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Reinforcing 74 years of Australia and Sri Lanka diplomacy  By Arundathie Abeysinghe   Australia and Sri Lanka have a robust and enduring bilateral relationship of 74 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations in May 1947. The Asia Pacific Nation and South Asian Island have close foreign relations from May 1947 to date.  In 1946, the Federal Minister for External Affairs, Commerce and Agriculture recommended to the Australian Parliament that Australia should be represented by a Commissioner in *Ceylon, as there was a likelihood of Ceylon being granted independence after India. Thus, in 1947, Mr. Charles William Frost, a Tasmanian ex-Labor Member of Parliament was posted as Australia’s first Commissioner to Ceylon.  Sri Lanka also set up a High Commission in Canberra, Australia and Mr. J.A. Martensz, an appointed Member of the First Parliament of Ceylon assumed duties as the first High Commissioner of Ceylon in Canberra, Australia. With the ...

May 8, 2021 Posted by In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged , , ,
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Wolvendaal Church – significant Dutch Era building in Colombo City By Arundathie Abeysinghe   Constructed in Doric Style (classical Greek or Roman order of Architecture), in the form of a *Greek cross with approximately 1.5 meter thick walls built with clay ironstone, Wolvendaal Church (Wolvendaalse Kerk) is located in *Pettah, Colombo. The Church has seating capacity for approximately 1000 people. At present, the Church is known as the Christian Dutch Reformed Church. During the period the Church was built, the area beyond the Colombo City had been a wilderness and there had been *jackals roaming in the area. The Dutch had mistaken the jackals for wolves and the area had been known as Wolf’s Dale (meaning dale of wolves) and named the area as ‘Wolvendaal’ (dale of wolves in Dutch). Dating back to the Dutch Colonial Era, Wolvendaal Church is the most significant Dutch Building and one of the oldest ...

Apr 15, 2021 Posted by In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged , , ,
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 “MEMORIES OF WELLAWATTE” – By Des Kelly   Heading down from Bambalapitiya to Wellawatte, where I personally knew so many guys & dolls, it was almost impossible to keep track of everyone, especially after the mass-exodus of our Burgher folk, from the Island. This magnificent “memorial” sent to me, from Maxie Gerreyn is truly a great read, and once again, I thank him so very much for keeping these precious memories going. Desmond Kelly (Editor-in-Chief)  eLanka.    A TRIBUTE TO THE FAMILIES OF ARETHUSA LANE, MADANGAHAWATTE LANE AND THE CANAL END OF HAMPDEN LANE   sent in to the blog by Jennifer de Silva What wonderful memories of those carefree days in Arethusa Lane – the boys playing cricket on the weekends and school holidays, the whistle of the Borakakul Karaya (man on stilts dressed as a woman) as he made his rounds, the Sakkili Band waking everyone up from ...

Mar 17, 2021 Posted by In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Tagged , , , , , ,
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 “DEPENDABLE-DEFENCE” – By Des Kelly     This extremely interesting TRUE STORY was sent out by a good friend and ex Royal Ceylon Navy Officer, Chris. Lawton-O.A.M., relating to the recent  “Racist-Rantings” going on in England, in relation to “The Royal Family” versus a slightly less Royal Family, involving Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, Oprah Winfrey, and the entire  Social-Media Corporation of America, it seems, intent on discovering the “Culprit of the Colour” controversy now rampant in both old Blighty and the new Land of the free America, under it’s new President, Joe Biden. With Covid 19 still causing havoc in both England & America, vaccinations being “rolled-out” everywhere, Wars, still being fought all over the place, Climate-change, in full swing, Icebergs melting in the Arctic, floods, bushfires,  Volcanoes spitting out red-hot lava, etc., etc., the COLOUR(English), COLOR (American) of a baby’s skin, takes pride of place in this ...

Mar 16, 2021 Posted by In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Tagged , , ,
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Robert Knox Memorial – tribute to a British Traveler By Arundathie Abeysinghe   Located at Eladatte in Lagundeniya about 12 kilometers from Gampola town, this memorial is a tribute to *Robert Knox who lived in *Ceylon for almost 20 years as a captive of *King Rajasinghe II, the ruler of the Kandyan Kingdom.  Robert Knox was an English Sea Captain who served in the British East India Company. In 1659, when the ship he was sailing had a malfunction and landed in Ceylon, he was captured by King Rajasinghe II along with 15 other sailors and they were prisoners of the Kandyan Kingdom till he finally escaped to England (present United Kingdom) in 1680. Although, he was in captivity, the King had treated him well and he had been given land as well as houses to live in various places with almost unrestricted mobility within the Kandyan Kingdom. He had ...

Mar 15, 2021 Posted by In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged , , , , , ,
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Henarathgoda Botanical Gardens – evolution of Sri Lankan economy By Arundathie Abeysinghe   Situated in close proximity to Gampaha town and Gampaha Railway Station in Gampaha -Minuwangoda Road about 32 kilometers from Colombo, Henarathgoda Botanical Gardens also known as Gampaha Botanical Gardens was opened in 1876.  Surrounded by paddy fields, the picturesque water stream (Attangalu Oya) and a secondary forest, the Gardens has a large collection of tropical flower plants, an extensive collection of palms, orchids, endemic trees, properly designed shrubs, bushes and trees as well as a well-landscaped garden layout. Plants from every corner of Sri Lanka can be found in the Gardens. The Gardens is linked to the evolution of Sri Lankan economy as the first imported rubber tree to Sri Lanka was first planted in the Gardens from the first imported seedlings of Brazilian rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) planted in Asia. According to legends, British Explorer Sir ...

Mar 9, 2021 Posted by In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged , , , , ,
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A Journey to Mannar and the ‘Dancing Islands’ – 2 – by Nimal Chandrasena  Pearl Fishing Recording my recollections and reflections about what life would have been like in Mannar, centuries ago, I digressed. My attention was drawn to perhaps the most important and interesting aspect of life in Mannar and the north-central coastline for thousands of years (I learnt that later!). It is Pearl Fishing. Pearl oysters, from whom pearls are obtained, are a group of ‘bivalves’ (type of Mollusc), mainly of the Genus Pinctada (Familiy: Pinctodae); and several species, including the one common in the Gulf of Mannar: Pinctada radiata.  Pearls are formed when an irritant, such as a tiny stone or bit of sand gets inside the mollusc’s shell. The bivalve secretes a lustrous substance called ‘nacre’, around the object to protect its soft internal surface. As layer upon layer of nacre coats the irritant, a pearl is ...

Mar 1, 2021 Posted by In Articles Tagged , , , , , ,
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Dutch Hospital – aura of Colonial Era Architecture By Arundathie Abeysinghe   Nestled among skyscrapers and situated within the hustle and bustle of Colombo Fort, Old Colombo Dutch Hospital, popularly known as “Dutch Hospital” dates to Dutch Colonial Era of *Ceylon. The Dutch Hospital had been constructed in 1600s as a hospital to treat Dutch Soldiers, Dutch Sailors as well as officers of the Dutch East India Company due to the close proximity of the Building to Colombo Harbor.  Dutch Hospital is considered as one of the oldest buildings in Colombo. Considered as a heritage building, the Building is a well-maintained shopping and dining precinct at present.  The Building, although constructed during the Dutch Colonial Era has been influenced by tropical requirements as well as local building style of Ceylon during that period, and is different from Colonial Era Structures in Ceylon. With red clay roof tiles, boxy pillars, a ...

Feb 9, 2021 Posted by In Articles, Arundathie Abeysinghe Tagged , , , ,
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