- A ritual sport
- Angkeli as homage to a goddess
Traditional society
looks upon angkeli puja as a rain and fertility
rite. It is believed that it rains after an
angkeliya is concluded and this is a sign that
God Pattini is pleased.Elaborately
organised Pattini observances have a deep social
significance as they bring the villagers
together, irrespective of class and other
divisions, making for social cohesion at the
grass roots level.
Pattini observances are
specially relevant in the present context, as
apart from Sinhalese Buddhists, Hindus of the
Eastern Province and estate workers of South
Indian origin are devout Pattini adherents.
Accordingly Pattini observances
have great potential for cross cultural
integration. (full text)
- Story of Lanka
- Visakha style
On 26th July, at
London’s Commonwealth Institute in
Kensington Sri Lanka’s history was
colourfully re-enacted in ‘Hela
Puwatha’ — the Story of Lanka,
presented by Visakha’s past pupils in the
UK. I sat amongst the audience expecting to be
placidly entertained, but ended the evening with
unanticipated emotions, — a sense of
excitement, re-kindled pride in my motherland,
and amazement that such a show had been possible
with previously untried amateur talent. (full text)
- From
the book 'The Palm of His Hand' by E.C.T.
Candappa
Sizzling
fish,toddy and baila
Soon, a young man with a tray full
of fried fish cut in small pieces came up and
placed it on a makeshift table constructed simply
by digging four stakes into the soft beach sand
and placing a rough plank on it. There was no
cutlery. Everything was eaten by hand, morsels
bitten off if the pieces were too large. (full text)
- Esala Kaluwara
- a mockery of tele-drama
"Esala Kaluwara" (July
Darkness?) - Completed its run over national
television Rupavahini - a few days back. Esala
Kaluwara was also described as a "Soundairya
Roopa Kavya" - whatever that may mean. Esala
Kaluwara was directed by, its script written by
and its songs composed by Jackson Anthony, stage
and film actor. (full text)
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- A Sasana
Mandala - an urgent need
A Buddhist Council
was held in Burma to mark Buddha Jayanthi year
2500. In order to conduct the affairs of that
Buddhist Council between the years 1954-1956 a
Sasana Mandala was established. Both clergy and
laity were pleased and encouraged by the
achievements of the Buddhist Council, which
conducted its affairs most efficiently. But even
though it was hoped that a permanent Sasana
Mandala would be established, this was not
possible because of the fall of the government in
power.However, 24 years
later on May 22, 1980 over 1000 bhikkus met and
established a Sasana Mandala which was known as
the Madyama Sangha Palaka Sabha. The monks held
discussions for four days and the Sabha was
established on behalf of over one lakh of
bhikkus. (full
text)
- The ways of
the Veddhas
In the years I had spent in the
wilds of the valley of Gal Oya, which was the
undis puted home of the vedda, my wish was to
move with the veddas in their own environment. On
the first day of my many meetings with the
veddas, I was accompanied by my friends,
Dharmakeerthie. George Schokman, an amateur
photographer and a host of other officers
together with my usual trackers D. M. Sudu Banda
and one Gamarala from the old village of
Tiburuhena Weva (off Mullegama, now abandoned)
popularly known as Tiburuhena Weva Gamarala and
my then Land Overseer J. A. C. Gunasekera. (full text)
- Review
Three
women
The re-issuing of
Chitra Fernando's Three Women, is a welcome
event. The book is a collection of three short
stories, each focused on the life of a different
woman. In her elegant, understated prose, the
author captures many subtle nuances of
contemporary life, particularly the dynamics of
women's role. The first story,
"Missilin" creates a scenario in which
a young village girl, diagnosed by the astrologer
as entering a dangerous period, is sent by her
mother to be a servant in a middle-class Colombo
household. There is genuine pathos in this story,
but not of a conventional sort in which rural
innocence is corrupted by urban williness. (full text)
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