A single sentence on the back of Chandima Rajapatirana’s t-shirt reads ‘nothing is impossible’. As far as personal mottos go, this one suits its wearer to a tee. Diagnosed with autism and apraxia as a four- year- old, Chandima has defied the prediction of specialists. The man who they recommended should be institutionalised is today … Continue reading
Latest Entries
Vladimir Lyakhov: In the Steps of Gagarin
3 is Vladimir Lyakhov’s lucky number – for the 3 Soyuz missions he flew, for the 3 space stations he stepped into, for the 3 times he left the station to walk into the icy vastness outside. Vladimir Lyakhov in Colombo this week. Epic journey: Yuri Gagarin, first man in space Then another … Continue reading
Academics / Chefs / Researchers / Writers
Ananda S. Pilimatalavuva: Recipes from the Cookery Book of the Last Kandyan Dynasty
Ananda S. Pilimatalavuva lives a quiet life in the same town where his distant ancestors were once known as ‘King Makers’. Under the Naayakkar (Vaduga) Kings of Kandy, four Pilimatalavuvas were appointed Maha Adikarams. The third held sway for two decades, and served as a Chief Adigar or Chief Minister to two kings. The story … Continue reading
Sharni Jayawardena and Tarika Wickremeratne, Kannan Arunasalam, Menika van der Poorten: Films about Post-Conflict Sri Lanka
At www.movingimages.asia, Sharni Jayawardena and Tarika Wickremeratne take a walk about Slave Island, Kannan Arunasalam films ‘portraits of resilience’ in Jaffna and Menika van der Poorten searches out what’s left of the planter Eurasian community. Employing photography and film, the series is modelled on one that ran in the New York Times – the Emmy award … Continue reading
Ben Cross: Surviving Chariots of Fire
Under the lights, Ben Cross has begun to sweat. His heavy, brown uniform doesn’t help, so in the breaks between filming it’s the first thing he takes off. Now, sitting in his white undershirt, in a bright red silk air-conditioned tent, Ben is talking about his other great love. Up on youtube, you’ll find recordings … Continue reading
Laki Senanayake: Far from the Maddening Crowd
Dressed in his regulation sarong and t-shirt, Laki Senanayake looks like there are few things he takes seriously – certainly, he doesn’t count his reputation as an ‘artist’ among them. “I’m assured by various people…that I’m Sri Lanka’s leading artist – God knows where I’m leading anyone,” he says, grinning. We meet Laki at Barefoot, … Continue reading
Aaron Burton: A Journey of Inheritance
In 1976, a young anthropologist named Sharon Bell travelled to Sri Lanka to begin work on her thesis. She learnt Sinhala in three months and settled down in the village of Kanewala for two years. She became friends with local families there and in Pelpitigoda and Duwa as well, following the fishermen from the latter … Continue reading
Vittanachchi, Alaganathan, Bala Suresh, Samantha Prasanna, Mohammed Hussein: Running a Kade in Colombo
Kades of every description line the streets of Colombo. Many are family businesses, passed down from one generation to the next, and populated with loyal customers who wander in several times a day for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with the odd tea break in the middle.They offer affordable, simple, hearty fare and no-nonsense service; and … Continue reading
Devdutt Pattanaik: On “restructuring of the Mahabharata for the 21st century”
The Mahabharata – sometimes considered the fifth Vedda – is longer than the Odyssey and the Iliad combined, and its influence rivals that of the Bible and the Quran. Though ranked high among the world’s most ambitious and absorbing works of literature, it hasn’t always been among the most accessible. Yet, Devdutt Pattanaik’s ‘Jaya: An … Continue reading
Samuel Khor: Blind Masseur Extraordinaire
If you want the full works from Samuel Khor, you’re going to have to take off all your clothes first. However, Sam’s clients are rarely shy about doing so. A blind masseur, Sam practises his art in the Malaysian city of Kuala Lumpur. There, you can find him in Little India, where 18 units on … Continue reading
Smriti Daniel 