Category Archives: elephant tales

August 10, 2025 · 6:55 pm

Bulawayo!@#! … One Feast. Two Massacres!

Firdose Moonda, in  ESPNcricinfo, August 2025 where  the headline reads “New Zealand script their biggest win after Foulkes and Co flatten Zimbabwe”

After New Zealand declared overnight, with a lead of 476, Zimbabwe were bowled out in 28.1 overs in an extended first session …………..  New Zealand 601 for 3 decl (Ravindra 165*, Conway 153, Nicholls 150*) beat Zimbabwe 125 (Taylor 44, Henry 5-40, Foulkes 4-38) and 117 (Welch 47*, Foulkes 5-37) by an innings and 359 runs

Zakary Foulkes picked up the best figures by a New Zealand player on Test debut as New Zealand recorded their biggest Test win. Their innings and 359 run victory over Zimbabwe emphasised the massive gulf between the two sides as Zimbabwe capitulated for their fourth-lowest score against New Zealand to suffer their heaviest defeat in the format.

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under art & allure bewitching, cricket for amity, cricket selections, elephant tales, life stories, performance, trauma

February 26, 2025 · 12:54 am

Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage Celebrates Its 50th Year

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.

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under cultural transmission, elephant tales, governance, heritage, landscape wondrous, life stories, Uncategorized

January 14, 2025 · 8:19 pm

An Elephantine Blockage in Sri Lanka! … & An Elephantine Problem!

Wasantha Chandrapala, in Daily Mirror, 12 January 2025

The Tempitiya-Mahaoya road in Ampara has been closed for traffic and pedestrian movement for the past three days due to an injured wild elephant frequenting the road. Residents of the area said the closure of the road had disrupted civilian life.

HEADLINE in DAILY MIRROR, 12 January 2025 = “Elephant closes Tempitiya-Mahaoya road for three days”

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under accountability, centre-periphery relations, cultural transmission, elephant tales, landscape wondrous, life stories, nature's wonders, power politics, security, self-reflexivity, sri lankan society, taking the piss, terrorism, tolerance, trauma, travelogue, wild life

November 30, 2024 · 9:32 am

That Beggar of an Elephant in Sri lanka

Watch …. Enjoy …..

2 Comments

Filed under art & allure bewitching, charitable outreach, elephant tales, landscape wondrous, life stories, performance, photography, power politics, sri lankan society, tolerance, travelogue, welfare & philanthophy, wild life

June 3, 2024 · 12:57 am

An Indian Performer Skips across Sri Lanka’s Wild Life Terrain

SEE YOU TUBE Presentation by Shakthi Mohan// Nriti Shakthi of India … entitled “Dance across the World”

Continue reading →

2 Comments

Filed under art & allure bewitching, cultural transmission, elephant tales, ethnicity, female empowerment, heritage, island economy, landscape wondrous, life stories, nature's wonders, performance, photography, propaganda, slanted reportage, sri lankan society, the imaginary and the real, tourism, travelogue, wild life, world events & processes

May 19, 2024 · 10:57 am

A Shortage of Tamed Elephants constrains ESALA PERAHERA

Item in the Daily Mirror, 18 May 2024

A situation has arisen where getting the participation of elephants at both peraheras has become a problem due to the holding of the Ratnapura Maha Saman Devalaya Perahera and the Kandy Esala Perahera on the same day, Sri Dalada Maligawa Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela said.

He told the Daily Mirror that at least 60 elephants will be able to participate in the Kandy Esala Perahera this year. During previous Kandy Esala Perahera seasons, 75 elephants participated, he said.

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under accountability, art & allure bewitching, Buddhism, cultural transmission, elephant tales, heritage, historical interpretation, island economy, Kandyan kingdom, landscape wondrous, life stories, patriotism, performance, population, religiosity, sri lankan society, travelogue, world events & processes

March 31, 2024 · 2:30 am

Elephant Orphanage & Elephant Lore: Dilmah Initiative at Uda Walawe

Kamanthi Wickramasinghe, in Daily Mirror, 25 March 2024, where the title reads thus: “Üda Walawe ETH: A home away from home for baby elephants”

Spectators witnessing another busy feeding hour at the Uda Walawe ETH —Pix courtesy: Dilmah Conservationh

Inauguration of ‘Elephant Knowledge Walk’ 

In a bid to spread more awareness among visitors to the Uda Walawe ETH, Dilmah Conservation in collaboration with the Department of Wildlife Conservation renovated the ‘Elephant Knowledge Walk’ to educate local and international visitors on why the Asian elephant needs to be protected. Apart from that a souvenir shop was also opened to support local communities.

The Uda Walawe ETH was set up to rehabilitate elephants that were orphaned due to various reasons including the Human-Elephant Conflict. At the ETH, elephant calves have very little contact with humans which is vital to boost their chances of survival in the wild. Here, human interaction is only limited to feeding hours. The calves are being fed every three hours with infant milk but also encouraged to develop natural foraging habits including grazing.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, charitable outreach, education, elephant tales, heritage, landscape wondrous, life stories, patriotism, sri lankan society, unusual people, world events & processes

March 21, 2024 · 6:14 pm

Experiences: Working on the Gal Oya Project in Ceylon, 1950-61

Andreas Szechowycz, presenting a Memoir-cum-Report entitled “Gal Oya Project (1950-1960): Dr. Roman W. Szechowycz & the Gal Oya Development Board”

Dr. Roman W. Szechowycz was employed by the Gal Oya Development Board from 18 July 1950 to 1961. He arrived in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) with his wife Sabina (nee Czekan) Szechowycz and their 3-year-old daughter Maria. I was born in October 1951 in Colombo. During the time in Sri Lanka, we lived in Inginiyagala next to the post office.

My parents were displaced people who after World War II ended were in Hanover Germany in the British Sector. My father’s home was in northwest Ukraine and my mother’s home was in southwest Poland. These areas were occupied by Russians after the conclusion of World War II.

Continue reading →

5 Comments

Filed under accountability, anti-racism, architects & architecture, centre-periphery relations, colonisation schemes, cultural transmission, economic processes, education, elephant tales, ethnicity, heritage, historical interpretation, land policies, landscape wondrous, life stories, modernity & modernization, patriotism, performance, plural society, refugees, rehabilitation, self-reflexivity, sri lankan society, travelogue, unusual people, world events & processes

February 5, 2024 · 1:09 am

Wild Animals & Luxury at Yala National Park in Sri Lanka

Jeremy Bourke: “The new Sri Lankan resort where wildlife roam free,” in The Weekend Australian Travel + Luxury Magazine, 3/4 February 2024 …….

Buffalos in pools, elephants on footpaths and an escort needed when you leave your pavilion – the fenceless Hilton Yala is quite the experience.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under art & allure bewitching, elephant tales, island economy, landscape wondrous, leopards in the wild, life stories, modernity & modernization, nature's wonders, photography, sri lankan society, travelogue, world events & processes

October 29, 2023 · 12:31 am

Savouring Sri Lanka Today, 2023: A Glorious Ride

Paddy Hintz in The Weekend Australian, 25 October 2023, bearing this title “Jungles, curries and wild elephants: why Sri Lanka is a ride”

We’re just in time to climb into Kandalama’s beautiful infinity pool and be” mesmerised by fireflies as monkeys sift through the trees beside us.

The morning tour is spectacular. Sigiriya Rock Fortress features cascading water gardens, a vertigo-inducing climb to find the remnants of a paranoid and murderous king’s domain (complete with ancient swimming pool) and a cliff-face cave full of frescoes of scantily clad concubines.

Sigiriya rock fortress, Sri Lanka. Photo: Dylan Shaw

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under ancient civilisations, architects & architecture, elephant tales, landscape wondrous, life stories, photography, sri lankan society, tourism, world events & processes