In the wake of the presidential and general elections, the National People’s Power (NPP) government will have to navigate the disinformation and scare tactics that were deployed during the campaign period about…
In Nedunkeni, a small town outside Vavuniya, an ancient Hindu monument consecrated to Lord Siva stood on Vedukkunaari hill. The monument was reported stolen and later its destroyed remnants were found in…
November 10 will be the 37th anniversary of the killing of Fr. Michael Rodrigo, OMI, popularly known as Fr. Mike. He was killed while I was a student at St. Peter’s and…
The root causes of Sri Lanka’s 26 year civil war have yet to be addressed resulting in many consequences including exacerbating the issue of land conflicts and contestation related to places of…
In times of calamity women are affected disproportionately, and Sri Lanka’s ethnic and religious conflicts are no exception to the rule. In the post-war context, Tamil women were left to look for…
In Nedunkeni, a small town outside Vavuniya, there is news of the destruction of an ancient Hindu monument, an athi lingam (distinguishable symbol) consecrated to Lord Siva, that stood proudly on Vedukkunaari…
Jonathan Glazer, director of The Zone of Interest (Oscar acceptance speech) The Pali Canon has the original tale but it’s the version in the commentaries we know. In both stories, she is…
In the bustling heart of Colombo amid the cacophony of urban life, a group of fishermen from Pitipana, Negombo, have taken a bold stand against what they perceive as injustice. Their protest,…
High atop Vedukkunaari Hill in the Vavuniya district, an ancient temple stands at the precipice of a religious and legal storm. Revered by the local Tamil community as the Vedukkunaari Aathi Lingeswarar…
The news barely made the news. Defence secretary (retired) General Kamal Gunaratne and Army Commander General Vikum Liyanage were ordered by the Parliamentary Privileges Committee to apologise to parliamentarian Chandima Weerakkody. Last…
The Tripitaka is silent on the subject but the Buddha’s three visits to the isle of Lanka constitute an article of faith for most Sinhala-Buddhists. Kelaniya is believed to have been the…
During his recent visit to the United States, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the leader of the National People’s Power, addressed an interesting question from a Sri Lankan resident. The person highlighted the significant…
More than any other religion Buddhism has the capacity to capture the imagination of many people born to other faiths. Its intellectual clarity, its appeal to reason and foresight has appealed to…
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…
There is a roaring Hajj business in Sri Lanka. As a friend of mine commented, no business is as good as the religious business. The Hajj committee, whose members are appointed on…
