Elephants, Egos and Rain
It is in these months of Esala and Nikini, when the drought reaches its maxim that the first rain making festivals began. Rituals to appease the rain gods were initiated by the…
Culture
Pyromaniacs on the March
“Patriotism,” wrote Ambrose Bierce in is “The combustible rubbish ready to the torch of anyone ambitious to illuminate his name.” Patriotism is not the last refuge of the scoundrel, as Samuel Johnson…
The Statue of Tara: It’s Time to Come Home
She stands tall at the heart of the British Museum’s South Asian exhibit. In all her gilded bronze glory, her eyes search passing spectators, although the jewels which once adorned them have…
Mullahs and Muslim MPs Masculinize MMDA
“… since the Prophet was a human being who, unlike God, is subject to mundane historical processes, his legacy cannot exist outside the context of human mediation and human authorial process. The…
After the Fact
The family of Amal Sanderatne shared a public message, which was courageous and honest in the context of the stigma that has cloaked the issue of mental health and suicidal ideation in…
Incubating, Again
Half a century ago, it was higher education, saving universities from Tamil encroachment. Today it is Buddhist heritage, saving archaeological sites in the North and the East from Tamil encroachment. Tomorrow another…
Kurundi: A Runway to ’56?
In his fifth labour, Heracles cleans the Augean Stables by rerouting the rivers Alpheus and Peneus through the filthy abode of King Augeas’ divine cattle. Many believed that the aragalaya would have…
Romesh Gunesekera on Connecting with His Homeland
Sri Lanka authors have been in the limelight recently, hitting a peak with Shehan Karunatilaka’s 2022 Booker Prize for The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida. Kanya D’Almeida won the Commonwealth Short Story…
#ArchivesMatter and So Do Archivists
One of the few government officials who knows what she’s doing, Dr Nadeera Rupesinghe, remains a cut above the rest. Deeply committed to her work, she epitomises in every way the enormity…
Remains of the Day: 9.5.22
On this day, one year ago, I was alone in my studio working intensely on some paintings totally unaware of the chaos emerging and gathering momentum in my city, where government supporters…
Disappearing Music Traditions of Muslims
In a brilliant and much needed documentary directed by Nadya Perera, one of the fast dying heritages of Sri Lankan Muslims, namely their musical traditions, has been brought to light. The Muslim…
The Globalisation of Asian Cinema
Alfred Mahan, a historian, once proclaimed that whoever commands the Indian Ocean in the 21st century will have control over the world, and he also declared it to be the Asian Century.…
Teardrop on Fire: Exposing Gender Based Violence
For her documentary film Teardrop On Fire, Jessica Palden interviewed many people who have directly experienced domestic abuse and intimate partner violence in Sri Lanka. The footage for the film was generated…
Sister, Sister
We lock pinkies and swear oaths stronger and more fearsome than a man could dream for blood is our birthright so our ties are awash in it drenched in a secret…
Boys Will Be Boys
Boys will be boys, And that girl who was groped in the back of the bus, Will go back home, See phantom handprints on her clothes, And wince every time someone comes…
