• Taking artefacts nearer home
• High Fashions
  Dancing the night out
• Styles
  Where designer wear approches art...

• FORGOTTEN HERITAGE
  Veddhas land now blooms with rice fields
• A frame in time
  Straightening the corpse

By Lishanthie Siriwardena
Laksala the marketing outlet of the Sri Lanka Handicrafts Board will take its indigenous products closer to the customers with new outlets in Kollupitiya, Bentota and Negombo.

"The Kollupitiya outlet which is due to open in August will cater exclusively to gift hunters. It will be a convenient location and ideally suited for tourists and expatriates who look out for the indigenous products of Sri Lanka", Mr.Asoka Subasingha, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Handicrafts Board, said. There are 20 Laksala outlets all over the country selling the products of over 2,600 local craftsmen spread all over the country. The main Laksala in Fort has now been rearranged with the customers in mind.

Laksala will canvas the co-operation of tour guides to bring in tourists to these outlets, Mr.Subasingha.

As a part of its improved customer care services, a special group selected from its own sales staff will be trained to market its products and on proper display methods by private sector experts. Laksala also plans lobby sales in hotels. This will be in addition to the seasonal sales that are a regular feature.

Apart from marketing products ranging from silver and gold jewellery, rush and reedware, household and office furniture, handloom textiles, embroidery, batik and wood carvings Laksala provides services like curtaining and carpet laying and engraving

Through Laksala the state handicrafts emporium, the artefacts of traditional craftsmen are marketed through the 20 branches spread in various parts of the island. Laksala is entering the global market by taking part in international trade fairs-showcasing Lanka's artefacts to the world.

Mr.Asoka Subasinghe said participation in International trade fairs from this year after a lapse of 6 years has brought in valuable orders. International trade fairs held in Birmingham UK, Frankfurt and a businessman one to one meeting in Rotterdam, Holland helped boost the international demand for Sri Lankan products.

Sri Lanka Handicrafts Board was set up under the Ministry of Vocational Training and Rural Industries under the National Craft Council and Allied Institution Act.No 35 of 1982.

Laksala encourages craftsmen to turn out new motifs and designs and introduces them to appropriate technological advances to increase productivity and improve standards to meet present day requirements of customers and help mould and develop their skills.

"In 200 training centres annually we train over 2000 persons in 28 types of crafts. On completion of training these craftsmen start their own self employment projects and their products are marketed through Laksala", Mr.Subasinghe said.

When SLHCB was established in 1964 by the then Prime Minister Mrs.Sirimavo Bandaranaike its foremost task was to market products of the local handicraftsmen from all over the country. In December 1992 this organisation which operated as a marketing organisation expanded with the liquidation of the Small Industries department.

With the assimilation of the Small Industries Department 200 crafts training centres and manufacturing units specializing in handlooms, ceramics, furniture and steel fabrication were also transferred to the Sri Lanka Handicrafts board. Since then SLHCB is operating not only as a marketing organization but also as a production and training organisation.

The craftsmen benevolent and development fund takes care of the aged craftsmen who have been our regular suppliers. With all these new additions we hope to reach our target of 175 million rupee turnover this year.

Participatory management system where the top management takes decisions including products to be purchased for selling in consultation with the advisory committees which are represented by all levels of the employees.

Regular discussions with the unions keep a dialogue among the employers and the workers have confidence in their organisation, Mr. Subasingha said.

Text and Pics by Kirthi Sri Karunaratne
The annual dances of most schools and of many institutions were always held at the end of the year. The pattern has changed now, and there have been many dances held last month, bringing the events to mid year.

THE PAST PUPILS ASSOCIATION, BISHOP'S COLLEGE, held their annual dance PURPLE AND GOLD, in the Golden Ballroom of the Lanka Oberoi. As expected, it was a success from the word go, with Faizal Bongso to compere and the Peter Prins Combo and the Gypsies to keep the floor packed with the revellers. All the usual prizes and surprises were there, but fortunately didn't take away too much of the dancing time.

A great deal of effort had been put in by the organising committee with Angela Seneviratne Abeywardene as Chairperson, to collect the maximum funds to improve on the Bishop's College Auditorium. It was a slick and sophisticated gathering, with fashions that dazzled to catch the eye.

Angela's black Kandyan saree was glamour personified. In chiffon, the 'ihe' and the fall of the saree was embroidered in sunbursts of floral motifs in gold cord, with mother of pearl centres, and closely scattered with glittering gold sequins. She wore a simple black blouse, and a necklace and earstuds in gold and pearls.

A saree which shaded from a sunset flame, to an unusual shade of parrot green, Shalini Nanayakara wore with a rich guipure lace blouse, in the green and subdued gold. The body of the blouse was lined in green, and the sleeves in the flame colouring. Only a pair of drop earrings and a bracelet made her ornaments.

The blue saree Jennifer Ingleton wore was simple and elegant. The saree was bordered with an inset of nylon net, and the net and the sorroundings embroidered in the same blue silk thread, and in sequins. A little inset of the net with the embroidery was let in at the shoulder. She wore a diamond pendent on a gold chain and earstuds to match.

A smart printed saree was the choice of Ranee Rajapakse. The grey haze of a background was foil to block of design in deeper grey, with the border and pallu in black ethnic motifs outlined in gold lacquer. She wore a black blouse with little cap sleeves, a long gold necklace and large stud earrings for added sophistication.

Sato Jayamaha

Rosemarie Jesudasan out a dashing figure in a black saree with a contrasting border and jasmines in her hair, and Sato Jayamaha had her ecru silk saree appliqued in a subtle gold and deep blue brocade in a design of triangles, and gold ribbon, the work of designer Yoland Aluvihare. The saree was draped in the gujarati style, and her blouse in the simple ecru had near wrist length sleeves. Mitzi Zaveer favoured a salwar kameez, and a saree that drew many glances was worked in a luminous border of geometrics in turquoise on a gossamer fishnet. The styles certainly contributed to the ambiance of the evening, which went on till the wee hours of the morning.

Relaxed bonhomie
When Yvonne Keerthisingha celebrates her birthday friends and relations look forward to the event, as they are assured of a evening of relaxed bonhomie. There is always much by the way of music, as the hostess is an accomplished musician, and dancing and singing as well.

Among her friends at the party was former beauty queen Yvonne D'Rozairo in her glamourous best, in a two piece outfit in black. The top was embroidered gold and white cord, with touches of red, and pearls. Her earrings were in chunky gold and reached up to her shoulders. Yvonne herself wore a saree of mustard hued amber, the fall worked on the pallu in cutwork embroidery and pearls in the same colour. A single strand of pearls with a pendent made her tasteful ornament.

A sarong and top in sharp pink Thai silk was the choice of Sunethra Wijewardene. The top was trimmed in black, and her jewellery was in silver and white stones.

Yvonne's daughter Shearah had the top of her empire line dress in lace, and grand daughter Shearine picked on the youthful charm of a sarong, teamed with a high necked, sleeveless saxe blue top.

Beverly Rodrigo on piano, joined Tony Hopman on guitar, to make music, which kept the guests happy till after midnight.

Exclusive is when something can be tucked away in the middle of a shopping complex and still retain its individual elegance and identity. You get a lot of that when you step into the cool inviting interiors of Silk Wrap boutique at JAIC Hilton shopping mall.

Artistically designed in shades of grey and white, this exclusive boutique caters to the upper middle class.

Her designer wear collection under the Silk Wrap label adds a feminine dimension .

Sharmini

Sharmini is the creator of the success story behind a boutique that has become synonymous with haute couture. Designer wear is comparable to a piece of art, says Shamini. Her extensive travelling round the world has given rare exposure to the appreciation of different cultures and their influence on people. She is also receptive to varying ideas in the fashion world that could be locally oriented. Her creations are subtle in design and elegance. At times they are overpowering without being ostentatious. At times starkly simple but engaging. Sharmini does not let her creative instincts to play doormat to market dictates. Her designs are one of a kind and stand out as unadulterated fun filled lines and forms.

Tight fitted silhouettes asymetrical necklines juxtaposed with transparent fabric are Sharmini's forte. The use of chiffons, silks in earthly tones, all acquired a joie de vivre with the designer's eclectic touch. Quite a metamorphosis. All in all an exclusive collection.

by Gamini G. Punchihewa
Many years ago, Giriandurukotta in the Mahaweli System 6 was inhabited by a few Veddas and wild animals. Following the Mahaweli Development Programme. this Bintenna Pattuwa/Mahavedirata, once jungle now blooms with sprawling rice fields human settlements, small industries and farmlands.

Giriandurukotte was first known as Hiriandurukotte meaning the place surrounded by a mountain frontier and swathed in jungle which even obscured the rays of the rising sun.

At the inception of the Mahaweli Development Projects, Giriandurukotte had a fully fledged township with a market complex, a bus stand and people called it as 'Kotte' means the chief capital.

As in the other Mahaweli systems to promote sports and other games sports stadia was established, first in System, H, in Galnewa, in 1986, while the others are at Bakamuna System G, System C, Giriandurukotte (in 1988), and at Welikanda System B. As the Walawe Special Area comes under the ambit of the Mahaweli Authority, a Sports Stadium was also at Embilipitiya.

The new township in System, C, at Dehiattakandiya a few miles away from Giriandurukotte, has all the public amenities and a palatial Development Centre and a spacious Circuit Bungalow.

Dehiattakandiya which is the nerve centre of all agricultural, industrial, transport activities in Mahaweli System C.

Prince Gemunu's ancient route
Dutugemunu in his march to meet Elara of Anuradhapura is said to have gone through Giriandurukotte, camped there and offered alms to the Buddhist monks.

Overlooking the Giriandurukotte mountain frontier are the mountains of Ulkririgala overlooking Ulhitiya tank.

Rising loftly over them at a distance are the lines of Kokagala - the ancestral rock of the Veddas of old. On the road to Pimburattawa, one can view the Rathkinda-Ulhitiya massif and the well known Punchi Sigiriya rock fortress a replica of the Sigiriya Rock. Punchi Sigiriya's ascent is steep and arduous, with frescoes similar to those at Sigiriya. It shelters some rock cave shelters having drip ledges cut on them.

Vedda chieftain Kalu Appu and Tappal Bandia of Henanigala Vedda re-settlement during the time of their ancestors, some Veddas had lived in those rock caves.

During the 1970 insurgency period people say that insurgents took refuge atop Punchi Sigiriya. Some archeologists in the past from Peradeniya had explored the caves, frescoes, and other artefacts and had submitted valuable data on them.

Refuge of elephants
The next destination is the serene wild life country of Pimburettawa a few miles away from Aralaganvila on the main road to Polonnaruwa.

There nestles under the forest canopies, the Pimburettawa tank. Overlooking this fascinating forested tank is the circuit bangalow. The tank is a refuge for the roaming elephant. Once during our stay there about 10-15 elephants with three babies with came to the water's edge towards the close of the day. In that herd, there were three babies.

The circuit bangalow keeper of Pimburettawa told us that elephants usually made their appearance towards the tank in the evenings, while in the nights they roamed around the premises of the bungalow.

A Bird Refuge, too
Water birds like egrets, grey herons, and a host of king fisher species visit the tanks.

During the bird migration season (September - May - June), flocks of whiskered terns, eastern swallows Sandpipers, Wagtails and forest wagtails could be observed. The white bellied sea eagle a native species, also visits this area.

By Wilfred Lasz
Ronnie Cameron was an uncanny character. A third generation sibling of a bastard union — white slauter and Tamil tea plucker — he was nonetheless a skilled motor mechanic, much in demand by automotive repair shops. But he also was of a criminal bent of mind and an alcoholic and drug addict to boot.

Ronnie's mind-set defies analysis. He was a fair, handsome, lanky lad of 23 when I first met him. A sunny character, he would ingratiate himself with all and sundry till one day one found his personal belongings missing — as I did.

IRC
He had for his young age served 'time' for larceny, felony, rape and attempted murder. A school-dropout, his appearance belied the hard-core criminal he was. Ronnie, however, had a brighter side to his character — he could be generous to a fault.

Ronnie's company in general were dead-end kids and elements from the underworld. Thus knowing Ronnie had its plus points as well.

I came to know this fabulous character in my bachelor days at Narahenpita. I used to go to the Anderson grounds, now the precincts occupied by the Labour Secretariat and the CTB, for a game of friendly soccer.

Ronnie did not take part in sports but would linger while his so-called 'undesirable' friends indulged in football. His trade mark was an old army haversack strung on back containing the tools of trade — for Ronnie never knew when his expertise would be needed.

'Burrower'
The term moral surplus was quite alien to Ronnie. Once he 'borrowed' a bike, and that was the last the owner saw of Ronnie or the bike. Eventually, when Ronnie showed up after a couple of weeks, the owner of the cycle was fearful of questioning him on the matter, for his reputation was such and his brace of friends were hardened criminals.

More than that, his skirmishes with the police had produced a sort of working relationship, and Ronnie also turned police informant.

This was an experience poor Mr. Arokiasamy of the old Income Tax Department learnt to his cost.

Ronnie had palavered the older man on 'lending' him his BSA motor bike on the pretext of some urgency or other. It simply vanished into the night. That was the last time Mr. Arokiasamy saw his utility iron horse.

In the 'Can'
Arokiasamy being a Jaffna man would not take it lying down. He had the temerity to go to the police. There the cops were lukewarm — even disdainful. Arokiasamy took the matter up with the top brass. It worked... and Ronnie ended up in the 'can' once more. But Arokiasamy's ordeal was not over. Every evening sharp at eight, a shower of stones would descend on his roof. Discretion was the better part of valour and Arokiasamy and his family made a discrete exit from the area.

After two years RI, Ronnie cameback to base with his trade mark — the haversack — on his back.

One Saturday evening for want of something better to do. I invited the bloke for a round of drinks and dinner. He readily accepted.

I was staying with a sister of mine — a whole annexe, with separate entrance, all to myself for the princely sum of Rs. 20/= per month with meals provided.

After a few swigs, Ronnie was quickly into his element. He regaled me with his escapades. They were engrossing as they were thrilling. He then delivered his magnum opus.

He had once been enlisted by one of his riff-raff friends working at an undertaker's at Borella to help out as they were short-staffed that night, and Ronnie, ever eager to learn a new trade, obliged.

Eerie
The inside of the undertaker's was foreboding and eerie. Ronnie saw two corpses, a man and a woman, finely dressed up in rich coffins waiting to be delivered. Then something caught Ronnie's eyes. That was corpse on the embalming cement slab to be attended. But Ronnie was quick to notice that the corpse, freshly brought in — a male — was in an unconventional posture — eyes open, mouth ajar and one foot raised and bent at the knee.

Curious, Ronnie pressed the knee. The body was icy cold and the knee ramrod stiff. He exerted more pressure to straighten the knee but it would not bridge, and a twitter of laughter assailed him.

"How do you'll straighten such a leg", asked Ronnie from the foreman. "We'll show you how — first we'll go for dinner, but you stay behind and when we return you can go for dinner", said the foreman authoritatively.

'Ok, Ok,' rejoined Ronnie. When the rest of the undertakers went for dinner, the morbid atmosphere of the place was too much for Ronnie. He dug into his pocket brought out a handful of ganja and deftly rolled it into a cigarette.

Soon the 'pot' got working. Psychedelic designs began to take shape in his mind's eye. The sombre ambience of the place receded and the place was filled with light and colour. Suddenly the corpse with cocked up knee caught his attention.

Ronnie was rankled by the foreman's words — "We'll show you how". This is a simple job, said Ronnie to himself. What is straightening out a corpse to a top-notch motor mechanic like me. Ronnie was on an ego binge.

He walked up to the corpse and from the accessories in his haversack took out his hammer and gently tapped the chin. When there was no response, Ronnie gave it a couple of whacks. Still no response. Then he delivered a sledge-hammer blow. The chin sank into the mouth with the teeth protruding. Ronnie then brought out a screw driver and priced open the mouth. That time the jaw dropped limp and became flexible.

Now Ronnie focused on the bent knee. It was like a thorn in his flesh — arrogant and defying. Ronnie went to work on it in earnest. At the start it was a few gentle jabs, then harder and harder. It stood in majestic disdain to Ronnie.

'I'll teach the beggar a lesson of his life', muttered Ronnie under his gasping breath.

He went out through the backdoor and found himself in the backyard of a sleazy eating house. And there, beckoning him was a mortar and pestle lying idly. 'This is it', said Ronnie to himself grabbing the pestle. In a trice he was beside the corpse. Taking a deep breath Ronnie brought it down in one fell blow on the apex of the knee. The knee fell in place but the corpse sprang and sat up bolt upright.

"That scared me out of my wits. The next thing I did was to drop the pestle, collect my haversack and make a beeline home", said Ronnie.

After thanking profusely for the dinner, Ronnie bade me goodbye. It indeed was a satisfying night — till morning, when I noticed that my Roamer wristwatch, on the writing desk, was missing.

That was just like Ronnie!