Avishka Mario Senewiratne, reviewing the book by Rajiva Wijesinghe that assesses Ranil Wickremasinghe’s recent political career
Last December, Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha released a new book titled Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Emasculation of the United National Party. As the title suggests, the book tackles a contentious and provocative topic and may not be an easy read for everyone. Nevertheless, it presents a highly engaging and insightful narrative that warrants close attention.
Filed under accountability, centre-periphery relations, economic processes, electoral structures, governance, historical interpretation, Indian Ocean politics, island economy, language policies, Left politics, legal issues, life stories, modernity & modernization, nationalism, performance, politIcal discourse, power politics, Presidential elections, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, sri lankan society, taking the piss, war reportage, welfare & philanthophy, working class conditions
Somasundaram Skandakumar
He never lived that down
Academia.edu – Find Research Papers, Topics, Researchers …. https://www.academia.edu
Occupation: Russian Rule in South-eastern Ukraine
by David G Lewis, 2025
Improving Forest-Based Livelihoods through Integrated Climate Change Adaptation Planning
by Pratima Shrestha
2014 • Crossing the Border: International Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies
The Pluralism of Restorative Justice in Greater China: an Introduction
by John Braithwaite, Asian Journal of Criminology
“The Serendipity of Anthropological Practice,” by Francisco Martínez
2010, The Journal of Asian Studies
Peirce, Pragmatism, and the Logic of Scripture,” by Peter W . Ochs, 1998
Ethnicity and Violence in Sri Lanka: An Ethnohistorical Narrative
By Premakumara de Silva, 2019, The Palgrave Handbook of Ethnicity
Abstract: The ethnicity and violence in Sri Lanka have many root causes and consequences that are closely interconnected. Given the nature and the complexity of root causes and consequences of these highly contested concepts, it should not be treated as a part of linear historical processes where one event led to another. Sri Lanka presents case of how intersecting not only ethnicity and violence but also religion, caste, class, linguistic, and cultural mosaics have been and might be billeted within the borders of a nation-state. However, state building in Sri Lanka has been riddled with paradoxes. The curious notion of numerically dominant ethnic group, Sinhala manifesting a “minority complex” or anxieties about minority groups, Tamil and Muslims, is evident in the rise of Sinhala Buddhist nationalism during the nineteenth and the twentieth century of the country. Since state building has often meant ……….
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A Critical Review of the Film “RANI” which is entitled “Did Rani Miss Manorani?” with the sub-title “A film that avoids the “Mannerism” of a Biopic” by Rani Bhagya Rajapakshe ….
“This is only how Manorani sees Richard. It doesn’t have a lot of what Richard did. Although Manorani is not someone who pays attention to the happenings in the country. It was only after her son was kidnapped that she began to feel that this was happening in the country. She had human emotions. But she was a person who smoked cigarettes and drank whiskey and lived a merry life.” …… Interview with “Rani” film director Ashoka Handagama by Upali Amarasinghe – 02.02.2025 ‘Anidda’ weekend newspaper, pages 15 and 19
The above statement shows the key attitude of the director of the movie, “Rani” towards the central character of the film, Dr. Manorani Sarawanamuttu. This statement is highly controversial. Similarly, the statement given by the director to Groundviews on 30.01.2025 about capturing the depth of Rani’s character shows that he has done so superficially, frivolously?
Filed under accountability, art & allure bewitching, Colombo and Its Spaces, conspiracies, cultural transmission, historical interpretation, Left politics, life stories, martyrdom, performance, politIcal discourse, self-reflexivity, social justice, sri lankan society, trauma, unusual people, vengeance
An EDITORIAL NOTE, 27 February 2025
Items within this site have drawn over 780 hits each day of this week, ranging from 986 on Wednesday 26th February to 000 on the Monday 24th…… A fair sprinkling of visitors looked at biographical tales honing in on individuals — in some cases on what we call “Vales”. Readers may derive insights from a listing of these items: …. after all, friends matter and many famous personalities evoke tales of achievement that inspire.
Filed under accountability, anti-racism, cultural transmission, economic processes, ethnicity, historical interpretation, island economy, Left politics, life stories, literary achievements, patriotism, performance, plural society, politIcal discourse, power politics, self-reflexivity, sri lankan society, Tamil civilians, teaching profession, travelogue, Uncategorized, unusual people, world events & processes
Darshanie Ratnawalli
Controversies surrounding new renditions of popular songs do have a sociological basis…or rather a basis which owes something to sociological factors. But it’s silly to think it’s all sociological. Enjoyment of music is a function of individual taste which is unpredictable and cannot be slotted so easily into neat sociological cubbyholes. Why did some people react so violently to Kishani’s rendition? Why did a Sinhala TV morning show host liken it to a screeching of a female cat in heat? It’s because a powerful operatic voice trained to hit top notes can sound too powerful for ears used to and raised on Hindustani based music. But no……. even that is not right. Popular music lovers of any country may find opera outside their groove zone. See this video of Whitney Houston, Sting and Elton John attempting to sing an opera aria with Pavarotti …… (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2mMPz_a4vY)…..
Whitney Houston, Pavarotti, Sting, Elton John – La Donna e Mobile 1994
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Amal Jayasinghe, in The Island, Sunday Edn, with Pics by Ishara Kodikara and this title “Sri Lanka’s first elephant orphanage celebrates 50 years”
Sri Lanka’s main elephant orphanage marked its 50th anniversary on Sunday February 16 with a fruit feast for the 68 jumbos at the showpiece centre, reputedly the world’s first care home for destitute pachyderms. The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage lavished pineapples, bananas, melons and cucumbers on its residents to celebrate the anniversary of their home, which is a major tourist attraction.
A few officials and tourists invited to the low-key celebration were served milk rice and traditional sweets while four generations of elephants born in captivity frolicked in the nearby Maha Oya river.
A Frontline News Item & Protective Project ….
Great Nicobar and its companion islands are home to pristine forests that return to the beginning of time. They house flora and fauna that are rare and endemic. The islands are home to indigenous tribes who were there long before “civilisation” as we define it was born. These are important factors. They must weigh with any government before it launches a plan that threatens to wipe out life on the island as we knew it.
thuppahi
