Sweet success of bitter veggie
It can be cooked, sliced thinly, fried and made into a tangy sambol or put into a blender and turned into a juice. It is said to have been the favourite dish of a king – none other than the last monarch of Kandy, Sri Wickrema Rajasinghe. Although of high value with praises being sung [...]
Letters to the Editor
A viable alternative for railway gates With an increasing number of accidents and deaths at unprotected railway crossings in the country being reported, the focus is now on how to find a solution. It is said that it would cost around Rs. 4.5 million to instal one electronic rail gate and that the cost would [...]
Appreciations
Colleague, friend and citizen of the world Lilitha Chamindrani Handagama Dr. Charmi Mendis-Handagama obtained a Veterinary degree in Sri Lanka in 1977 and received the Royal Commonwealth Gold Medal, when degrees for women were not as common as they are today. The struggle did not discourage her, in fact she took up a more daunting [...]
Story of travellers and travelees takes Michelle on a winning journey
For the first time in the history of the Miles Franklin Award the shortlist comprised only women writers – among them Sri Lankan born author Michelle de Kretser. Though she has never been in the running before, Michelle’s ‘Questions of Travel’ went on to win the prestigious award, which recognises the novel ‘of the highest [...]
You could help to keep these little hearts beating
Then there was elation, now there is only fear and anxiety. One baby is dead and the other four seem to be fighting for survival while the tearful mother, Fathima Farjeeziya, hopes and prays and yearns to hold her babies close. When the Sunday Times visits 31-year-old Fathima in Ward 5 of the Kandy Teaching [...]
Anilana goes places
Anilana Hotels now on a massive expansion drive that will see their resorts expand to Passekudah, Nilaveli, Dambulla, Panichchankani, Seladive Island, Vakarai and Blue Lagoon hosted a reception at the Grand Ballroom of the Colombo Hilton to celebrate the launch of their brand last month.
If you’re house-proud, head to Odel
House-proud customers visiting Odel’s Alexandra Place store now have an even wider choice of products to choose from, following the expansion of the store’s ‘Home’ department. An additional 330 square feet of space now dedicated to home ware on the mezzanine floor of the store, displays an exciting range of new high-end ornaments, vases, candle [...]
Dilly & Carlo comes to Dutch Hospital
Dilly & Carlo opened their newest clothing store at the recently opened addition to the Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct. The new store is home to the in-house collections Moods, Voyages, Dilly’s Formal, Discoveries, Carlo, Carlo Boy and Tammy along with a select collection of other brands. Dilly & Carlo is open from 9.30 a.m. to [...]
Striding in style
Thunderstorms descended in the morning but the clouds cleared by afternoon and it was perfect weather for a celebration of Ladies’. LCites, past and present joined in to walk for their school at ‘LC Strides 2013’ organised by the Parent Teacher Association of CMS Ladies’ College on June 29. The fundraiser was for the school’s [...]
Events in brief
“Praveshi” Sitar recital “Praveshi”, a sitar recital by Visharad Tania Karunaratne and Visharad Dinuka Samith Weerasinghe will be held on Wednesday, July 10 at 6 p.m. at the Indian Cultural Centre auditorium, 16/2, Gregory’s Road, Colombo 7. Tania Karunaratne and Dinuka Samith Weerasinghe completed their degree in Music from the University of Visual and Performing [...]
An empowering experience
Today marks the last day of sessions at Open Talk and an exhibition at the Park Street Mews of the 16 artworks made in response to the Mobile Library and the Sri Lanka Archive of Contemporary Art, Architecture & Design. Featured below are four interesting new artists: Monuments to Lost Memories, 2013 For his piece, [...]
Choosing the correct cast to take on Tennessee Williams
The same trip to London that gave Jerome L. De Silva the inspiration he needed to attempt ‘Evita’ and his upcoming production of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar,’ nudged him in the direction of ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’. Before that, he’d already had years to become intimately acquainted with the script of Tennessee William’s iconic play, in [...]
It’s not just snapping a picture but snapping a good one
From the seasoned professional to the youngster having his or her first lesson on the prism and how light behaves through it, whether capturing an image from a high calibre DSLR or mobile phone; the allure of the art form of photography has grown significantly in modern society. ‘Lark of Light’ an exhibition by the [...]
Changing lines
Every room in Tilak Samarawickrema’s house plays host to a different tapestry. They were all designed by him and woven by his long time collaborators, a family of weavers in Thalagune, Uda Dumbara. Though the tapestries may appear complete some of them are very much works in progress. Every now and again, Tilak will remove [...]
Her second home that makes her feel young again!
As the Mallika Nivasa Samithiya (Mallika Housing Society) turns 93 this year, a long-standing stalwart of the committee celebrates 50 years of service in her beloved second home. Indrani Munasinghe joined the executive committee of the society in 1963 during a dark period in her life. Fifty years on she looks back with a smile [...]
A lifetime of research and writing
This book brings together Professor Senake Bandaranayake’s seminal work on Sri Lankan history and archaeology. It encapsulates the defining ideas, theories, hypotheses and findings of the author’s work during over four decades of thought, analysis and dedicated research. It encompasses the author’s definitive concepts, their theoretical underpinnings and empirical foundations, philosophical perspectives and seminal field [...]
Photographs with enduring appeal
Book facts | Animal Verses – The Unseen Wilderness of Sri Lanka-by Surgeon Rear Admiral Lalith Ekanayake. Reviewed by Carlo Fonseka Believe me, sometimes against my will, I found myself staring long and long at many of the photographs comprising this book, like a rabbit fascinated by a snake. Some of them, especially the ones which have [...]
Civil society and a new hope?
Something funny seems to be happening all over Sri Lanka. (Ok, parts of it.) In the week gone by, I have felt a slight stirring that possibly hints at a light breeze of change. It’s a tingling of our country’s not yet fully connected well-being spine; a sixth sense that a civic sunrise is round [...]
United in compassion for a little squirrel
Some years ago, I was driving along a road in Sydney – there was a flash of fluttering white in front of the car before me, which suddenly halted. I jammed on my brakes and saw with relief that the car behind me had also stopped without crashing. A white cockatoo had fallen from the [...]
Underwater meadows of grass
Along parts of the shoreline, gently rippling underwater, they look like seaweeds, but in fact, are not. These are seagrasses: flowering, seed-bearing, rooted in the mud, growing completely underwater, found exclusively in marine coastal waters and in some coastal wetlands. Like grasses in terrestrial habitats, they form meadows on the beds of shallow coastal seas, [...]
The search for ‘Walawe Raja’
For many years, the elephant Walawe Raja was an icon of the Uda Walawe National Park, being one of the largest tuskers who regularly frequented the park. He was a popular sight for visitors and was featured in international wild life films. In 2009, Walawe Raja was not sighted in the park, and there was [...]
SLMA Health Run and Walk
The Health Run and Walk from the BMICH organised by the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) is today (July 7). The event, to celebrate the 126th anniversary of the SLMA, is open to the public and aims to create a healthier tomorrow. Lung function tests, medical check-ups and sports therapy will be provided free of [...]
Help baby Tashini
Baby J.M. Tashini Amodya Thathsarani , who is just over one year old has severe sensorneural hearing loss in both ears since birth. Her doctor, Consultant ENT Surgeon Dr. H.M. Sisira Bandara Etulgama has advised Cochlear Implant Surgery as soon as possible. The surgery will be done at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Specialised Children’s Hospital in [...]
MED Express: Catering to mental health
Even in our modern world, psychiatric illness remains a taboo subject. Many are unaware of it; others tend to ignore or ridicule the sufferers. This lack of awareness has created a situation in which even the most mild cases of mental illness that can be managed effectively with medication and psychological interventions are ignored due [...]
New play looks at the trials and tribulations of reality TV
An all-star cast will be featured on July 12 at the Tower Theatre in Maradana, when the play “Math ekka natanna” (Dance with me) takes to the stage to discuss Sri Lanka’s reality TV culture and the life of one of its contestants. The play, directed by Deepal Aponso, features Jayalal Rohana, Rodney Warnakula, Rathnashila [...]
Conference on Buddhist Studies research papers
The 9th annual conference on Buddhist Studies will be held on December 13 and 14. The organisers, the Department of Pali and Buddhist Studies, University of Sri Jayewardenapura in association with The Buddhist Times Trust are now calling for papers to be presented at the conference. Academics and researchers are invited to present papers relating [...]
St. Benedict’s College Old Boys’ Union AGM
The 109th Annual General Meeting of St. Benedict’s College Old Boys’ Union was held on Sunday, June 30 at the Collage Hall. The proceedings began with Holy Mass concelebrated by Old Benedictine Priests Rev. Fr. Noel Dias, Rev. Fr. Lalith Felix and Rev. Fr. Kamal Nishantha Fernando. A fellowship social lunch at the Old Bens [...]
A haven for patients
Cancer Hospital Temple has sheltered over one million cancer patients since 1982 Walking into the premises of the Cancer Hospital Temple that has sheltered over one million cancer patients and their families since 1982, what immediately caught our eye was the wide open main door that welcomes every person who has reason to seek its [...]
