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The debate over sports
The team representing Sri Lanka at the World Schools Debating Championship. L-R: Janul De Silva, Rahul De Silva, Shalem Sumanthiran (Captain), Chanidu Ratnayake andJasmine Markandu.On Sunday the 2nd of...
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Mendis is Special
Warnakula Chandana Mendis was a rascal in and out of class. Indeed it could be argued that he was THE rascal of that time at Royal College, Colombo. Put it down to ‘that age,’ add a dash of...
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General Election 2020: The what, the why and the what next
Elections produce winners. Everyone wins. Everyone has a consolation prize. Even the United National Party, which didn’t secure a single seat from the district vote can enthusiastically exclaim, ‘we...
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The enduring 'maskism' of the human species
Masks. They are considered by some as markers of what is fashionably called ‘the new normal’ or ‘new normality’ as some would have it. It’s an add-on or rather a necessary appendage. A sign of the...
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A without-a-second-thought story
Years ago, an intemperate young man, intoxicated to boot, felt slighted by a word uttered by or the sight of someone he disliked. He picked up a bottle, gripped it at its neck, swung his arm to hit it...
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At the departure lounge
There are days, even moments, when something, a word or incident, takes one to a place left behind long ago and people who colored or shaded the particular location. This is such a morning. A friend...
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Reflections on seasonality
‘Is there poetry in this strange lust that the sun has for the river bed, that it would unclothe its flowing garments, one drop at a time?’ To those who’ve known drought there’s nothing more beautiful...
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What of the 13th, 19th, Circular 5/2001 and MCC Compact?
Election results meet aspirations, exceed them and sometimes fall way short of the expected. The winners are naturally euphoric. The also-rans struggle to explain defeat, cling to consolation-straws...
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From here to there on a thread, a poem and a photograph
Last night, a young girl who has a beautiful mind and a unique way of saying the most unexpected things about that which everyone sees but doesn't notice, exclaimed, ‘I want to quit my job and just...
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Conflict of interest
Pic courtesy https://www.magzter.com Kalhara Raddalgoda. Remember that name. Now let’s talk about the matter at hand, conflict of interest. Here’s the definition: ‘a situation in which the concerns or...
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Ali Sabri (at the crease)
In the aftermath of the victory over terrorism a disbelieving ‘international community’ relentlessly targeted Sri Lanka. That game is still not done. I remember a particularly ‘hot’ session of the...
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‘Colombo’ and its alleged ‘advanced consciousness’
The yellow segment is supposed to be where voters of 'advanced consciousness' live Consolation prizes there will always be. All it takes is a poker face, ability to cherry-pick and a veneer of...
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The walking words of Shantha K Herath
‘It’s as though you’ve seen a flower and decided to pluck it and put it in a vase. Only few see it and after a while it wilts and dies. Others don’t encounter colors, textures and fragrances. Now isn’t...
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Coolness!
M.S. Dhoni has retired from all forms of international cricket. ‘There goes a legend,’ sums up the sentiments expressed by one and all. Now ‘MS’ scored just six centuries in 90 tests. His test average...
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Conflict of interest
Pic courtesy https://www.magzter.com Kalhara Raddalgoda. Remember that name. Now let’s talk about the matter at hand, conflict of interest. Here’s the definition: ‘a situation in which the concerns or...
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Aaron Kuder and heart-doors that glide open on the wind
One day, more than twenty years ago, in a cafe named ‘Stella’s’ in a small town called Ithaca, located in upstate New York, I noticed a series of illustrations in several square pieces of ceiling. I...
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Two-thirds, 19th and other oppositional anxieties
In the run up to the recently concluded parliamentary elections we saw grave concerns being expressed in certain quarters over the possibility of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) securing a...
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The poetry of fallen petals and leaves
Jaathi. Jaraa. Marana. Birth. Decay. Death. Common to all things, biotic and otherwise. And so we have two questions. What was it before it was born? What does it become after death? When it comes to...
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Namal and Mahela: how about starting the innings with an audit?
Julian Bolling, the self-effacing and genial ‘senior citizen’ of swimming in Sri Lanka, knows something about sports councils, national or otherwise. He’s been in so many over the years under so many...
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Open spaces make for ‘wanderment'
I remember seeing a cartoon featuring a man and a little boy. They were standing at a point from where they could see a vast span of rugged desert below them. The man tells the boy, ‘one day, my son,...
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