‘Being Asian is an asset in opera’
Each episode of the television show ‘America’s Got Talent’ draws anywhere between 10 and 12 million viewers in the United States alone. This is the largest audience Sean Panikkar, 31, has ever performed for and it makes for an unusual twist in an already very successful career. Having been voted through to the semi-final round [...]
Esala Perahera: Religious and cultural significance of a much-awaited pageant
“The priest takes his painted stick on his shoulder……and gets up upon an elephant all covered with white cloth, upon which he rides with all the triumph that king and kingdom can afford, through all the streets of Kandy.” –Robert Knox (1660-1679) Come August and Sri Lankans look forward to the Esala Perahera; a much [...]
Preach the revered Dhamma to others with respect and dignity
The Buddha has proclaimed to the monks a comprehensive and lucid code of conduct to be safeguarded and followed at all times. It covers the gamut of a Bhikkhu’s life. Preaching being a most notable occupation of a monk, the Buddha has dealt at length with this subject, mainly in the Vinayapitaka and to a [...]
People obeyed him through fear and blackmail
He knew him quite well and even assisted in the services which would later gain a name as exorcism events and lure troubled men and women, easy prey for the machinations of a “wolf in sheep’s clothing”. Their paths had crossed earlier, when Chandra Mohotti (now Senior Vice President of Galle Face Hotels) was still a [...]
‘You’ve got to get out there with an innovative mind’
It was 2008 going on 2009 when Sharad Amalean turned to his elder brother Mahesh Amalean and said, “This is going to unravel completely.” It wasn’t news to Mahesh, who as Chairman of MAS Holdings had watched as the company reeled under the economic downturn. As orders dropped, they had had to lay off people [...]
Dance on a high
“Jazzin’ – Rhythm of the Soul” the annual concert of the Danceworld School of Modern, Jazz & Ballet was held for the seventh year on August 10 and 11 at the Lionel Wendt. It was a thrilling night of hardcore, high-energy dancing just as promised by the school’s founder, director and producer of the show, Sureka [...]
Letters to the editor
Piecing together the bloody jigsaw puzzle of Rathupaswala It took the general public more than a week to put together the pieces in the Rathupaswala jigsaw puzzle as information trickled in slowly. But yet, the picture is not complete. There are still, several missing pieces. What has now been publicly established through media reports has [...]
Appreciations
Remembering a driving force of Lanka Mahila Samiti Ranee Herath One year has passed since that sparkling smile and endearing voice which adorned her magnetic personality were lost to us forever. The enviable personal qualities she possessed radiated such admirable affection, kindness and generosity by which she stood out in society. The members of the [...]
Manohansa’s new bold strokes on paper
Prageeth Manohansa has over the past few years become one of the island’s most prominent sculptors. His recent projects include the 20-foot high peacock made entirely of scrap metal (Manohansa’s primary medium) and a solo exhibition at the end of last year in Singapore. Manohansa’s assemblage has inspired many other young local sculptors and what [...]
Sing a song – get a glass of orange juice!
Commemorating birth anniversaries of well-known persons always brings out interesting anecdotes. So it was at the commemorative meeting of scholar Cumaratunga Munidasa’s 126th birth anniversary held recently. Pandit Amaradeva was among the invited guests and had some amusing tales to relate. Pandit Amaradeva recalled the days when he visited the scholar’s home, ‘Hevana’ and sang [...]
Events
A touch of Switzerland Colombo had a taste of Switzerland when Swiss Ambassador Thomas Litscher hosted an evening reception at the Swiss Residence to mark Swiss National Day which fell on August 1. Going back to schooldays! S. Thomas Prep School, Colpetty, Batch of 1963-68 had their 50th anniversary reunion at Citrus Leisure Hotel, Hikkaduwa [...]
One foot in the past
“All men, whatever their condition, who have done anything of merit,” wrote Benvenuto Cellini (1500-1571),“if they be men of truth and good repute, should write the tale of their life with their own hand.” Very few practising architects have taken the advice of this Renaissance artist and autobiographies by architects are very rare, especially by those [...]
Of mosques and mice in masques
Last Sunday, we wrote that the events of Weliveriya in the week past would soon be forgotten. We were right, but for another reason. We essayed the suspicion that the tendency of Sri Lankans to be (what we like to call) “resilient” – adaptable, untouched, forgetful – would help us all to gloss over the [...]
A new age for art
With digital photography all the rage, the National Photographic Art Society of Sri Lanka decided to switch their 16th International Exhibition of Photography, Sri Lanka – 2013 from print to digital image files. Lovers of photographic art around the world have responded with enthusiasm, with as many as 3, 291 digital images from 27 countries [...]
Police Sergeant honoured for 27 years of service
The Chairman of the Sri Lanka Police Inspectors’ Association, Chinthaka Gunarathna, presented a plaque to Police Sargeant Denipitiya in honour of his 27 years of service to the Inspectors’ Association and the Police Officers’ Messes. Sergeant Denipitiya was awarded the plaque and a certificate of excellence by the Executive Committee in the presence of 1,200 [...]
Pakistan Independence Day celebrations
The High Commission of Pakistan celebrated the 67th Independence Day of Pakistan on Wednesday. Here Pakistani High Commissioner Maj Gen (R) Qasim Qureshi addressing the gathering during the celebrations at the High Commission in Colombo.
67th Independence Day of India
A ceremony was held at India House, the residence of the Indian High Commissioner Y. K. Sinha on Thursday on the occasion of the 67th Independence Day of India.
Dehiwela YMCA Sunshine Camp
The 41st Sunshine Camp for children with special abilities and needs, organised by the Dehiwela YMCA, will be held for two days on Friday, August 24 and Saturday, August 25 at the Dehiwela YMCA premises, commencing at 8 a.m. each day. Started in 1970, the camp has been held annually and last year the number of [...]
Aarya Lagoon Resort receives Cardinal’s blessing
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith blessed Aarya Lagoon Resort, which is close to St. Anne’s Church Thalawila, Kalpitiya, recently. The Rector of Aquinas, Fr. Placidus De Silva and Monsignor Fr. Neville Joe were also present along with the owner of the resort, Nihal Hettiarachchi, Chartered Accountant
‘88 Batch’ of Mahindians celebrates 25 years
Celebrating 25 years since they left school, the ‘88 Batch’ of Mahinda College, Galle, has organised a get-together and dinner on Saturday, August 31 at the VIP lounge of the Galle International Cricket Stadium at 6 p.m. All Mahindians from the ‘88 batch are invited by the organising committee to participate in this event. For [...]
The 17th Intake of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University marks 15 years of service
The 17th Intake of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University marks the commencement of their 15th year of service in the Army, Navy and Air Force this August. To mark the occasion, the members will pay tribute to batchmates who made the supreme sacrifice in safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka, [...]
‘Blossoms of Hope 2013’
The proceeds from the ‘Blossoms of Hope 2013’ exhibition held recently by Ikebana International Sri Lanka Chapter along with donations from well-wishers were used to purchase medicines for children in the paediatric ward No. 15B of the Maharagama Cancer Hospital. The medicines were handed over to Dr. Damayanthi Peiris.
Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation ‘Memory Screening Day’
The Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation will offer Memory Screening next Sunday, August 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Foundation’s Service and Information Centre at 110, Ketawalamulla Lane, Colombo 10. Memory screening can be a helpful first step for families if they are seeing signs of memory problems in their loved ones. The screening [...]
SLAF commercial tours
Helitours (Pvt.) Ltd., one of the many commercial services offered by the Sri Lankan Air Force, held a press briefing last week at the Air Force Headquarters to enlighten travellers, tour operators and the media about the diverse services they offer. Previously used only for military purposes, the company is an example of how the [...]
Making children happy
Kiara and Siyara are two peas in a pod. At ages of 11 and 9 respectively the resemblance between them is uncanny-but even more striking is what they have achieved in their lives so far. The sisters are barely out of elementary school and they have already brought a smile to the lives of students [...]
