- Livable houses
for Rs. 150,000
The house stands on a hillock,a picket-type fence
of cinnamon sticks and barbed wire marking out
its boundaries.It is, by
all standards, a comfortable lodging. Compact,
neat and secure. A traditional house with a
verandah, two bedrooms, kitchen and toilet; a
sloping green asbestos roof and grey walls.
But this house is not as
ordinary as its appearance suggests. In an age
when putting up the merest excuse for an abode
literally costs the earth, this dwelling was
built within a sum of Rs. 150,000, (inclusive of
furniture but excluding running water and
electricity). "A comfortable low-cost
dwelling unit for the under-privileged masses of
our motherland", in the words of its
architect, Pani Tennekoon. (full text)
- FORGOTTEN
HERITAGE
Dimbulagala
- Yakka's abode
On the road to
Polonnaruwa in the Bintenna Pattuwa is a majestic
mountain called Dimbulagala. In ancient times, it
was called Dhummarakha, while the British named
it as Gunner's Quoin as the profile of this rocky
mountain clothed in jungle looks like a gun
carriage, and it is so.The
Yakkas, ancestors of our aborigines the Veddas
lived on Dimbulagala which is full of
archaeological finds from rock engravings of man,
animals, swastika and other non-Brahami symbols
and Brahami inscriptions dating back to the
2nd-3rd century B.C.
It also has cave shelters
harbouring seated and standing Buddha statues,
while the cave ceilings are adorned with mural
paintings. (full
text)
- A
frame in time
A
punishment promotion
Way back in the
Sixties, I made my application to join the
venerable old 'Times of Ceylon' as a trainee
journalist.But as the
first 'Press Grab' issue was in the air, I was
re-routed by Reggie Michael, then editor of the
popular tabloid, 'Daily Mirror', to the English
proof readers dept. of that old institutions. (full text)
- High
Fashion
Wine
cheese and dance...
The Dutch Burgher Union
of Ceylon celebrated their Ninthieth
Annivesary by gathering together, for a
lavish and largely attended dinner dance at the
ballroom of the Hotel Lanka Oberoi.To set the pace for this enjoyable
evening, a fellowship with wine and cheese
brought an opportunity to mingle, and revive old
friendships and make new ones. It was also a
showcase for the fashionably clad women who were
at their best. Styles varied from the saree to
evening dresses, with the men providing a fitting
background in their dark suits and formal
tuxedos. Black and deep blue was the favourite
choice of colour among the women. (full text)
- New
dimension in style
Sharmini of Silk
Wrap has created a new line of casuals and formal
wear with a major shift in design expressions -
simplistic, arty subtle and simply elegant."The zest to create a new is
stronger than ever, says Sharmini 'The accent is
on straight cuts and to treat fashion more as an
art form. It take a hot of courage to do
that." (full text)
|
|
.
