Book Review: Hela Havula and Early History of Heladiva Reviewer : Professor Senarath Dissanayake[1] Book : Hela Havula and Early History of Heladiva Year & ISBN : 2022 / 9786249886902 Language : English Author : Janaka Dharmabandu At the very outset it must be said that the book “Hela Havula and Early History of Hela Diva” has the potential to revolutionize the views on history and the direction of archaeological research in Sri Lanka. The author systematically and logically aligns archeological findings with ancient to modern records of history to support his thesis. Some of the arguments presented in the book are new to the fabric of established interpretations of history. But he manages to present them in a manner that wins the confidence of the reader. As examples I cite his argument that the very early settlers of the land that is today´s Sri Lanka likely to ...
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Book Review: Ruins by Rajith Savanadasa Source:Brisbane 4EB Sri Lankan Newsletter – Dæhæna – October 2021 Australian-Sri Lankan writer, Rajith Savanadasa’s beautifully crafted debut novel “Ruins” is centred around the Herath family. Ruins is loosely based on the Sandakada Pahana with its circular bands, one of which contains a procession of animals, each representing a stage of life: the elephant (birth), the bull (decay), the lion (disease) and the horse (death). In another band is the swan, representing discernment between good and evil. At the centre of these circles is the lotus, representing enlightenment. Each character represents a symbol on the Sandakada Pahana. They are all discontented with their lives and yearning for more, each ontheir own journey from one state of being to the next. Latha’s brother wants her to return to their village but what will she do there? Latha has been at Mano Mahaththaya and ...
Oct 4, 2021
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Tagged Book Review, Nimandra Gunasekera, Rajith Savanadasa, Sandakada Pahana
MEET THE NORTH-EAST PLANTERS AND PIONEERS WHO BREWED UP A STORM IN A TEACUP-by Neil Drysdale Source:Historyofceylontea Book Review – Putting the Tea in Britain by Les Wilson (Published by Birlinn). Les Wilson admits he was amazed when he started researching the history of tea production – and discovered a caddy-load of farmers and planters from the north-east of Scotland were in the brew. He has delved into the backgrounds of those who travelled from such places as Laurencekirk, Inverness, Dundee, Banff, Kingussie and Aberdeen to risk their lives in developing the drink as an international commodity: a venture which led to so many Scots getting involved in foreign climes that the Ceylon Observer started publishing articles in Doric. And there are some genuinely jaw-dropping revelations in his new book Putting the Tea in Britain about the Scottish impact on the industry in far-flung parts of China, Asia and ...
Book Review: The White Girl by Tony Birch Source:Brisbane 4EB Sri Lankan Newsletter – Dæhæna – July 2021 It is post-Second World War in a rural, isolated community in Australia where the white folk live in town while the Aborigines live in the shanty-towns outside town. Australia is operating under Assimilation policy and the Board for the Protection of Aborigines is enforcing the 1909 Act and its 1915 Amendment which allows the forcible removal of Aboriginal children, especially those of mixed skin colour, from their parents to be institutionalised or adopted into white families. Odette is a proud Aboriginal woman, who has lived in Country, survived life on a Mission, worked for white folk and is now trying to live a quiet life, avoiding attention from the town authorities. She is also the sole carer for her young granddaughter Sissi who was abandoned by Odette’s daughter and from whom she ...
