Finding custodians for the Piprahwa Relics
On May 7, Sotheby’s Hong Kong was set to auction “gem relics” of the Buddha, with a starting bid of HK$100m (£9.7m). That sale has now been postponed. Amidst a rising tide of objections to the sale, from Buddhist and academic quarters worldwide, the Indian government issued a legal notice to Sotheby’s Hong Kong and [...]
Other stupas maybe grander but Thuparamaya stands tall
The Thuparamaya in Anuradhapura was the first stupa built in the country around 300 B.C, in the reign of King Devanampiyatissa. Since then, grander stupas have been erected in Anuradhapura and across the country, but the Thuparamaya or Thuparama Dagaba remains one of the most revered places of worship for Buddhists, aesthetically pleasing and a [...]
The significance of Vesak
Vesak stands as the most significant religious festival for Buddhists globally, a time of profound reflection and celebration. This sacred day uniquely commemorates the three fundamental milestones in the life of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha: his auspicious birth, his supreme enlightenment under the Bodhi tree achieving Nirvana, and his peaceful passing into Parinirvana. The convergence [...]
Timeless relevance of the Buddha Dhamma
The luminous full moon of Vesak bathes the world in its sacred radiance, illuminating the three pivotal moments that define the extraordinary journey of Siddhartha Gautama. On this most auspicious of days, the cosmos witnessed the birth, the enlightenment, and the final transcendence of the Buddha—the Awakened One. More than 2,500 years ago, under the [...]
Appreciations
She steered the company through very rough seas Christine Fernando April 24, was a sad day for the greater family of United Tractor & Equipment (popularly known as UTE) as one of its key members, Christine Fernando, bid goodbye to this world to be with her Maker. She was suffering from health issues during the [...]
From the first Buddhist flag unfurled in 1885 to a shop called Deepaduththara
It decks the roads and evokes faith in the hearts of Buddhists each Vesak- the colours of the Buddha’s res or aureole soothing the soul in the full moon night, when serene light and calmness is everywhere… We must look back to the Buddhist revival in colonial Ceylon to get a glimpse of the birth [...]
A Mexican artist in town
The Intangible and the Invisible – an exhibition of stunning abstract paintings by acclaimed Mexican plastic artist and architect Pedro Trueba was on show at the Lionel Wendt Gallery from Monday to Friday last week. The exhibition was also a special celebration of the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Mexico and Sri Lanka, organised [...]
A love-hate relationship with English that brought forth stories
Savin Edirisinghe is a 25-year-old writer from Imaduwa, a quiet suburb in the Galle district. An only child, Savin’s earliest connection to English was forged at Sussex College, Galle, where he began what he calls a love-hate relationship with English — a relationship that would grow into a pursuit of stories, voices, and meaning. He [...]