Articles

The Passion of Christ ….. A unique presentation by the Sri Lanka New South Wales Catholic Association – By Aubrey Joachim Christians the world over commenced one of the most important periods in their spiritual calendar last Sunday. Palm Sunday commemorates the day when Jesus Christ triumphantly entered Jerusalem on the back of a donkey to the cheers and welcome of palm waving crowds. Jesus had requested his disciples ahead of time to go into the city of Jerusalem and prepare a place for him to celebrate the Jewish Passover. Specific instructions were given to the disciples with regards the room to be selected and the specific arrangements. Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was also to set in train a series of events which would lead to his death on the cross which Christians believe was to save mankind from sin. Commemoration of the Passover is on the Thursday preceding Good ...

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Green Technology Solutions: Addressing Environmental Challenges – By Bhanuka – eLanka In an era of increasing environmental concerns and climate change, the importance of adopting sustainable practices has never been greater. Green technology, also known as clean technology or eco-friendly technology, offers innovative solutions to mitigate environmental challenges while promoting economic growth and social well-being. In this article, we will explore the role of green technology in addressing pressing environmental issues and highlight some key solutions making a positive impact. 1. Renewable Energy Sources: One of the most prominent aspects of green technology is the utilization of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power. These sources offer clean and sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on finite resources. Solar panels harness the sun’s energy to generate electricity, while wind turbines convert wind power into renewable energy. Additionally, hydroelectric power plants harness the ...

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Authentic Sri Lankan Pani Walalu Recipe – By Nadeeka – eLanka “Pani Walalu” is a traditional Sri Lankan sweet made from deep-fried balls of batter soaked in a fragrant syrup. Here’s a recipe for making Pani Walalu: Ingredients: For the Batter: 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup rice flour 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon baking powder Pinch of salt Water (as needed to make a thick batter) For the Syrup: 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup water 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder A few drops of rose essence or rose water (optional) For Frying: Oil for deep frying (vegetable oil or coconut oil) Instructions: Prepare the Batter: In a mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, rice flour, turmeric powder, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Gradually add water and mix to form a thick batter without any lumps. The consistency should be similar to pancake batter. Set aside. Make the ...

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Coconut Milk Laddu Recipe – By Malsha – eLanka Ingredients: 1 cup desiccated coconut 1/2 cup condensed milk A pinch of salt Sugar to taste Food coloring (optional) Instructions: Begin by setting aside a portion of the desiccated coconut for later use. In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining desiccated coconut, condensed milk, a pinch of salt, and sugar to taste. If desired, add food coloring for a vibrant hue. Mix the ingredients well until they form a thick, sticky dough-like consistency. Take small portions of the mixture and roll them into smooth, round balls, ensuring they hold their shape without spilling or breaking. If preferred, roll the prepared balls in the desiccated coconut set aside earlier for an extra layer of texture. Optionally, for added crunchiness, blend some sugar separately and sprinkle it over the laddu balls. Alternatively, for a softer texture, mix the desiccated coconut mixture with condensed ...

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Uva Rugby Team 1964  Standing L to R: Sarath de Zoysa, Trevor Anghie, Chris Lushington, Tony Perera, Graeme Harmer, Shelton Perera, Nihal de Zoysa, Ronald Munaweera, Ken de Joodt, H.L. Gunapala, Ralph Tissera.  Seated: Franklin Jacob, David Thompson, Duncan Scobie, Senarath Pilapitiya, Vivian Blaze, (Captain ) John Boyd Moss, Geoff Garnier, Mike de Alwis, David Whitham  Photo credit to History of Ceylon Tea     Click here to receive your free copy of the eLanka Newsletter twice a week delivered directly to your inbox!  ...

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Recipes for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year Source:Sundayobserver Hath maaluwa (The seven vegetables curry) The hath maaluwa is served mainly during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year season as a curry for kiribath (milk rice). This curry also helps to balance nutritional levels. However, it can be served at some other times too. Ingredients of this curry may vary from province to province in Sri Lanka. Ingredients Cashew nuts 100g Brinjals 100g Long beans 100g Jak seeds 100g Raw sour plantains 100g Banana blossoms 100g (Keselmuwa) Pumpkin leaves 100g Curry leaves Rampe Green chilies Onions Curry powder Chilli powder Pepper powder Turmeric powder (All the above as required) Thick coconut milk 2 cups Method Soak the cashew nuts overnight. Cut all the vegetables in to small pieces except for the cashew nuts. Into a pot add the cashew and other vegetables except the pumpkin leaves.   Add all the spices mentioned ...

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When I was your age…- BY R.S. KARUNARATNE Source:Sundayobserver Every time I asked my father for 10 cents to cover the bus fare to school, I would get the standard reply: “When I was your age I did not get any pocket money. So, I walked two miles barefoot uphill both ways.” Listening to him was a kind of torture when he started criticising the wimpy generation I belonged to. I believe my father too had to endure the same verbal treatment from his folks. They also would have told him. “When I was your age we did not have three-wheelers or a regular bus service.” With this knowledge comes the strange satisfaction that I will be able to treat my children in a better way. Admonitions When you become a parent or a grandparent, you are in a position to build up an arsenal of admonitions tailor-made for the ...

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The Avukana Buddha – a masterpiece of Buddhist art-by ACB Pethiyagoda Source:Island Some of the outstanding contributions to the Sri Lanka heritage are its Buddhist temple art and architecture, statuary, dagabas, dance forms and water and soil conservation ecosystems. Of Buddha statues, the one at Avukana is certainly a masterpiece; hewn out of solid granite it stands 11.3 meters high and 12.8 meters inclusive of the lotus flower pedestal. There are only four other comparable standing Buddha statues in Sri Lanka; Rasvehera in Anuradhapura, Maligawila and Buduruwagala in Moneragala and Dova in Badulla. Of these the ones at Rasvehera and Avukana are in the open and to the layman’s eye, there are hardly any signs of damage due to exposure to the elements. The stone carver or carvers names are not known or for that matter in which king’s rule the Avukana Statue was carved. Some think it was during ...

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Vision Care Celebrates International Women’s Day 2024 Championing Inclusion and Equality 25th March 2024, Colombo: Vision Care, Sri Lanka’s largest vision and eye wear solutions provider, celebrates International Women’s Day by dedicating a day to recognize the achievements and contributions of their female employees across all spectrums. Under the theme “Inspire Inclusion,” Vision Care reaffirms its commitment to fostering an environment where women from diverse backgrounds thrive and excel, empowering your vision through their dedication and expertise. Women at Vision Care serve in various capacities, spanning from optometrists and audiologists to dispensing staff, management personnel, finance, HR & Admin, IT, procurement, compliance and sales & marketing professionals. Moreover, female students at the Vision Care Academy are actively engaged in training programs, poised to become the next generation of proficient optometrists. Harsha Maduranga, General Manager of Vision Care, stated, “As we commemorate International Women’s Day, we are proud to acknowledge the ...

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The World in Turmoil – Ecologically; Spiritually; Economically; and Politically. – By Noor Rahim The World is no more a Garden of Eden. One would have thought that with the advancement of knowledge and Technology it would be “Heaven on Earth”; but alas! It appears that we are far from it. Perhaps to those who have amassed wealth more than they will ever be able to spend themselves, in a life-time, it may be so. But to the ordinary folk it is a “day to day” scenario in life; with no time to see if it is Heaven or Earth. Ecologically; spiritually; economically and politically we seem to be edging closer and closer to the dreaded “Point of No Return” – that is if it is not too late already! The solution to these impending disasters does not lie directly on the masses, but on the shoulders of Governments (elected ...

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