Category Archives: art & allure bewitching

March 10, 2025 · 6:18 pm

New Archaeological Discoveries: Iron Age in Tamilnadu?

Soutik Biswas in BBC.com, 27 February 2025 … where the title reads “Did Iron Age ‘begin’ in India? Tamil Nadu dig sparks debate”

For over 20 years, archaeologists in India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu have been unearthing clues to the region’s ancient past. Their digs have uncovered early scripts that rewrite literacy timelines, mapped maritime trade routes connecting India to the world and revealed advanced urban settlements – reinforcing the state’s role as a cradle of early civilisation and global commerce.

An aerial view of Iron Age graves in Mayiladumparai in Tamil Nadu

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March 9, 2025 · 2:59 pm

Teenager Rambles in the Galle Arena, 1950s

Michael Roberts

‘Arriving’ in this world in 1938, I was lucky to reside within the Fort of Galle as the youngest in a large family. My father TW Roberts was a retired Ceylon Civil Servant and a respected member of the upper-class circles in town – with his membership of the Galle Gymkhana Club as one mark of this position. This status notwithstanding, we lived in rented houses –first in Pedlar Street and then in Middle Street.

Galle fort & port in British times … & an Aerial View more recently

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March 9, 2025 · 9:54 am

Lindy Warrell’s Forays in Poem

Submitted via Email by Lindy Warrell, former postgrad at Anthropology Department Adelaide University ….. Author …. & … Researcher in Aboriginal and Sri Lankan Terrain

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March 8, 2025 · 10:36 am

Galle Face Green in Colombo: Pictorials Over the Years

A Thuppahi Journey

Panoramic view of Galle Face Colombo, Sri Lanka around 1880s-1900, looking south from Galle Road (later this path became the Galle Road), ClubHouse & Galleface Hotel (far right) showing in the background……… Lankapura …. https://lankapura.com/2011/04/panoramic-view-galle-face-green-colombo/

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March 7, 2025 · 7:35 pm

Neyara Weerawansa as Prospective Tennis Star

Item in Daily Mirror in Sri Lanka, 6 March 2025, entitled “Neyara Weerawansa triumphs in Australia”

Rising Sri Lankan tennis star Neyara Weerawansa has made an impressive mark in Australia by clinching the RSY Club Championship title in the Women’s Category.

ave won my first tournament here in Australia. It was a great experience competing at the RSY Club Championship, and I look forward to more opportunities to challenge myself and grow as a player,” said Neyara after her victory.

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March 3, 2025 · 6:16 pm

The Invincible Thomian Cricket XI of 1965

Somasundaram Skandakumar

That Thomian team in 1965 was like Bradman’s Invincibles. They fielded a superbly balanced side that smashed all records as Barney Reid led their bowling with uncanny control and very late and sharp inswing, while Sarath Seneviratne their skipper and Anura Tennakoon spearheaded the batting.

At Tea on the second day following on with two hours to go we were eight down and the Thomians were celebrating. Wadugodapitiya was joined by our dear Lakshman Thalayasingham and they defended stoutly as the minutes ticked by until a few minutes before close Thalay was out stumped playing on his back foot

He never lived that down

The last pair held firm and we escaped with an honourable draw.

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March 3, 2025 · 12:57 am

Misunderstanding Manorani Saravanamuttu’s Character in Film

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?

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February 27, 2025 · 12:22 am

A Vibrant Debate around A Vibrant Singer –Kishani

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)…..

YOUTUBE.COM

Whitney Houston, Pavarotti, Sting, Elton John – La Donna e Mobile 1994

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February 22, 2025 · 9:04 am

Richard Simon’s THOMIA …. On The Launching Pod Now

THOMIA …. with the world and the moon in its sights and landing sites

RICHARD’s NOTE, 20 February 2024

Two important Thomia-related things happened yesterday. First, I had a call from Softwave to confirm that the first completed copies of the book would be delivered today, 20 February, as promised. Second, I made a call of my own, to confirm with the proprietors of the Barefoot Gallery Cafe that I shall be holding the official launch of Thomia there on the fourth of March.