Talangama Wetlands – unique microcosm of fauna and flora By Arundathie Abeysinghe Situated a few kilometers away from the hustle and bustle of the Commercial Capital Colombo on the outskirts of Colombo City and in close proximity to the administrative capital of Sri Jayawardenepura. Talangama *Wetlands and Lake or Talangama Tank (Talangama ‘Wewa’ in Sinhala) is a unique microcosm of fauna, avifauna and flora rippling around a sanctuary of peace. The main Talangama Lake (also spelt as Thalangama Lake) and its environs are situated in the Madiwala catchment area. There are two tanks in close proximity to each other, Talangama Tank and Averihena Tank which are maintained by the Department of Irrigation. Talangama Lake is the primary source of water for paddy fields between Akuregoda and Talangama. Talangama Lake and Wetlands including its environs is a significant habitat for water birds and flora and fauna, an urban biodiversity refuge… The ...
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Dutch Burghers and Portuguese Mechanics: Eurasian Ethnicity in Sri Lanka By Thuppahi. Source:thuppahis.com Dennis B. McGilvray, reproducing an essay presented in April 1982 within Comparative Studies in Society and History 24 (2): 235-263 –– an article that is wide-ranging and draws on ethnographic work as well as historical manuscripts. Note that the highlighting and pictorial insertions are the work of The Editor, Thuppahi. I: PROLOGUE Historians and anthropologists in Sri Lanka have tended to migrate in opposite directions, but away from the multiethnic confusion of the port cities. Typically, the heterogeneous, semi-Westernized, postcolonial urban society of Colombo and the larger towns has been only a transit point on intellectual journeys outbound to European archives or inbound to “traditional culture.” This was certainly my viewpoint as I arrived “inbound” in Sri Lanka for my first anthropological fieldwork. I took only passing notice of the clerks of mixed European and Sri Lankan descent who sold me ...
Queen’s Tower – alluring colonial legacy in Delft Island By Arundathie Abeysinghe Located in Delft Island approximately 30 kilometers off the west coast of the Jaffna Peninsula, Delft Island (also known as Neduntivu or Neduntheeve meaning Long Island or Large Island) is the second largest island in Sri Lanka with a history spanning over a thousand years dating to the period of the *Chola Dynasty. Initially occupied by the Chola Dynasty, the Portuguese and the Dutch in the 17th century and thereafter by the British, Delft Island is a stark contrast to the landscape of the mainland Sri Lanka, a unique and extraordinary place. The Island is abundant with colonial legacy. There is also a *Baobab tree in the Island, one of the several Baobab trees in Sri Lanka brought to *Ceylon by the seafaring Arab traders and regarded as the longest-lived tree species on earth. Among the colonial remnants, ...
Mandaram Nuwara – misty mysterious mountain locked terrain By Arundathie Abeysinghe Commonly referred to as the “Misty City” (Mandaram Nuwara in Sinhala) as the location is shadowed by adjacent mountain ranges and mist engulfed, Mandaram Nuwara is a spectacular tiny hamlet in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. Located at the foot of *Pidurutalagala Mountain (Mount Pedro), the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka in the Nuwara Eliya District of Central Province, a unique feature of this scenic hamlet is that it has never seen the first rays of the solar rays nor the remaining rays because of its mountain-locked location. Legends as well as folklore weave through this hamlet… Enclosed from the west by Piduruthalagala Mountain and from the east by the Balagolla mountain ranges and constantly enveloped by a veil of ethereal mist and the seamless presence of nature, the breathtaking hamlet of Mandaram Nuwara evokes images of a ...
Obelisk – Battle of Randeniwela By Arundathie Abeysinghe A monument constructed at the ninth kilometer post on the *Ella – Wellawaya Road near the village of Randeniwela is a unique obelisk to commemorate the Battle of Randeniwela (Battle of Randeniya or Sinhalese – Portuguese War), a battle fought on August 25th 1630. The battle was fought between Portuguese forces commanded by the *Governor Constantinu De Saa de Noronha and King Senarath’s (1604 – 1635) youngest son Prince Maha Astana (pre coronation) who was later crowned as King Rajasinha II (1635 – 1687), the second ruler of Kandyan Kingdom and his brother Prince Vijayapala. The battle was fought near *Wellawaya, situated in close proximity to *Badulla. The battle had taken place when Constantino de Sá launched an invasion via Badulla. The Portuguese army, despite their superior cannon power suffered a massive defeat subsequent to a mass defection by its Lascarin (local ...
“LANKAN STORIES TO PONDER” – by Des Kelly So, it is back again, to why I consider Country Music to be verily, the “Stories Of Life”. Because I now write especially for e’Lanka, my thoughts are increasingly drawn back to Lankans in general, now resident in many parts of the World, whether they want to be or not, and I think of the less affluent members of the Country named Ceylon, myself being one of them, and how we had to live, mostly in rented houses, flats, etc., paying monthly rents with the greatest difficulty, but then, still better off than most of the “drifters” who had to “make do” in wattle & daub huts, and as the title of this particular story goes, “Under the Bridge”. Merle Haggard, my Master of Country Music, wrote, recorded, and performed songs relating to just these very idiosyncrasies of life, following up with ...
“BOUNTIFUL BANANAS” – by Des Kelly Source: https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/banana-7/ We used to call them Plantains in Ceylon of the good old days, as I remember them. There were many wonderful varieties, like Kohlikuttu, Aana-maalu, Suwendel, etcetera, and I even remember the tiniest plantain which was named the Sugar-banana by the British, I suppose, because this is where the name “Banana” came from. Being a fruit that was readily available back home, I became very fond of them and would sometimes make quite a meal of them, buying beautiful combs of the fruit, ripened to exactly how much I preferred them to be, from the banana palace in Wellawatte, for just a couple of rupees, per comb. I loved to choose bananas that were not over-ripe in the slightest, because once they started to show brown spots on the peel, the fruit would very quickly lose their ...
ComBank named Sri Lanka’s Domestic Trade Finance Bank of the Year Honored by Asian Banking and Finance for innovation, exceptional service and resilience in pandemic-impacted year. Aug 12, Colombo: The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has been recognized as Sri Lanka’s ‘Domestic Trade Finance Bank of the Year’ at the 2021 Asian Banking and Finance (ABF) Awards under the ‘Wholesale Banking Awards’ category that honors banks that have successfully handled significant deals or launched innovative initiatives to deliver exceptional services for their clients. This significant accolade was bestowed on Commercial Bank for its initiatives to strengthen customer relationships, improve service standards, deliver innovative solutions and for being resilient, resisting disruption, and emerging with a stellar performance in the year reviewed, despite the debilitating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bank’s accomplishments in trade finance are underscored by its performance related to key indicators including (trade) market share, turnover, revenue, credit facilities ...
Magul Maha Viharaya – venue of a historical event By Arundathie Abeysinghe Situated in Lahugala in Ampara District, Magul Maha Viharaya is an ancient Buddhist Temple linked to a historical event. The Temple is located on the northern edge of *Lahugala National Park. Magul Maha Viharaya (meaning “the Wedding Temple” in Sinhala) is an unusual name for a Buddhist Temple. According to legends, the premises of the Temple had also been the location where King Kavantissa (205-161 BC who ruled the Kingdom of *Ruhuna) had married brave *Princess Viharamahadevi, the daughter of King Kelanitissa of *Maya Rata. According to legends, the name of the Temple is linked with the Royal Wedding that had taken place in the premises of the Temple. According to scholars, the intricately carved poruwa (wedding altar) in the premises of the Temple is evidence that a Royal Wedding had taken place many centuries ago. This poruwa ...
Strategic significance of Trincomalee Harbor By Arundathie Abeysinghe Located on the East Coast of Sri Lanka, in *Trincomalee, approximately 350 kilometers north of the key East-West shipping lanes of the Indian Ocean, Trincomalee Port is formed by a large natural deep-water harbor, the fifth largest natural harbor as well as one of the finest natural harbors in the world. It is the most valuable asset of Sri Lanka. According to historical data in *Mahawamsa, the great Chronicle, Trincomalee Port had been first occupied in the 5th century and was known as “Gokanna”. Trincomalee Harbor has been a sea port from the period of ancient Sri Lankan Kings and has attracted sea farers such as Marco Polo and Ptolemy as well as Sea Traders from China and East Asia. As such, during early and medieval period, sailing ships had found a haven in Trincomalee Port. Situated on a peninsula in ...
