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The psychological trauma of a young manBy Anjalie Garnier
Surangana Yahana" (Charming Bed) portrays the psychological trauma and depression of a young man, who fears that he has been infected with the AIDS virus.
Michael is unusually shy of the opposite sex. He has been so from his school days, and, he had been humiliated and bullied by his school friends on this score. They made his life miserable. Although Michael studied in a mixed school he kept very much to himself.
Michael, now a chief clerk in a reputed government department, has developed a love affair with a beautiful girl who works as a stenographer in another office. This relationship became very strong and they had publicly announced their desire to marry.
The couple invited their close friends and relations, and his old school friends were amazed and happy to see that he was settling down in life.
The turning point of the story, or the climax takes place with Michael meeting one of his school mates, Wickremasinghe or "Wik" who had returned to the island after working abroad for quite a long time. Wik is accompanied by a foreign woman who is employed as a sex-slave in his brothels and mafia underworld business activities.
Wik, who well remembers the nature of Michael, cracked a joke that he (Michael) is sure too be a virgin, and suggests that he have a foretaste of marital intimacy with the foreign woman.
Under the influence of liquor Michael accepted his friend’s offer and the woman promptly sells her body on a fateful day.
On the following morning, a sober Michael happens to buy a newspaper from a street vendor and is terrified to read a news article in block letters that AIDS victims have been found in Sri Lanka and it is fast spreading too. The news item further states that two such victims have already been identified along the Southern coast.
Michael thus understands in black and white that there is no cure whatsoever for such victims and that death is certain.
Gradually a strange feeling of fear enters into Michael as he remembers the foreign woman with whom he had spent a night.
To add to his fears the news item reveals that according to Health Department officials AIDS spreads mainly through foreigners, or through Sri Lankans who had been employed in foreign countries for a long time.
Michael fears that he may have already contracted AIDS. He feels that his dream to marry Ramani and live a happy family life is all shattered.
Michael behaves in a very strange way and causes great sorrow to his family and especially to his wife to-be, Ramani. But they are all in the dark as to what has befallen him. He keeps a distance from Ramani fearing that she too will contract the disease from him.
One fine day Michael conveys his predicament to his most trusted friend Tissa, who insists that he see a physician. But Michael feels he simply cannot tarnish his family honour by being exposed as an AIDS victim.
This sad story ends in a climax. A total psychological wreck, Michael commits suicide.
The Director has presented this story in a mixture of realism and surrealism, by personifying the disease and also the shady side of alien culture.
Screenplay and direction is by Sherad Jayasooriya who had worked in foreign films shot in Sri Lanka, namely Sacrifice, Iron Triangle,, Mother Theresa, Fifty-Fifty, and Son of Sando Kan.
Music Director of Suragana is nationally and internationally acclaimed Premasiri Kemadasa.
The cast consists of veterans such as Wasantha Kotuwella, Sathischandra Edirisinghe, J. H. Jayawardena, Shanthi Lekha, Mahendra Perera, W. Jayasiri, Joe Dambulugala and Ramani Siriwardena.
Why women choose the wrong man
You know he is not the right man for you. You know you are not in the best of relationships. Yet you choose to get involved with him ! Why? Let the experts tell you.
We all know it by now. Love is not merely blind. Love is blinding. It clouds your common sense and has you shooting off the rooftop, high on emotion, without being quite sure why!
Still, you step gingerly, feeling your way around the relationship, before taking the plunge. Of course, no amount of care guarantees a safe landing. And since your perception and judgment are blindfolded, even a failure is accepted as natural.
What is NOT natural is stepping into a destructive relationship when you know there is no missing certain death over the cliff of romance. What makes otherwise sane people opt for potentially dangerous relationships consciously? Why do we rush in where angels would fear to tread?
Take Ranee R. She made a mistake when she got married. Her husband had lied about his qualifications and faked his certificates, just so he could get a woman from an educated and cultured background. When Ranee discovered his treachery, she was shocked. She left home immediately and soon divorced him.
One would think the experience would have kept Ranee off relationships. Yet, a few years after her divorce, she got involved with her ex-husband’s brother, despite her previous experience with the same family.
Quite against reason and her friends’ advice. Today Ranee acknowledges: "I knew his family had conspired with my ex-husband to cheat me, and was aware my family would strongly disapprove of our association. But I liked being with him so much, I couldn’t think any further than I wanted to." Needless to say, the relationship was doomed from the start.
When Thomas Hardy wrote the debatable phrase "character is destiny", he was aware of the frailties of the human head and heart. He knew that decisions depended on the balance the two maintained between them. And that sometimes they fouled up, making a mess of our lives.
Worrying if you’ve chosen well?
Susila loved Ananda and Suresh, but could not decide whom to get married to. So when her parents pressurised her to get married, she chose Ananda, a choice she later regretted when things did not go smoothly enough.
As she says: "I kept thinking of how my life would have been had I married Suresh. I kept comparing the two men throughout and made a mess of my marriage, family and whole life".
Like Susila, many people spend much of their time pondering over whether their decisions have been right. This scepticism is the root of many a messy relationship. In Susila’s case, she was so overwhelmed comparing Ananda and Suresh that she neglected whatever she had. The result: Discontentment through her married life and a divorce.
Throwing all caution to the wind?
Ramona had been engaged to Ravindra for almost a year, when he told her he had been tested HIV positive. Overwhelmed by his honesty and love, she felt she owed it to him to go ahead with their marriage plans. "I knew I risked contracting the infection myself if I married him. But I love him so much, I didn’t have the heart to refuse him!"
Where Ramona should have let her head decide, she proved the inveterate romantic and let her heart dictate. It was a lifetime of martyrdom on her part, and guilt on his, and that did not bode well for a relationship. Anyone could see that Ramona was getting into a potentially disastrous situation. When Ravindra began requiring more medicines than ever, Ramona began to feel trapped AND terribly guilty for feeling so. All in all, she knew she had messed up her life and felt bitter and angry about it.
Scared of losing the man you love ?
Chrismarie loved her husband very much, till she fell in love with one of her colleagues at work. And despite the innumerable tensions involved, she had an extra-marital affair with him. Maintaining the facade of perfect wife and mother at home took its toll on her conscience. Chrismarie found herself torn between the man at home and the man at work. Nevertheless, she continued leading a double life because she was scared of losing the security her husband and child provided, and of losing the exciting man at work.
Feeling lonely ?
When Savithri first got involved with Kumara, she knew he was married and had a two year old son. He told her he was in the marriage simply for the kid, which Savithri believed, hoping he would divorce his wife soon. But when he showed no such inclination, she found she virtually lived for the few hours he managed to sneak out!
"I hated the position I was in, but couldn’t ask him to divorce his wife and leave his child for me! I knew I was in a mess. I had no life of my own, apart from him. But I loved him and couldn’t get myself to leave him" says Savithri.
And soon their relationship was replete with tension, arguments, explanations and warnings, all of which put an incredible strain on Savithri’s mind. Yet she did not leave him to start a life on her own because subconsciously she was afraid of being lonely.
Has time dulled the pain ?
Saroja was only 23 when she got married. After five years of a difficult marriage, she left her husband for good. The break-up left her so exhausted she felt she could never be on her own again.
However, Saroja managed to find herself a decent job and, gradually, got her life back in control.
One day, however, she happened to meet her ex-husband while shopping. And when he invited her to lunch, Saroja, though apprehensive at first, agreed and found herself enjoying their time together. Then followed some more meetings and before she knew it Saroja was willing to give their relationship another chance. Despite innumerable warnings from her friends and family.
"I hadn’t enjoyed myself in a long time and I couldn’t help feeling that maybe things hadn’t been so bad in the past, " says Saroja. "I was tempted to try carving a future with him again."
Time heals. It allows people to come to terms with their experiences, no matter how ugly or tragic. Besides, it is easy NOT TO SEE clues about someone’s past relationships, problems and irresponsibilities when the person makes you feel terrific. This dulling of the pain and the feel-good experience prompts people into potentially destructive relationships.
Ultimately Saroja decided to give their marriage a second chance. Predictably, after the initial euphoria of the reunion had died down, their problems came back to haunt them again. Before long, Saroja was a nervous wreck, trapped in the mess she had asked for.
A force of habit?
A third reason peeople often make the mistake of going back into a relationship that has already proved a failure is the comfort habit offers. People find it easier to adjust to old patterns of life.
According to the experts, that romance often blinds people to reason is obvious. Without realising it, many women divide the emotional landscape of their relationships into a foreground and a background. In the foreground are all the wonderful characteristics that blind them to what is in the background. — CVW
Fifth Felicitation Ceremony of Media Foundation on 25th July
Media Foundation will felicitate authors, singers, sportsmen, journalists, musicians and cinema stars at a ceremony at the Elphinstone Hall on Sunday, July 25. Mr. Jayantha Dharmadasa will be the chief guest.
Jayasena Jayakody (authorship), Tony Ranasinghe, Anula Karunatilleke, Hemasiri Liyanage and J. H. Jayawardena (cinema), Sarath Dassanayake (music), Ivor Dennis (singing), Dharmasiri Gamage (journalism), Damayanthi Dharsha, Sugath Tillekeratne, Sriyani Kulawansa, W. P. K. Janaka, Lalith Geerasinghe and disabled swimmer Priyadarashana (sports) are the recipients of the felicitation.
Mr. Sumith Tissera, President of the Media Foundation said that two films, Malayalam and a Sinhala, will be shown on this occasion.
The Malayalam film "Kazhakam" directed by M. P. Sukumaran Naiyar and the Sinhala film "Mandakini" directed by H. D. Premaratne will be shown on 23rd & 24th respectively.
Mr. Sukumaran Naiyar, the director of "Kazhakam", and Urvashi, the main actress, will be in Sri Lanka to attend the felicitation.
W hat will the woman of the next millenium wear around her fingers, ears and neck -- traditional Sri Lankan jewellery or Western classics ?
Neither. Swarnamahal Jewellers (Pvt) Ltd., are set to revolutionise the jewellery mart in Sri Lanka, with their new range of 22 carat gold chains. According to Jeevaka Edirisinghe, Managing Director of Swarnamahal, a new range of chains will be priced at only the cost of the gold, excluding any workmanship or wastage charges.
Innovative designs and exquisite workmanship are their forte. Swarnamahal have won awards both here and abroad. They are fired with a revolutionary zeal to promote this new age jewellery for the modern women, young and old.
"We want people to indulge in what is different and exotic, yet reasonable and affordable," said a spokesman for the jewellers.
State of the art machinery from Italy has a capacity to produce an excess of 5000 chains a day.
"Another important factor is our large retail network which enables us to maintain very low margins, said Mr. Mediripitiya.
A team of foreign experts is here to train local craftsmen in the operation of the new equipment. These chains will also be of a high quality with a perfect finish. What does this mean to the customer ? The price of an average Rs.7000/- chain will drop by nearly Rs.1500. Soon there will also be bangles, bracelets and rings for the woman of the next millemium.
A flair for the ‘lean and clinging look’ designer wear clothesDesigner Ajantha Elepola’s trademark is the lean, moulded Western look that he juxtaposes onto basic local garments. He is certainly one of those designers who creates clothes for the young, and for those women who are proud of their femininity and see no reason to hide it.
And it is here that his clothes stand out as the work of someone who understands the female form.
He has a good sense of fabrics and the forms they assume under designer pressure This season he tried to reach out to widen clientele with his unique designs. Fabrics seems to speak for Ajantha only when he moulds it into real clingers’! Clinging fabrics in different colours displayed his talent with styling.
Stretch materials saTin mixes skilfully moulded for the body in the shape of blouses, long lean skirts. The colour palette ranged from black to blue beige etc.
The collection highlights a subtle and exquisite designing by the designer herself.
The cuts are simple, yet trendy and wearable. Ajantha said "we understand women would not want to invest much money for their wardrobe. Hence we design most of our clothes which can be used in all seasons.
"Our emphasis is on making the clothes as comfortable as possible along with making it look trendy in terms of colour and cuts."
He has many plans for the future and his main aim is to put the women into the right mood.
If you’re looking for an instant update of your look, a boost of colour, a new outlet for your personality, there’s no better time than now to colour your hair. L’Oreal has a range of hair colourants to suit your mood -- whether you want the change to be a six-month, six-week, or six-hour one.
If you want to expeiriment on your own or with a frienmd, L’Oreal has brands to bring out the creative in you.
L’Oreal has a unique position, leading the market in hair color, skin care and color cosmetics. It is with this confidence that L’Oreal has entered the Sri Lankan market, where, products will be carried by The Parfumerie outlets at Majestic City, Liberty Plaza, Hilton JAIC Towers and Singer Mega; and Keells Super outlets at Crescat, Mt. Lavinia and Wattala.
The products available include Elnette hairsprays, Studio Line and Elseve hair care products, Casting and Excellence hair colouration products and Plenitude skin care that delays the signs of ageing.
L’Oreal is the largest media investor in cosmetics on the worldwide market. It is famous for the faces that represent it - Diana Hayden, Claudia Schiffer, Andy Mc Dowell, to name but a few.
As the premier brand in the mass market, L’Oreal offers high quality at an affordable price. Their products are designed to be sold in all distribution networks with tailor-made merchandizing. L’Oreal is known to never launch a product unless research shows that it performs better that the competition. This is L’Oreal success story.
Glitter, glamour and elegance
A languid elegance to clothes worn at the partyby Kirthi Sri Karunaratne
The President and Members of the Inner Wheel Club of Colombo West hosted friends and members from the other Inner Wheel Clubs from many parts of Sri Lanka, on the occasion of the Installation of Kamala Rockwood as the 34th. President for the Club, for the year 1999-2000.
It was also a very special occasion as a most generous donation to the Club’s primary cause, The Children Heart Project, for a million rupees was handed over by Rohan Fernando representing New Zealand Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. to the newly elected president, who in turn handed the same over to Cardiologist Dr. Nihal Thenabadhu. The donation came about through the good auspices of Neela Marikkar. The immediate past President Marie Alles Fernando, too made a contribution to the same cause, of One and half lakhs of rupees from the collection of the various projects during her regime. It was certainly reason for celebration and the women present contributed in no small measure to the glamour and glitter, with their impeccable dress sense. Kamala wore an heirloom saree from the wardrobe of her late mother-in-law, Sundari Rockwood, whose name was synonymous with fashion.
The black georgette was embroidered in a trailing design of leaves and sweet peas in pale grey and apricot, finely outlined in gold. She wore a black blouse and pendulum earrings of Tiger eyes and diamonds. Pitcha (Jasmines) girddled her chignon. The claret silk saree Rajam Rajendram wore had a BORDER and pallu in black net, exquisitely embroidered in ochre silk thread and paddy seed shaped pearls. A gold choker and black accessories completed the smart outfit. Marie Alles Fernando had her saffron toned silk saree printed in a self design, with a paisley print on the pallu. Elegant and simple was the saree which shaded from a golden amber to Biege, Mano Fernando wore with a blouse of lace in the same shading in a pattern of discs centred with a single gold bead. Her jewellery and accessories were in gold. The saree Neela Marikkar wore too was shaded, but the shading came in three colours. Black fused into orchid, and then into a blue grey and back into black. The pallu of the saree was in a metallic shimmering grey brocade, which also made the sleeveless blouse. Malinee Wijeratne teamed her simple saree of a deep blue with a blouse in the same hue embroidered around the neckline and on the sleeves in gold beads and pearls. Her jewellery was in onyz and diamonds. Also in a black blouse embroidered on the sleeves, was Kanthi Fernandopulle. The work was done in jet beads, silver and pearls, she teamed with a black saree. White is a colour one rarely sees Thylene Nagendra in. Her oyster silk charmeuse was embroidered on the pallu and blouse impeach and olive silk thread in subdued charm. White combined with green in the organza saree Nirmali Goonetilleke wore. Joining in towards the end of the event was Ramani Ratwatte in a plum tanchoi silk saree, with a self weave, and a ‘ihe’ and borders in dull gold and black. She was accompanied by her husband Anurudha, which brought to the forefront the support the husbands extended to the efforts of their wives among the Inner Wheelers, which though in the early part was of serious nature, turned into a gala evening later.
Dancers delight
Latin Moods ‘99 the Dance sport Championship Dinner Dance, held at the Trans Asia Hotel was an evening of delight for lovers of dancing. The event began with the series of competitions in both Modern and Latin in three grades, which consisted of 1 dance, the waltz, 2 dance, the waltz and the Quickstep, and 3 dance Waltz, Tango, and the Quickstep in the Modern segment, and Jive, Cha cha and Rhumba in the Latin section. Some lovely costumes certainly enhanced the dancers performance. Among the winners was Shivanthi Atukorale patnered by Dilal Fernando who made no mistake about their win. Shivanthi picked on a shaded flame red for her full skirted gown, which had a high neck and long sleeves from which flowed flares from the wrist in romantic old world elegance. Tuan and Shehara were the three dance winners in the Latin American section. Three dance demonstrations were in highlight of the programme with Marc Rozairo, and Manoja Siriwardene beside the maestro Toni Fernandez himself, supported by his pupils among whom was well known oriental dancer Mohan. Besides the styles on the floor were many exciting ensembles worn by those in the audience. Youthful and lovely was Hiranthi Bibile in a simple slim line evening dress in white in a cold shouldered style. A string of pearls at the nape of her neck, and earstuds finished the pretty picture. A black saree embroidered in a design of tulips in red, yellow and white with green leaves made a border design on the sareee Iromie Wijewardene wore. Her necklace was a beautiful attial of Rubies, Emeralds, Diamonds and pearls. Malini Gunasekera used a shawl of glamorous black and gold lace flung over her shoulder to bring couturier chic to a simple square necked black evening dress. A gold necklace and stud earrings were her choice of jewellery. It is indeed a pleasure to see a revival, specially among the younger generation, of strict tempo dancing, and many thanks should go to the enthusiasm of the teachers of today. The guest of honour and the chief adjudicator was Ms. Daele Fraser.
Bishops College Past Pupils Association presents Shyama Perera whose keyboard dexterity is now well known not only by virtue of her own talent but also by the number of versatile keyboard artists she has produced at her Academy of Organ Music.
Shyama, who started learning the piano at the age four under the expert guidance of Mrs. Mary Billimoria switched on to the electone when she was nineteen. She opened up her own Academy in 1990 and at present teaches 300 pupils along with 7 dedicated teachers working under her.
Shyama achieved a Licentiate in Guildhall School of Music and Drama in U.K. in 1997 and was the 1st in the world to be a fellow on the Electone Organ of the Trinity College of Music London. The show is scheduled to be held on the 24th of July at the Bishops College Auditorium. This concert will also enable 4 outstanding organists, Ruwantha Wijetunga, Zahara Mohamed, Iraj Weeraratne and Mariem Mohamed to exhibit their talents. The guest artists will be Soundari David and Menaka Fonseka Sahabandu teaming up with Shyama and Dance items by Nelung Dance Academy, Dance Works Center and Antonio’s Dance Circle.
A Musical Pot Pourri would certainly give the music lovers the opportunity of watching this diminutive figure seat herself at the keyboard and transport herself and all those listening to her, to a world of entertainment that only beautiful music performed with exceptional expression and brilliant precision could achieve.
Official magazine for Women’s Chamber of Commerce
"As Sri Lankan business and professional women on the threshold of the millennium, we at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce are happy to be associated with Satyn, Sri Lanka’s exclusive magazine for women" says Mrs. Yvette Kahawita, President - Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Association recently announced the appointment of Satyn as their official magazine. " Satyn identifies with the modern Lankan woman who could be working, self employed or even working from home. " Mrs. Kahawita adds.
On Satyn’s part, the magazine is proud to be associated with the premier body of corporate women in the country, the Women’s Chamber of Industry and Commerce, says Mrs. Nayomini Ratnayake Weerasooriya, Satyn’s Managing Editor. " To us at Satyn, this shows that the magazine is clearly recognised as being in line with needs and aspirations of the corporate sector."
Satyn is already appointed official magazine of many leading women’s organisations among them the Sri Lanka Housewives Association, The Sri Lanka Association of Personal Secretaries and the Sri Lanka Association of Hair Dressers & Beauticians. The magazine is also available in-flight on Air Lanka.
The Women’s Chamber of Industry and Commerce would be hosting "Women in Business" 99 exhibition and trade fair in August at the B.M.I.C.H - and Satyn, as the official magazine would be closely associated with the event, says Ms. Pramishka Perera, Satyn’s Marketing and Business Development Manager, " As a truly Sri Lankan women’s magazine, we are conscious of the needs of women in business and those hoping to go into business later on."
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