On Layn Baan St in Galle Fort, two exquisitely melancholy sea monsters are separated by a rusty gate. Stricken by grief, one wears a tower for a hat, the other towers above the lighthouse, rising above the fort with a ship bleeding oil cradled in its thin, long arms. The black ooze around their waists … Continue reading
In Dharshan Munidasa’s yakitori garden, the sauce has been 18 years in the brewing. As the coals splutter, heating the grill, Dharshan tells us that jaggery, apple and honey go into the signature recipe and traditionally the pot is never allowed to empty – instead every cupful that is taken out is painstakingly replaced. Incidentally, … Continue reading
Particularly in recent years Thanula Wijewardena, a wildlife enthusiast, has begun to chafe at the sight of plastic bags, bottles and other discarded materials all over the island. On a recent trip to Mannar he came away saddened by beaches covered in litter and plastic debris. “We have a problem with litter, with plastic that’s … Continue reading
When I told friends “I’m going para-motoring,” their first response was always “para-what?” When I explained that I’d be strapping myself to an oversized fan and a giant parasail before attempting to fly, they said their final goodbyes. Undeterred I set off for Koggala on a cold, wet Friday morning. Driving in, the Sky Club … Continue reading
In 2007, the confluence of the Writers’ Guild of America strike and new fatherhood made Sanjit De Silva consider giving up acting. In a piece printed in the Actors Centre Journal in 2009, Sanjit agonised about what he owed his young son and whether he would be able to provide for him. “It seemed like … Continue reading
Watching Dinuk Wijeratne play the piano is like watching a man engaged in an intense conversation. He purses his lips and then pulls them back in a grimace; he shakes his head furiously then nods in complete satisfaction. Sometimes he mouths words, sometimes he stands up as if ready to pick a fight but sometimes … Continue reading
Author of Island of a Thousand Mirrors, Nayomi Munaweera seems in equal parts amused and amazed that the first line in her debut novel has managed to generate so much fuss. The prologue opens on a couple, who’ve just finished making love. She’s still awake, he is asleep, her sister’s name on his lips. “I … Continue reading
I first meet Sumudu Jayatilaka in her music. In ‘Supergirl,’ a melody meant for sunny skies and red balloons, where she tells me that she sometimes wishes she could fly away. In ‘Angel’ she lets me in on a secret – no one can ever doubt her, more than she doubts herself. These are, in … Continue reading
Shanaka Amarasinghe arches a single eyebrow. When the occasion calls for it, Ashini Fernando and Tehani Welgama exchange pointed looks and grin wickedly. Unfortunately, Chamath Arambewala isn’t here to join the rest of the cast but director Thushara Hettihamu volunteers to put words in his mouth. This week, I’m one on four with the actors … Continue reading
When Ferdinand Reille, aged 11, whacks Bruno Vallon in the face with a stick, he breaks two incisors. The kerfuffle in the playground forces the boys’ parents – Alain and Annette and Véronique and Michael – into the same room to discuss possible reconciliation. However, an encounter that begins with coffee and clafoutis quickly deteriorates: … Continue reading
Smriti Daniel 