‘Mediyama Aga’ by Sujith Prasanga A novel on hardships and eternal conflicts

Novels are written on diverse subjects. It’s rarely that an emerging novelist focuses on two different themes as romance and politics. ‘Mediyama Aga’, a young adult novel by Sujith Prasanga is such an example for penning a book on these two themes.

Interesting facts behind Maha Maluwa

There is controversy over the fast unto death staged by Ven. Athureliye Rathna Thera which took place at the Sacred Maha Maluwa. This piece of land has a history and it has been thrice offered to the Temple of the Tooth (Maligawa) in recent times.

Religious controversy in Mullaithivu

The erection of a massive Buddhist Vihara by the Sri Lanka Army in the Saptha Kannimar Kovil complex has caused hindrance to conduct religious rituals in the said Kovil. The Hindu Kovil acquired during the war is located in Vadduvagal under the purview of the Karaithuraipattu Divisional Secretariat in the Mullaithivu District.

Colombo YMBA launches Independent People’s Force

The Colombo YMBA, being the premier and the largest Buddhist organization in the country, launched the Independent People’s Force with the participation of a large gathering on Saturday, June 15 at its Borella Auditorium.

Renewed and Reclaimed Reclaiming their land and lives No time to grieve

Muthukumar Sandrakanthi was only 36-years old when a charging elephant took her husband’s life. He had tried to settle his family in Kilinochchi in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, but with a conflict underway, Sandrakanthi had no time to grieve – she had four children to raise and protect. Thivahar, her youngest son, was only four-years old.

The recent 4-21 tragedy was it the RESULT OF INEFFECTIVE REGULATIONS AND MONITORING?

We are all still quite stunned and dazed by the recent 4/21 tragedy which left 259 dead and 500 injured on holy Easter Sunday while attending Mass coupled with attacks on prominent five-star hotels; leaving many dead and injured; which had been well planned and undertaken by a group of Islamist terrorists with links to ISIS.

Model essays for law college entrance exam

“Law College Entrance Exam Model Essays” is a collection of twenty short essays by Sydney Marcus Dias. The book is bilingual, with each essay presented in both Sinhala and English. The essays cover topics such as: The contribution of legislation and judiciary for the well-being of a country; Media freedom and democracy; Strategies to prevent worldwide terrorism based on

HelpAge workshop strengthens Senior Citizens

The leaders of thirty (30) Senior Citizen Committees (SCC) in Colombo, Maligawatta, Mattakkuliya and Keselwatte Divisional Secretariats were educated on the development of their advocacy and capacity building skills by HelpAge Sri Lanka (HASL) recently.

Dudley Senanayake: Political Colossus Of His Time

June 19 is the 109th birth anniversary of the late Dudley Senanayake, one of Sir Lanka’s most noble sons who died on April 13, 1973. He died not as Prime Minister.....

166th Upasampada ceremonies at Asgiriya, Malwatta Chapters

The 166th Upasampada ceremonies at Asgiriya and Malwatta Chapters were held recently under the patronage of Mahanayake of Malwatta Ven. Thibbotuwawa Sri Sumangala Thera.....

First year remembrance of Dr. Ganesh Ratnam: Although our hearts still grieve, our faith remains

Born 25th June, 1946, Gone home to God 19th June, 2018, For a life so wonderful, we thank you Father....

Global expansion of ISIS and its impact on Sri Lanka

Sri Lankans had many lessons to learn from the Easter Sunday terror attacks. One lesson was that state security isn’t something that should be taken for granted.

Army donates Ultrasound scanner to Apeksha Hospital

The much-needed two Samsung HS40 Ultrasound Scanner Units, purchased from the day’s pay of Army personnel were formally handed over to Maharagama ‘Apeksha’ Cancer Hospital yesterday by the think-tank of

Sri Lankan Symposium Opening up channels between Sweden and Sri Lanka

On June 13th a Sri Lankan symposium took place at Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden with the focus on displaying existing collaborations with SLU and Sri Lankan Universities.

Where is the clash between Executive and legislature taking us?

With President Maithripala Sirisena boycotting the Cabinet meeting which was scheduled for June 11- a meeting where over 100 matters were expected to be discussed- Sri Lanka is now facing an unwanted crisis. This decision was taken as a protest to the functioning of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to probe on the Easter Sunday attacks. In a letter sent to the Speaker on Friday, the Attorney General’s Department has informed that the PSC

Martin Wickramasinghe The critic and the man

Martin Wickramasinghe was born on May 29, 1890. He died on July 23, 1976. Today is June 18. In one sense, he does not seem to have passed away.

University of Kelaniya Fulfilling the quest for

The establishment of the universities of Vidyalankara and Vidyodaya can be attributed to two main reasons. The first reason is the approval of the Sinhala Official Language Act in the Parliament, after the MEP assumed power in 1956. The second reason is the problems involved in the implementation of the Official Language Act. Due to the above situation there was unrest among intellectuals

The Bizarre Case of a Monk and Woman

He was named Dhana at birth. Born to a Brahmin family, having mastered Triveda, he entered the bhikkhu order in his old age, being impressed by a sermon of Lord Gautama Buddha. From the day he received higher ordination, a gaily dressed woman follows him wherever he goes, enters the village and departs with him. But she remains invisible to the monk.

The splendour of Buddhism

At a time like the present when morality has been profoundly shaken throughout the civilized world and the curse of materialism has spread all over, it seems vital to find a cure for this malady that has brought so much unrest and misery to people of all countries.

In search of “moderate” Muslims

As a world religion, Islam is facing a major identity crisis today. Islamic extremism (or militancy) is damaging and endangering the place of Islam and Muslims in the world. According to the Global Terrorism Index 2018, compiled by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), 18,814 deaths were caused by terrorists around the world last year and well over half were due to the actions of just four Islamic terrorist groups: Islamic State (IS), the

On the history of Sinhala Buddhist parties

Sinhala Buddhist voters do not take kindly to communal parties, even when those parties represent their interests. The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) remains the most potent and effective Sinhala Buddhist political outfit, but its birth was preceded by several fruitless attempts at coming up with such an organisation.

Thanthirimale Sixteenth Aloka Pooja from June 15 to 17

It is the Thanthirimale season of the year. As I pen this, the staff of Wijeya Newspapers is already at the site. They went there a couple of days back lock, stock and barrel, leaving the comfort of their homes and relatively comfortable surrounding with colleagues in office.

“I needed to tell the story on my own”

The 2018 Gratiaen Prize was awarded to writer, actor and director Arun Welandawe- Prematilleke whose play ‘The One Who Loves You So’ was cited for being “a consummate work of art in one of the hardest genres....

Ragging in Universities Mental and physical abuse in our Universities reaches crisis proportions

You find them along pavements or near markets or even on trains, till in hand, raising funds to assist undergraduates and other students who cannot afford to even purchase an exercise book. However, the monies thus collected don’t actually go towards the purpose they tell you about, rather, it’s a ruse to raise money to build “thoran” (pandals) or even rent places to rag new batches of university students. For instance, one such Thorana had co

Ashan Malalasekera receives Global Buddhist Ambassador Award

Mr. Ashan Malalasekera, the Founder and the Chief Executive Officer of the Malalasekera Foundation received the Global Buddhist Ambassador Award from the World Alliance of Buddhists based in Thailand on Vesak Day on May 18, at an International Award Presentation ceremony, held at the Global Buddhist Building (the Master Nun Chand Centenial Building) at Patumthani in Thailand.

A principled politician SAGALA RATHNAYAKA

Sagala Ratnayaka - a senior Cabinet minister and the International Secretary of the United National Party (UNP) - marks 20 years in politics as an elected representative. Hailing from the deep South, Deniyaya, Sagala had his education at Royal College Colombo. He graduated from the Lewis & Clark College USA with a degree in Economics and pursued a career in banking.

Hong Kong Youth in search of Gold in Sinharaja

There is no doubt that the most powerful force and the strength in any country is its youth. It is essential to empower the young people with a correct vision through personality development to make them partners of social development. In order to do so it is necessary to evaluate their strengths and encourage them accordingly. The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Youth Award Programme founded and launched in 1956 on a concept of the Duke of

EFL and Thuru organize Design Thinking and Protyping Workshop

Finding solutions for the Earth’s destruction is a responsibility that has been thrust upon all its dwellers -not just upon the ‘experts’. Taking this fact into account, the Environmental Foundation Limited (EFL) launched ‘Green Conversations’ in 2018 -an initiative to create a space for environmentalists, the general public and organizations to discuss, debate and advocate on behal

Gratiaen Prize 2018 and H.A.I. Goonetileke Prize for Translation

“The One Who Loves You So”, a play by Arun Welendawe Prematilleke won the Gratiaen Prize 2018, for the best work of creative writing in English by a Sri Lankan writer living in Sri Lanka. The H.A.I. Goonetileke Prize for Translation, which was also awarded yesterday, was won by Prof. Vini Vitharana for his translation of the much-acclaimed Sinhala classic Kav Silumina.

St. Anthony of Sri Lanka Feast to be held tomorrow

In the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bomb blasts where three churches, including St. Anthony’s Church Kochchikade, were attacked, the feast scheduled to be held tomorrow (June 13) has drawn wide attention.