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The New Year Bird! – By Des Kelly So now, folks, we have “The New Year Bird!” This wonderful little “story” about the Sri Lankan Koha, brings to mind so many other happy stories about birds (the feathered kind), it seems to me that this Cuckoo (Koha) has been picked out of the dozens of varieties that exist in our little Island, to represent “Aluth Avuruddha” or Sinhalese/Tamil New Year, which begins in April, each year. The Koha may not possess the most beautiful, melodic twitter in the World, but it’s long drawn-out “koo-ooo” is heard almost incessantly during this new-year period, a never-ending mating call of the “Koha” to entice a “Kohi” (I do love being a wordsmith, at times), to form a bond with him and produce a “kohu” or two. I did enjoy reading Dr.Ranil Senanayake’s “writing”, sent to me by none other than the Special Cartoonist ...

Apr 19, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Tagged Aluth Avuruddha, Ranil Senanayake, Sri Lankan Koha, The New Year Bird Comments 0

PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE – By Des Kelly Much has been written, spoken & watched, about the tragic burning down of the pride of Paris, and indeed, the World, the Notre Dame Cathedral, very recently. Although this stupendous building has been “damaged” many years ago and rebuilt to the perfection that it has known, since this time, however, very sadly, indeed, this magnificent Cathedral is now almost beyond repair. ...

Apr 17, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Comments 0

WITHIN REACH OF THE BEACH – BY Des Kelly From my very early days in Ceylon, as it was then called, we were nearly always within reach of a beach, somewhere. Starting with Moratuwa, the wide, beautiful, sandy beach, leading out to the magnificent Indian Ocean, was within a stone’s throw. I still remember the “catches” of thousands of the smaller fish variety actually spread-out on the beach to dry, before being sent out to be turned into the tasty morsels of “dry-fish”, enjoyed by thousands of folk who lived there. I remember being taken down to the beach by my dad who also enjoyed going out to watch the fishermen, back from their very early hours of fishing on what were known as “Catamarans” singing “Ho-di helei heleiya” as they manually hauled these flimsy-looking home-made craft, back onto the beach in order to secure them there, mend damaged “nets” in preparation for ...

Apr 12, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Tagged Indian Ocean, WITHIN REACH OF THE BEACH Comments 0

“ILLEGAL BORDER CROSSINGS” – By Des Kelly Isn’t it strange, folks? , This writer migrated to Australia from Ceylon very nearly 60 years ago, got off the good Ship “Oriana” in Melbourne, with my wife & two very young sons, Michael.& Douglas, plus my first “contribution” to Australia, my daughter Michelle, about to be “gifted” to this Country in 6 months time, via my wife Cynthia (God rest her Soul), who. 3 years later, presented Australia with her final child, my youngest son, Warren Kelly. This brief, but interesting story began on the 25th of February, 1962, when I first set foot in Melbourne, LEGALLY, with nothing else but the clothes on our bodies, plus, of course, a few suitcases, still to be off-loaded, containing whatever was absolutely necessary to start our new life here (& it wasn’t much, I can tell you). Our “finances” on.arrival, was not much ...

Apr 9, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Tagged ASSIMILATE, ILLEGAL BORDER CROSSINGS, SEGREGATE Comments 0

“A PICTURE SPEAKS A 1000 WORDS” – By Des Kelly Sent to me, by a good friend, Errol Lynch, are a bunch of truly fascinating photographs of both famous and infamous people. Especially for the members & readers of eLanka, with the compliments of both Errol & myself, here they are, folks. If these “pictures” do not conjure up some precious memories, I really do not know, what will. Desmond Kelly (Editor-in-Chief)– eLanka. Her Majesty and Prince Phil – same brooch, same pearls, same love. We see many old photos, but this set is really special… Hans Christian Anderson Winston Churchill, 1895 Mahatma Gandhi dancing Sophia Loren Albert Einstein Paul Gaugin Vincent van Gogh John Wayne, 1930 (aged 23) Elizabeth Taylor… this could have been X rated. Alfred Hitchcock, 1920’s Paul Newman, served in the Pacific in WW2 Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow Confederate general Robert E Lee, Did you ...

Apr 9, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Tagged Mahatma Gandhi, PICTURE SPEAKS Comments 0

“OUR ALMA MATER” – BY Des Kelly As we quickly approach yet another Mothers’ day, here in Australia, my thoughts naturally fly to my own Mother, who, with my Dad, is resting in peace perfect peace, in the most beautiful “Botanical Necropolis” in Melbourne. As everyone should know, a “Mother” is, by far, the most important person in this World of ours. “Mater” is the Latin word for her, so where does the term “Alma Mater” fit in ?. Generally, folks, it is indeed a Mother who accompanies her children to School for the first time (as it was in my case), the term “Alma Mater” therefore is considered to be your first School or College, your “Nourishing Mother” is yet another endearing term (in Latin), simply because your place of learning takes over from your biological Nourishing Mother, to hopefully teach you the facts of ...

Apr 5, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Tagged Carl Jansz, Clive Inman, Convent of Our Lady of Victories, Denns Roberts, Elmo Mullholland, Ian, in Moratuwa, Mohan Lalvani, Ray Forbe, Roger Van Dort, St. Sebestian's College, St.Peter's College Bambalapitiya Comments 0

“CATTLE CRUELTY” (AGAIN) – By Des Kelly Cows, held sacred, in India, beautiful animals who provide milk for the World, gentle beasts who should be looked after, for all of their short lives, not transported from place to place, mostly unsuitable for them, only to suffer untold misery, culminating in death, too sad for any animal-lover to watch. If there is ANYTHING I hate writing about, it is animal cruelty. Unfortunately, we have to do so, in order to TRY to prevent such occurrences happening, as much as is humanly possible. This story is about the news that Cows, exported from Australia to Sri Lankan farms, for their farmers to, in turn, look after them, the sole purpose, being to provide milk for the people of Sri Lanka. This would have been good news IF it went according to plan. Instead, the very warm, humid conditions ...

Apr 5, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Tagged beautiful animals, CATTLE CRUELTY Comments 0

Unofficial ‘caretaker’ of Sinharaja – (Introduction by Des Kelly) With deforestation going on, around the World, here is something much closer to “home”, well written, and most interesting to, not only Lankan/Aussies, but, I suppose, all of us, in that, this is a major problem, flora & fauna are being affected, big time, and unless we take notice of people like Martin, the extinction of all and sundry is going to be a very sad fact of life, before too long. As for Martin Wijesinghe, I would not refer to him simply as “Caretaker”, I would change the title of this man as the “Unofficial King of Sinharaja” (It rolls off the tongue, easily) Desmond Kelly (Editor-in-Chief).—eLanka. Martin Wijesinghe – Unofficial ‘caretaker’ of Sinharaja – By Nadira Gunatilleke Source: Daily News Martin Wijesinghe is one of the significant personalities in Sri Lanka. He has expertise in indigenous medicine, biology, zoology, ...

Apr 2, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Tagged caretaker' of Sinharaja, Martin Wijesinghe, Nadira Gunatilleke, Savithri Gunathilake, the International Union for Conservation of Nature Comments 0

“WHO I CAME HERE TO FORGET” – By Des Kelly She was cold in California, she was cruel in Tennessee, She made it plain as day to see, she never needed me, Now, I owe you for everything, & I always pay my debts, For, you’re the reason I forgot, Who I came here to forget. This, in itself, tells us the story of a broken love affair. “Country-Style” lyrics & a beautiful simple melody, sung by “The Voice” in Country Music, Vern Gosdin, gives us a picture of what life is all about, Further goes to prove that there is no music better than “Country” when it comes to heartfelt lyrics that say it, as it is. As I have always said (and written), my “tastes” in Music are very “Catholic”. I love music of many sorts, be they Classical or Jazz. However, with my first choice, I prefer ...

Apr 1, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Tagged Catholic, Pops, Vern Gosdin, WHO I CAME HERE TO FORGET Comments 0

“GUITARISTS EXTRAORDINAIRE” – By Des Kelly An extraordinary instrument, the guitar, sounds extraordinary, when in the hands of an extraordinarily fine guitarist, however, as it has always been my endeavour to give the Members & Readers of eLanka only the very best as far as music is concerned, I am now very proud indeed, to introduce TWO of the BEST Guitarists in the World, as they had been in their particular era, namely LES. PAUL & CHET. ATKINS. They have both now passed-on, of course, and even though the finest guitarists today will also tell you, good people, it would be extremely difficult to find someone to equal the “techniques” of either Les, or Chet., period, no-one could beat their style, either playing solo, as a duo, in a group, or, even with a full Orchestral backing. As if to “add icing to the cake”, Les Paul found a partner ...

Apr 1, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Tagged Des Kelly, GUITARISTS EXTRAORDINAIRE Comments 0