Temples have been the focal points of many cultural landscapes since Mesopotamian times. Parthenon as a temple epitomizes the highest order of classical architecture. It has been built on top of a hill to depict its place in the spatial hierarchy of ancient Athens. Almost in parallel to the latter part of Greek civilization, ancient Sri Lankans built temples of ...

Cocos Nucifera debacleA friend reminded that I did not update my blog for more than a year. So, resuming the blog was one of new year resolutions. The first month of 2016 is almost over but I am yet to organize some thoughts to write. Then suddenly an idea came to my mind this morning…..Eureka… Eureka! ….. I should write ...

This is a famous riddle/joke having a long history. As the yarn goes, it has been posed to ordinary people as well as to famous thinkers. Some of the answers were very fascinating and some others very hilarious. One of my best liked answers has come from none other than Isaac Newton. According to the one who imagined the answer ...

My summer break is coming to an end. Very soon I have to get back to my routine work. I had a very good working-holiday in Thailand and Sri Lanka. The highlight of the vacation was a visit to a fruit orchard in Rayong.July-August time is the fruit season in tropical countries like Thailand and Sri Lanka. A variety of ...

Last week I was waiting for my daughter near her friend’s house around 6 pm. The second test match between Sri Lanka and England was on TV. The friend’s grandmother saw me listening to the commentary and invited me inside the house to watch the match. I very gladly accepted her invitation. Then she asked, … “Are you Sri Lankan?” ...

The vesakweek of 2014 is coming to an end in Sri Lanka. I wonder whether any other Buddhist society celebrates Gauthama Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and parinirvanaas we Sri Lankans do. Vesak festival ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesak )is one of the most beautiful times in Sri Lanka. Many villages, towns and cities look so beautiful in the evenings when thousands of pandols, lanterns ...

The solar new year season in Sri Lanka will come to an end today (30thApril). It spanned for almost three weeks from 13th April. I could not participate in the new year festival held in our city few days ago. Although we are thousands of miles away from Sri Lanka many of us do not forget to follow the traditions ...

We do not eat grass. But grass is one of the most common sources of food for us. For example rice plant is a grass. Rice is the staple food of most Asians. That means we heavily depend on grass for our food. We also eat grass in the form of shoots and sprouts. Bamboo shoot is a common ingredient ...

Christmas day of 2013 is about to begin. It marks a happy time for both Christians and others alike. Irrespective of our religious views and beliefs we love this time of the year for the joy and happiness that it brings for everybody. I spent my most memorable Christmas holiday in Bandarawela. My good friend Charles invited me and two ...

The summit of the mountain is an amazing sight from near and far. According to chronicles the first trail to climb Sri Paada was established during the reign of King Vijayabahu" (1065-1119 AD). The first constructions at the summit have taken place during King Nissankamalla (1198-1206 AD). Since then the architecture at the summit has transformed from a simple shelter ...

Sri Paada season for 2013/14 started few days ago. About 100,000 devotees have climbed Sri Paada Mountain on the first day itself. Sri Paada means ‘sacred foot print’. It is at the summit of a mountain located in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. It is sacred for Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and Muslims alike. So it is a place for ...

Today is a special day for me and my wife. On special days like this we prepare ‘kiribath’ (milk rice). It is the traditional food that most Sri Lankans make on auspicious days and for special occasions. This morning we made kiribath to celebrate our 23rd wedding anniversary. My wife cooked kiribath and I shaped it to make imbul kiribath ...

These days every Tom, Dick and Harry own a blog one way or the other. Why do I need one? … especially when I consider blogs are for pseudo authors. The real authors publish in the main stream. Don’t they? I myeself as an academic is expected to publish in academic journals, not in a silly blog. “Publish or perish” ...