Randima Atytgalle, in The Sunday Island, 28 July 2024 where the title reads “A monument to all things Dutch,” … while the photos are his work or that of Prof KD Paranavitana.
The Dutch Museum in Colombo, located at Prince Street, Pettah, was closed for several years for renovation. It was reopened to the public early this month. The conservation project which is nearing completion hopes to restore this archaeologically protected monument to its former glory.
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An Appreciation within Richmond Viththi in Facebook, 11 July 2024
Professor Jayasekara joined Richmond College in 1944. He was a Prefect of the school and won the most prestigeous award at Richmond, the Darrell Medal in 1954. He obtained an Honours Degree in Arts from the University of Peradeniya in 1959. He was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship to Canada where he obtained his Masters degree in History from the University of Manitoba. In 1970, he was awarded the PhD by the SOAS, University of London.Filed under accountability, British colonialism, Buddhism, communal relations, cultural transmission, economic processes, education, ethnicity, governance, heritage, historical interpretation, land policies, landscape wondrous, language policies, life stories, patriotism, politIcal discourse, power politics, religiosity, religious nationalism, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, social justice, sri lankan society, teaching profession, welfare & philanthophy, working class conditions, world events & processes
Premila Thurairatnam, whose article in The CEYLANKAN May 2024 Issue is entitled ”Ceylon Ivory”
In Ceylon, ivory was used in carving as early as the 2nd century CE or earlier1. Descriptions of Lanka in the epic Ramayana refer to ivory-embellished chariots and ivory panels. By the 15th century, ivory carving had become important enough to result in placing ivory workers fairly high on the social scale, just below the farmers and ivory was the second largest export next to cinnamon. The carving was performed with a high degree of skill using simple tools like saws, chisels and rasps to produce ivory knife handles, combs, bangles, boxes, book covers, compasses and architectural elements, such as ornamentation around door frames. Use of ivory in religious images was unique to Ceylon since being an animal substance, other cultures regarded it as inappropriate or simply too difficult to obtain1. Even today, it is common practice to place mounted elephant tusks on each side of temple doorways and ivory confiscated from poachers or from elephants that die is donated to temples.
Ceylon Ivory 
Fig 1. Fan. Kotte 1540-55. Ivory, rubies and gold on wool, 57cm high ….. Staatliches Museum für Völkerkunde, Munich; exh. Museum Rietberg, Zürich6.
Casket 1 – Kunsthistorishces Museum, Vienna
Fig 2 (Casket 1). Kotte before 1542. 14.9 x 25 x 16cm. Handle and feet contemporary Indo-Portuguese, the lock-plate probably South German, mid-16th century silver mounts. Kunsthistorishces Museum, Vienna7.
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Professor Jayadeva Uyangoda, in Polity.lk, 7 July 2024 … where the title reads “Uncertainty or Turmoil? Sri Lanka’s Pre-Presidential Election Politics”
The coming few months have the potential to produce major political changes in Sri Lanka. The presidential election is constitutionally due to be held on a date decided by the Election Commission between 17 September and 16 October. It will certainly mark a crucial moment that will decide who governs the country and in what direction, amidst a continuing economic and social crisis of massive proportions.
Photo by Sena Vidanagama
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Theodore K
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Danny Byrne Circular Report …. with title imposed by The Editor, Thuppahi
Arriving in Belfast for the Ireland vs Zimbabwe Test Match ……….
If I ventured in the slipstream
Between the viaducts of your dream
Where immobile steel rims crack
And the ditch in the back roads stop
Could you find me?
Would you kiss-a my eyes?
To lay me down
In silence easy
To be born again ………………………………………………… Astral Weeks – Van Morrison
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Geethika Dharmasinghe, in Colombo Telegraph, 23 January 2021, where the title reads as “Our Malathi”… presented here with emphasis imposed by The Editor, Thuppahi
She was the first woman in Sri Lankan politics after Kumari Jayawardena to build an awareness on the role of woman and of her ‘traditional’ position, uniting academic work and politics. She is an anthropologist, and a feminist activist. Her activism and scholarly interests were in understanding militarization, motherhood, and the role of memories in the context of nationalist histories.
Dr. Malathi de Alwis
Dr. Kumari Jayawardena
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Michael Roberts
The library at Adelaide Univeristy is known as the BARR-SMITH LIBRARY. The staff in the “Special Collections” within the library over the years have been especially helpful over a long period and were hands-on central in organising the Roberts Oral History Project from the 1980s and subsequently (see https://www.adelaide.edu.au/library/special/mss/roberts/).
But it is by pure chance that I came across a document penned in my hand detailing the stock of manuscripts and photocopied material that I had placed within the Special Collections –maybe because our home is adjacent to a National Park and within a high fire-risk arena.
Let me assure all ye readers that I have been stunned by some of the items that I have collected –some of them original Mss items; with the others being copies. but the main point is that some of these copies reproduce very rare items. Moreover, I find that the range and type of items placed within the realm of the Barr-Smith are quite astonishing. It remains to be seen whether readers and investigators of the past accept that evaluation. I should add that I will be among the personnel delving into some of the data within this stock; but I do not have long to live…..and this stock is there for posterity.
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A Sri Lankan American Jester: “The US Presidential Election: Trump vs Harris”
The Prosecutor vs the Felon?
What if Harris choice for VP is Pete Buttigieg?
What theater!
… cliff me !
Tambapanni Academic Publishers invites the public for the launch of ‘Lawmaking in Dutch Sri Lanka: Navigating Pluralities in a Colonial Society’, written by Dr. Nadeera Rupesinghe.
Prof. Dinesha Samararatne and Dr. Gehan Goonetilleke will discuss the book with Dr. Rupesinghe, at an event to be held at the auditorium of the National Archives, No. 7, Philip Gunewardena Mawatha on 22 July at 4 p.m. All are welcome.
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thuppahi
