Author Archives: MFA User

Washington Embassy Celebrates Christmas

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington DC celebrated the dawn of the Christmas season with participation from the Sri Lankan expatriate Christian community, officials from the US Department of State and community leader ...

Of an island of springs, stupas and serendipity

00-thehinduSri Lanka of yore held unalloyed charm

Betty Kuriyan

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AFP(FILES) In this photograph taken on September 8, 2007 Sri Lankan tea pickers work on a plantation in Kandy, some 150 kms north-east of Colombo. The world's biggest tea producers have agreed to bind together in a new organisation designed to raise prices which could hike the cost of a cuppa for consumers, a Sri Lankan minister announced January 23, 2013. AFP PHOTO/Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI

Sri Lanka, the Emerald Isle of yore, has made multiple transitions in recent decades. But the collage of memories about it from my childhood remains happy and unsullied by time and age.

The island then was a gentle, sun-filled land of upcountry rolling hills and meandering roads of white-washed stupas and incense-filled air; of temples, temple flowers, and lanterns swaying in the balmy air; and of houses in pristine surroundings even if they had only a room or two. The haunting throb of the drums at the Perahara in Kandy fills my ears even now. Memories of Kandy, Colombo, Gampola and Negambo cannot be erased at any time, though grim murder stalked the land in the past few decades.

Gampola, nestling amid hills, where I grew up, was a tranquil little town with steep, sleepy roads and old houses. The pains of growing up were tempered with the untroubled air among the peace-loving Gunawardenes, Fernandos, Alwises, Pelpolas, Kumaraswamys, Selwanyagams, Muthunayagams and Annarajas.

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Thirty Sri Lankan fishermen released from Tamil Nadu to reunite with families for Christmas

Thirty (30) Sri Lankan fishermen released by the Tamil Nadu State authorities were repatriated to Sri Lanka today (23 December) enabling reunion with their families in time to celebrate Christmas. The Sri Lanka fishermen boarded SLNS Ranagaja at the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and arrive at the Kankasanturai harbour this evening.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa during his discussions in Kathmandu on the sidelines of the 18th SAARC Summit in November 2014, requested Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to facilitate the release of the Sri Lankan fishermen in custody in the States of Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh.

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Nepal-Lanka air links set to resume by Feb

Friday, 19th December 2014 KATHMANDU, DEC 18 - Direct air links between Nepal and Sri Lanka are set to resume after a break of two and a half decades with Colombo-based carrier Mihin Lanka planning to begin services by ...

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