through the looking glass...

The Facebook Parody

2007-09-20T21:10:00.001-07:00

This is a truely hilarious one!

A weekend in Kandy - The Lankathilake

2007-09-09T21:48:00.000-07:00

En route to Kandy - Bible Rock and Kadugannawa Ambalama

2007-09-09T20:39:00.001-07:00

Gadaladeniya - Weekend in Kandy

2007-09-06T01:58:00.000-07:00

Embekke - A weekend in Kandy...

2007-09-06T01:32:00.000-07:00

A weekend in Kandy

2007-09-06T01:03:00.001-07:00

For all those who love Colombo for what it is and for it can be !

2007-08-30T21:01:00.000-07:00

Some arial shots of Colombo and its suburbs we took last year. Amazing how peaceful Colombo can look from above...

In support of Sri Lankan cricket!

2007-04-24T20:15:00.000-07:00

If nothing else unites us, then let it at least be Cricket! Why not?

It is time to wake up

2007-03-28T22:50:00.000-07:00

wake up my friend
wake up to the glorious morning
wake up and see the sun rise in all its glory
can you hear the birds chirping; giving thanks for another new day...
have you seen the milk man bring the milk,
or the paper man on his cycle?
listen to the church bells chime to the morning music
take delight, its a new morning!

Pic by David Sorensen

Happy International Women's Day!

2007-03-07T20:16:00.000-08:00

A very happy Women's Day to women all over the world!!!! Today is the day you celebrate your womanhood and all the wonderful little delights of being a woman!

But for women who lived a few decades ago, International Women’s Day was a reminder about the challenges they had to overcome rather than a celebration of life. Women’s equality and emancipation have changed significantly over the last few decades. While many of us feel privileged to be born a woman in this day and age, the feminists of the 70’s know only too well how long it took and with what pain they have achieved what they have achieved. With women in top ranking positions from Directors to Prime Ministers and better legislative rights for women, we might actually tend to think we have achieved true equality. But the truth is that globally women’s health, violence against them and their education is worse than that of men, large numbers of working women are still paid unfair wages and they’re not represented in equal numbers in politics or in businesses.

However, great improvements have been made. Today we have female astronauts and prime ministers, women have proved they can work and have a family, we now have the privilege of getting a university education and we make real choices in life. And so while taking great strides to continue to stand up women of tomorrow, it is also a day to remember all those who stood for the women of today many years ago and a day to celebrate the many privileges and rights that have come our way.

May you all have a wonderful Women’s Day!

Best wishes,
Vidarshi

Make Poverty History

2007-03-06T00:25:00.000-08:00

The site explores some of the reasons for continued world poverty, the commitment made by world leading governments in MDGs to halve poverty by 2015, facts on organizations working to make poverty history and how we can take part in the fight against it. Poverty is man-made and unlike floods, tsunamis or aids, it can be eradicated through man’s conscious actions and efforts….

And the Oscar for Best Picture goes to ' THE DEPARTED'

2007-02-25T21:46:00.000-08:00

Dame Helen Mirren and Forest Whitaker have won best actress and actor at the Oscars with The Departed taking four awards, including best picture.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6390897.stm

Sunset in Bolgoda lake...

2007-02-14T19:25:00.000-08:00

These are the times I love living in Piliyandala. Fully worth that 45 minute drive from Colombo.

Govt not against NGOs

2007-02-08T00:39:00.000-08:00

Given below is an extraction from Thursday 8th February edition of Daily Mirror News Paper Colombo

The Sri Lankan Government, together with the country’s major bilateral donors, came out strongly yesterday in support of the work being done by Non-Governmental Organisations, with the Government asserting that it is not the time for a witch hunt against NGOs.

Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights, Mahinda Samarasinghe told newsmen in Colombo that their work should not be stifled as they have played an important contributory role in the country’s development agenda.

While admitting that it has not been an easy ride for the NGOs, the Minister explained that much has been reported out of context giving the negative and false impression that the Mahinda Rajapaksha Government is against NGO activities.

“The Government is aware of the increasing preference among bilateral and multi lateral partners to work with NGOs and INGOs in the delivery of humanitarian assistance where needed. Nearly 3,000 associations have registered with the NGO Secretariat and the Government is obliged to help them as we have seen, first hand, the excellent work they have been doing to uplift the living standards of people and assisting in the national re-building effort” Minister Samarasinghe said.

At the Press Conference yesterday, the Ambassadors and Heads of Missions from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States and the European Commission came together to defend NGOs and INGOs, whose operations have been the subject of severe criticism in the recent months. The UNHCR too was represented at the briefing. Minister Samarasinghe also mentioned that on January 19, at a meeting held in the Ministry of Defence, the touchy issue of the NGO activity was raised it was decided that at a very early stage in the process of investigating complaints against NGOs, those accused will be given the right to come forward and state their case.

He however cautioned that those “Caught in the act” will not be allowed to hide under the cover of immunity. He also revealed that they’re planning to draw a Code of Conduct which would regulate NGO activity in the country. US Ambassador Robert O’ Blake said that the US has strict laws in place which govern all transactions with foreign terror networks and insisted that a full investigation will be conducted and action taken by the US Government if NGO connections to the LTTE come to light.

“The US attaches great importance to the work of NGOs and US-based NGOs provide a wide range of valuable assistance to Sri Lankans all over Sri Lanka,” Ambassador Blake said.

He further disclosed that USD 160 mn will be extended for Sri Lanka’s development activities this year, all of which are to be channeled through NGO partners.
Minister Samarasinghe said it could be inferred from the US Ambassador’s speech that the US Government “would never, ever compromise on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of this country by aiding and abetting the LTTE.”

Responding to a question raised by a journalist who queried as to whether the press conference was organised solely in response to media criticism or whether there was a yet unknown broader picture, the US Ambassador said the increased criticism of NGOs has resulted in attacks and threats to NGO personnel which has had “a very real impact on their work”.

German Ambassador Jurgen Weerth said that Germany had but one partner in Sri Lanka and that was the Government and that all German NGOs have to look for partners within the Government or approved by the government. He mentioned that all coorperation extended to the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisations had been abandoned once reports of their links to the LTTE surfaced.

The German Ambassador told the media that NGOs play a crucial role in the social and political life of people everywhere and have important responsibilities which cannot sometimes be fulfilled by the Governments.

“NGOs are indispensable to any modern society,” he said, adding that the unprecedented assistance extended by them in the wake of the tsunami disaster in Sri Lanka was an example of their positive contribution to the country.

He further pointed out that although there has been a wide range of allegations, no proof has been put forward to substantiate the claims being made. “The Government of Sri Lanka invited these NGOs to come and they are ready to leave when the Government tells them to leave,” the German Ambassador proclaimed, that they maintain only altruistic humanitarian interests and not any political agenda.

Australia’s Ambassador, relating his country’s experience, said NGOs speak on behalf of disadvantaged and marginalized groups and urged that they be allowed that space of function effectively. The presumption of innocence until proven guilty should a principle that applies to NGOs in this country, he said.

Swiss Ambassador to Sri Lanka Ruth Flint said in Colombo, one often hears of NGO personnel moving around in expensive cars and being housed in luxury hotels but the real picture was very different. Narrating her own experiences, she said that she has seen NGO working dedicatedly in IDP camps. “If you ask those in IDP camps, they will tell,” she observed and added, “It is important to acknowledge their role because it motivates them and increases the quality of their work.”

2007-02-06T19:28:00.000-08:00

I was truely touched watching the Independance day celebrations on TV. Seeing the ground, sea and air forces all parading in uniform, I was wondering how much of sacrifice has gone on our behalf... to protect us, so that we can get on with our comfortable lives and forget that there is a war around us. Its amazing when you think about.
This shot was taken near the Bolgoda lake just before the parade in Galle Face. Many fighter crafts and choppers were flying above us but I was really worried to take a closer shot, just in case they mistook me for a spy.

We finally met, even if it was for a short time!

2007-01-30T19:14:00.000-08:00

These are my friends from Uni and we met after ages. It was great catching up on things I have missed. Love you guys!

Grey-bellied Cuckoo spotted in Bolgoda

2007-01-19T03:03:00.000-08:00

We spotted this injured bird in our garden last week and kept it indoors for a day; till it recovered. I rummaged through my copy of Birds of Sri Lanka to identify it, but the bird was clearly not listed, so I knew it had to be a migrating bird. Later my birder friend Asantha identified it as a female Grey-bellied Cuckoo.
Grey-bellied Cuckoo- (Cacomantis passerinus) is a widespread resident in India; summers in Himalayas and winters down south. It is a brood parasite and apparently a noisy species. For all bird enthusiasts; it was 7 ½ inches in length with a 3 ½ inch tail, unmarked crown and brown eyes.

Hilary Swank to the Walk of Fame

2007-01-16T22:18:00.000-08:00

I first saw Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby, which happens to be one of my favourite movies of all time. Her performance was unbelievable and I would have been surprised if she did not get an Oscar for it. That was Hilary’s second Oscar. The first was for her performance in, Boys don’t cry.
Swank received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday, January 8, 2007.
Swank came from humble beginnings and has decribed her mother as the inspiration for pursuing her acting career.
Swank's most recent film is Freedom Writers, a drama released on January 5, 2007. In the film, she plays Erin Gruwell, a real-life teacher who inspired a California High-school class. Many reviews of Swank's performance were positive, with one critic noting that she "brings credibility" to the role. Swank's upcoming roles include The Reaping, a horror film scheduled for a March 30, 2007 release, and P.S. I Love You.

Oh glory! Beastly ‘Polythene’ finally banned!!!

2007-01-11T02:50:00.001-08:00

Well now that I am all satisfied with the banning of polythene and I can see that distant dream of a polythene free future, I am just wondering how exactly I plan to live without this nasty commodity I have so gotten used to and have become my constant companion, to the boutique, to office carrying my lunch, carrying clothes when I run to my mothers, walks out of a shop with me every time I spot a goody, carries my garbage to the bin and it even sits in my car to be used in case of emergencies (oh I don’t know what type of polythene required emergencies I might run into, maybe if someone wanted to puke!).

I am such a hypocrite, blaming environmentalists for lack of action and politicians and policy makers for sitting on the issue for so long, even advocating to others not to use polythene and sometimes giving mendacious statements about my own usage, I continue to cling on to my constant companion, each time I walk out of that door.

Well it is really not like I haven’t made an effort, every time I forget to take the jute bag from the car to the grocery store (and this is pretty much most of the time), I try to minimize the number of bags I bring back by squeezing in as many number of items into one bag as possible. And when I am feeling all environmentally friendly, I put my garbage directly in the bin and carry my lunch in that ‘must wash later’ lunch box. I never throw silly-silly bags out of the window while traveling and I try to reuse as many times as possible the polythene sealers I use in the fridge.

Oh well one does ones best I guess. Does that give me enough credit to feel good about myself? Yeah I feel for now it would do. In the meantime, I really need to totally and completely eradicate this sordid habit of depending on silly-silly bags for the rescue. Does anyone out there feel the same?

Some food for thought….
Presently Sri Lankans use 20 million thin polythene bags and 15 million lunch sheets for a day. That is crazy but true!

Sella Kataragama Temple and Manik Ganga- beautiful Sri Lanka!

2007-01-08T01:19:00.001-08:00

Shots of Manik ganga (river of gems) and Sellakataragama Temple in Kataragama, southern Sri Lanka.

On route to Kataragama via Udawalawe National Park- Beautiful Sri Lanka!

2007-01-07T22:20:00.000-08:00

The route via Ratnapura, Embilipitiya and Uda Walawe National Park is surely the shortest and the best to get to Kataragama.

Kataragama - beautiful Sri Lanka!

2007-01-07T22:03:00.000-08:00

The 'Pada Yatra' which begins from the northern city of Jaffna and ends in southern Kataragama is a 300 km long, ancient foot pilgrimage held annually in Sri Lanka. During this 45 day long multi-religious pilgrimage , pilgrims endure military and rebel check points and pass through war torn towns, villages and thick jungles to reach Kataragama, where they observe the 14 night Esala festival in honor of Murugan, lord of Kataragama. The villagers on route participate by offering pilgrims food and hospitality. In recent times even the security forces have been seen with their offerings. Hindu swamis, Buddhist monks, Muslim sufis, Christian clerics, common people and even foreigners, all join the Yatra in a spirit of togetherness. This is a tradition inherited from the indigenous forest-dwellers, Wanniya-laeto or the Veddas.

These are shots of Kataragama temple taken after dark. It has shrines dedicated to different Gods of all religions.

And I thought to myself....

2006-12-14T01:47:00.000-08:00

I climbed the highest mountain and touched the sun
Walked the deepest valleys and crossed the barren deserts
I saw the brightest flower, held it in my hands,
And I thought to myself, I’ve lived and I’ve seen it all

I met Elves, silver haired and pointed ears,
And hobbits, with hairy feet and leathery soles,
I danced and dined in the halls of kings,
And I thought to myself, I’ve lived and I’ve seen it all

I swam with Dolphins to the bottom of the ocean,
Housed with mermaids, made friends with Jelly Fish
Even toured a Blue-Whale's belly!!
And I thought to myself, I’ve lived and I’ve seen it all

I went down a rabbit hole behind a talking rabbit dressed in a waist-coat!
And attended the trial of the knave of hearts, who was accused of stealing tarts!
Did I turn to Alice... Hmmm is that a Caterpillar smoking a hookah...?
And I thought to myself, I’ve lived and I’ve seen it all

There were fairies everywhere sprinkling me with fairy dust
They told me it’s nearly haft past noon and that I was late for school
Could life be so cruel…! Go to school, when things could otherwise be so good!
And I thought to myself, I am yet to live and yet to see it all!

Ambalangoda

2006-12-12T19:29:00.000-08:00

The sad state of life in the East

2006-12-05T01:53:00.000-08:00

My job involves meeting people of all walks of life. Thats great, since I have the opportunity to get away from the pompous snobs in Colombo once in away!

Meet Thambirasah Pooranim. She was blind for 17 years with cataract and had forgotten the faces of her children and not even seen the faces of her grandchildren. She was operated for cataract in March this year. Now she finds joy in watching her grandchildren play!

Kalantharamma lives with her husband on the shores of Palamunai beach. Their small house was completely destroyed by the tsunami tidal waves but a temporary shelter was provided by Medair. To date no one offered them a new house. Kalantharamma and her husband have one son. He was married but the wife ran away with another, leaving their two children behind. The son left the country for a job overseas. Kalantharamma and her husband takes care of their two grandsons. The mother never returned to see her children. No financial support from their son. They all manage with the meager income of Kalantharamma's husband. This is a rare picture with Kalantharamma smiling coz apparently it’s a rare sight to see.

Veluupillai is from Kalmunai area in Ampara. Nice guy. Married thrice. Two dead wives and one run-away-bride.
Couldnt catch his full name; he wouldnt stop singing. He's singing in the picture too!

Arumuham lives in a small fishing village in Batticaloa. Her husband died 12 years ago. Arumuham lives by herself in a small hut where she makes clay pots for a living. During the tsunami, when her village was filled with water, she was displaced to Chenkalady . When she returned home, the water had washed away all her pots plus two tractors of clay which she purchased to make new pots. She restarted her business with a loan of Rs. 3000. Arumuham says she earns about Rs.1,000 on a good month. If not she is compelled to ask her children for food, which she does not like to do!

Sri Lanka in all its glory!

2006-12-05T00:37:00.000-08:00

Last week I was in Batticaloa and Ampara amidst some heavy fighting between government forces and the LTTE. It was my first trip to the east of the country. Never quite realized how beautiful Sri Lanka was up until last week! Check out some of the images. I couldnt do justice to the lanscape with my Sybershot DSC -W5 but I couldnt help posting them anyway. In anycase I am a lousy photographer. Some of the best sceneries on Pollonnaruwa - Batti road, I couldnt capture on camera, since it was'nt a safe route to stop for pictures.

Ampara produces around 30% of the total paddy cultivation in Sri Lanka. I thought endlessly long paddy fields were a thing of the past. I was wrong. Ampara has some of the largest paddy fields... thousands of acres. Absolutely breathtaking... On my return, I sent this picture to Daily News - Lassana Sri Lanka column and it got published today!!! I am thrilled. It’s not even a great picture!

I was searching for some people I was to meet on the beach when I came across these villagers giving a helping hand at bringing the fish ashore.

These are shots of the Parakrama Samudraya in Polonnaruwa. I was having lunch at the Polonnaruwa rest house when I took them.

This is a kovil I managed to visit for a few minutes .

I know this next picture isn’t much but for reasons not quite clear to me, this kovil has managed to haunt me since I first saw it. I really have to visit it next time. I know there is something special there, I can feel it!

Dead Rose

2006-04-17T23:07:00.000-07:00

Dead Rose

I bought you in a haste of fantasy,
Hoped you'd stay longer
And calm my soul... soothe my nerve...
give me love and show me beauty
How I envy your charm,
your innocent skill to steal my heart
Now you're gone
I must say "after a rather short stay"
Now nothing remains but your memories of charm

Yet Another Night Without You...

2006-04-17T22:56:00.000-07:00

Yet another night without you...

Darkness crept and emptiness entered my soul
Another night of loneliness... of longing...
With memories of another lifetime,
when you were here beside me...
Now the night is my enemy,
for it destroys my soul
with flashes of memories of passion and feeling
of good times spent together
and of times spent hating eachother

Yet the night is also my friend
for it is the time I can close my eyes
and once again be back in your arms,
and let passion take control...
Hold close and speak all the untold words...
I lie till dawn, hoping to find you in heaven soon,
On yet another night without you

Church in NuwaraEliya

2005-05-08T23:12:00.000-07:00

I dont remember the name of this church or exactly where it is located but the place was breathtaking....

love these shots!

2005-05-07T22:59:00.000-07:00

A couple of shots taken inside a small strawberry shop in NuwaraEliya. They serve delighfully yummy pancakes with strawberries!

Tea Factory Hotel and St.Clair Tea - outdoor restaurant

2005-05-07T20:28:00.000-07:00

St. Clair Tea - outdoor restaurant. Serves amazingly good strawberry dishes and great tea!

View from the Tea Factory hotel in Kandapola, NuwaraEliya. Its a beautiful place to be on a sunny early morning...

Colonial style giant tea pot overlooking the St. Clair waterfall

NuwaraEliya, just a little bit of England

2005-05-07T20:09:00.000-07:00

Meet Kavitha, my husband from yesterday!!!!

2005-05-07T19:59:00.000-07:00

Wadduwa Heritage hotel

2005-05-06T20:00:00.000-07:00

Ambalangoda, Southern Sri Lanka

2004-12-13T01:44:00.000-08:00

These shots were taken by Kavitha when we stopped for a stroll on the white sandy Ambalangoda beach, while hunting for anitques in the area (and edited using my highly sophisticated editing skills!)

Taking a stroll on Ambalangoda beach

2004-11-15T20:03:00.000-08:00

The shot was taken by my bro, who is presumably the best phtographer I know.