Ceylon Cricket Team 1958 – Yes it was truly a Ceylonese Team! – By Charles Schokman Source: Sent to eLanka by Charles Schokman This photo popped up in the social media. This was the then All Ceylon team picked to play an Unofficial test match  against the  English team led by Colin Cowdrey in 1958.  An interesting aspect I noted was the  balanced ethnic diversity of Sinhalese, Moors, Malay, Tamil, Burgher in this team. Sadly, we don’t find it now.  Only three are among the living – Chandra Schaffter (94 years) Dr H.I.K. Fernando (91 years) and Michael Tissera (85 years). Don’t confuse A.C.M. Lafir with Billiards Lafir (MJM). ACM Lafir was the opening batsman for St Anthony’s College, Katugostota and was chosen on his outstanding batting record for the club that he played in Colombo – Saracens owned by Macan Markar family. Lafir received the award for the  highest runs ...

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A major cultural festival celebrated by Sinhalese and Tamil communities in Sri Lanka – ” Sinhala and Tamil New Year ” – By Malsha – elanka Avurudu, also known as Sinhala and Tamil New Year, is a major cultural festival celebrated by Sinhalese and Tamil communities in Sri Lanka and around the world. The essence of Avurudu is to mark the beginning of a new year and to bring joy, happiness, and prosperity to everyone. The Avurudu festival falls on the 13th or 14th of April each year, marking the end of the harvesting season and the beginning of the new solar year. It is a time for families and friends to come together, to celebrate, to share traditional foods, and to exchange gifts. One of the main rituals of Avurudu is the “punya kalaya,” a period of time where people stop all work and engage in religious activities. During ...

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A city located in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka ” Jaffna ” – By Malsha – eLanka Jaffna is a city located in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of the Jaffna district and is situated on the Jaffna peninsula. The city has a rich cultural and historical heritage, with a number of ancient temples and forts, and is known for its unique Tamil cuisine, music, and dance. Jaffna is predominantly populated by Tamil people and has been a site of conflict during the Sri Lankan Civil War. Since the end of the war in 2009, the city has been undergoing a process of reconstruction and development. Some of the notable attractions in Jaffna include the Jaffna Fort, Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil, Jaffna Public Library, and Jaffna Market. The city is also known for its delicious seafood, particularly crab and prawns, and its famous ice ...

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  The 5 Oldest Languages in the World! Language is man’s greatest creation. Our ancestors, the Neanderthals, showed us the first glimpses of language, using grunting and pointing to communicate with one another. Over the next few millenniums, the spoken word began to rise. As early as 3 BC, the first languages began to be spoken, and it is from these ancient art forms (because make no mistake, language is an art form), that the spoken word we enjoy today in many different countries, has been derived. With that in mind, here are the 5 oldest languages known to civilization. 5. Greek The first appearance of written Greek has been traced back to over 3000 years ago. Since then it has been used continuously, and is currently the official language of Greece and the Republic of Cyprus, an Eastern Mediterranean island country. It is the oldest Indo-European language still used ...

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