perfectionists. And their
main fault lies in their obsession with analyzing everything to
death. In love they approach their intimate relationships not as
matters of the heart but as academic exercises. When they make love
they are precise and efficient. Quiet, and
competent Virgo is a sincere and dependable person who is supportive
and considerate of the less fortunate". August, named
after the Roman Emperor, Augustus, is one of the hottest months
of the year. In the Tempest Shakespeare calls it the "weary"
month. Not surprising
then, that the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6,
1945, and that Christopher Columbus sets sail from Palos, Spain,
on his first voyage across the Atlantic on August 3, 1492, and that
the English poet, Lord Alfred Tennyson was born on August 6th, 1809. In the 19th
century an unknown writer had allocated birthstones for every month
in the calendar. (Notes and Queries, March 11, 1889) Garnets for
January, pearls for February, bloodstone for March, diamonds for
April, emerald for May, agate for June, ruby for July, sapphire
for September, opal for October, topaz for November, and turquoise
for December. But for August?
Here is a suggestion for all those who are wondering what kind of
birthday present they could buy for someone born in August. Buy
a sardonynx - the birthstone for August. For as the unknown author
had written, "the August born without this stone, 'tis said
must live unloved and alone". Unloved? Alone? You wouldn't want this to happen to someone you know, would you? Expressions
in colour
While
the younger painters had concentrated more on animals and scenes
depicting nature, those in the turbulent and difficult teen years
had come up with works of maturity, amazing in child art. Done in a variety
of media - water colour, tubes, pastels, felt pens, a few in oils
and several collages - the intricate work and colour combinations
depicted much freedom of thought and expression. "I just
put on canvas what I can't express in words, my deepest feelings.
Painting is also a very individual thing and one can express one's
emotions to the fullest," says Sharmila Kandasamy, 17, who
began scribbling this and that at a very young age, but now deals
with subjects like 'Reality of death' and 'Singing in sorrow'. Serious art
came when she was about 13, and the person who influenced her Art brings
absolute freedom, stresses 18-year-old Shehana Amarasekara. "There
are no restrictions when we paint, we can paint anything,"
she adds, while Anukshi de Lanerolle, also 18, nods in agreement,
not giving voice to teenage thoughts of restrictions and discipline
that most of us have gone through, before reaching adulthood. Shehana who
has aptly localised the Holy Family in 'Wonder of birth', says her
role model in art is her Achchi. Anukshi has dealt with nature in
her 'Two-winged beauties' and also tried her hand at 'A design'. An interesting
fact of the exhibition was that a large number of these paintings
done by students of a convent school dealt with Buddhist themes
of monks and dagobas, revealing that HFC truly is an inter-racial,
inter-religious school. The many offers
which came even from foreigners to buy the paintings of this 335-work
exhibition held to commemorate the school's centenary, would have
warmed the hearts of teachers Manourie Andree and N. Vijayakanthan
under whom these children have blossomed. |
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Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers
Ltd. All rights reserved. |
most
is her mother, she acknowledges. 
