Gratiaen shortlist revealed amidst a ‘family gathering’ of lit lovers
It was a cosy gathering at the British Council library as night fell with bats circling around the leafy Alfred House Gardens; the shortlist of the 2025 Gratiaen Prize for Sri Lankan creative writing in English was to be announced –a tradition that has become “almost a family gathering” as Orlando Edwards, the Country Director [...]
A novel inspired by revisitng a childhood favourite read
Alan de Costa is a distinguished example of the ‘autumnal novelist’- having taken to spinning long yarns following an illustrious career as a surgeon albeit growing up in a house in Colombo “chock-full of books –upstairs, downstairs – front door, back door.” A product of St. Joseph’s College and the Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin, [...]
Hidden in plain sight, it was more than just a walk in the park
Contrary to the old adage, it is the trees that are not seen for the forest and not the other way round! The best example? Colombo’s Viharamahadevi Park which, though a thick mantle of green with stalwart sylvan sentinels aplenty, is often overlooked as a parkland of wonderful arboreal specimens, many dating back to British [...]
Letters to the Editor
Sri Lanka running the risk of losing its entrepreneurs From obtaining a birth certificate to opening a bank account, paying municipal taxes, or even changing an electricity meter, citizens are forced to a navigate slow, complicated and outdated processes that consume time, and energy. The latest example is the growing complexity at the Registrar of [...]
Appreciations
A gentleman par excellence and exceptional mentor to engineers Eng. Russel De Zilwa It is with deep sadness that we remember the passing of our dear colleague, Eng. Russel De Zilwa. I first met Russel at Colombo Commercial Company (Engineers) Ltd. in early 1977, when I joined as a fresh Mechanical Engineer after completing my [...]
A concert, a story of connection and a legacy of 70 years of choral music
Drawn by thee, our souls aspiring Soar to uncreated light Through the way where hope is guiding, hark, what peaceful music rings [...]
Away from the colonial gaze: C.S. Stevens’ little-known encounters with the Veddah
In a revealing review of the book ‘The Reinventing of Humanity’ by Charles King, the critic Francis Gooding had this damning comment to make on those who had practised social anthropology as a discipline; As a postgraduate student of social anthropology in the mid 1990s it seemed to me that I was joining a discipline [...]
Celebrating mothers the Table by Nyne way
This May, Table by Nyne invites guests to slow down and celebrate Mother’s Day in a way that extends far beyond a single Sunday. Set against the charm of Lake Lodge in Colombo 3, the restaurant presents a month-long High Tea experience designed to bring families together over a thoughtfully curated spread, blending classic tradition [...]
The rise and fall of Pre-Poya and Poya days
The International Centre for Ethnic Studies (ICES) will premiere its latest documentary, ‘Just a Phase’, on Friday, May 15. The 59-minute documentary feature, directed by Sharni Jayawardena, will be screened at the PVR Cinema, One Galle Face, at 5 p.m. The film explores an extraordinary yet largely forgotten episode in Sri Lanka’s post-independence history. From [...]
Poems inspired by nature, history and place
‘Where the Kingfisher Waits’ by Nirma de Silva Wijeyeratne is a recently published collection of poems about journeys inspired by nature, history and place. With evocative description, lived experience and a deep appreciation of natural and cultural heritage, the poet takes the reader from rice fields of golden plumes, to white stupas, to tables overflowing [...]