“Sethu Residency 1 @ Theertha 2010”

Sethu Samudram: Bridging art, history and human relations:

[Click to see & read more ~ a mobile YFrog Update]

"Gloria in excelsis Deo" ~Glory to God in the highest ~~Merry Christmas

80th Jubilee Celebrations of Saiva Mangaiyar Kazhagam

“The most beautiful make-up of a woman is PASSION. But cosmetics are easier to buy” ~ Yves Saint-Laurent,(1 August 1936- June 1 2008), French Fashion Designer

Saiva Mangaiyar Kazhagam in Wellawatte~ Tamil neighbourhood celebrated its 80th anniversary and Founder’s day on 11th of December 2010 at the school auditorium. It is one of the oldest Hindu Women’s School in the Island. The celebration included songs, dance and drama by the students. [click here to see & read more]

Celebrating Social Commitment ~ the MEETO memorial award for young South Asians

The award ceremony is held for the second time, the first award ceremony was held in 2009 in New Delhi. [click to see & read more]

Hear My VOICE: Thenuja Tharmeshwaran ~ “I am always my father’s pet”

Thenuja Tharmeshwaran (15) waits with hope at the entrance of her school~ Kondavil Hindu Maha Vidyalayam in Jaffna district in Sri Lanka. [To read more]

“Pillaiyar Perunkathai"~To Echo Glory and Eternal Bliss

“Think of the magic of that foot, comparatively small, upon which your weight rests. It’s a miracle and the dance is a celebration of that miracle”~ Martha Washington,(1789-1797),(American First Lady~George Washington’s Wife)

“Pillaiyar Perunkathai” (Story of Lord Vinayagar) ends today~10th of December 2010. Devotees used to gather at Pillaiyar temples and read “Pillaiyar Perungathai” as a group.

Normally 21 days of fast is observed and special poojas are performed are performed during this period. “Gajamugasoora Samhaaram” is held at the end of the “Pillaiyar Perunkathai” at Lord Vinayayagar temples. “Gajamugasoora Samhaaram” was held at Sri Maanikka Vinayagar temple in Bambalapitty on 10th of December 2010 amidst heavy downpour. [Click to see & Read more]

South Asian Women’s Day 2010 Celebrations @ Kirulapone

International campaign on Violence Against Women (VAW) is carried out from 25th November to 10th December every year.

Women from different South Asian countries decided in 2002 to celebrate 30th November as South Asian Women’s Day. [Click to read & & see more]

Kantha Shahsti: Strictest Fast for Spiritual Bliss and Blessing

“Kantha Shashti” is observed in the Tamil month of “Aippasi”, which falls either in October or November on the new moon. Hindus all around the world fast for six days for Lord Murugan. This year Kantha Shasti was observed from 6th of November to 12th of November. [click to see & read more]

"Kaarthigai Theepam"~ Triumph of Light over Dark

“Kaarthigai” is a month of purity and devotion. Hindu devotees in Sri Lanka celebrated the festival of “Kaarthigai Theepam” in the temples and houses on 21t of November 2010 amidst a heavy downpour. It falls on IL Poya day, which coincides with Karthigai star. [click to see & read more]

Milk Rice in Murugandi

Traditional Hindu offering of Milk Rice in Murugandi for the holy day ~ [http://twitter.com/DushiYanthini]

Lord Vinayagar shrine in Nallur

[Click to see, read & hear song]

Dazzling Lord Aarumugaswamy @ Sooran por 2010

Sooran Por was held today (11th of November 2010) at Naattukkottai Nagaraththaar Sri Kathirvelaayuthaswamy temple (New Kathiresan temple) in Bambalapitty.~ [Click to see & read more]

Trendy Tangail Through A Lens

[Click to see & read more]

Romantic Rajendrapur brings back Gorgeous Memories of Vadaliyadaippu

[Click to see & read more]

"South Asian women should unite to strengthen sisterhood and solidarity"~Jwala Kumari Shah

“Each person must live their life as a model for others” ~ Rosa Parks,(February 4 1913- October 24 2005), African- American Civil Rights Activist

Jwala Kumari Shah is a Constituent Assembly member from the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist).

She has been an active fighter for 12 years while being with the Maoist. She spent several years underground fearing for her safety. She is married to a fellow party member and has three sons.

It was a simple wedding, they exchanged flowers. The relatives and villagers were surprised as there were neither rings nor ceremony for their wedding. “We loved each other and decided to get married and we lead a happy and simple life” says Jwala Kumari Shah with a snowy smile.

I had the rare opportunity to spend sometime with her in Bangladesh. [click to read & see more]

“Shashdiyapthapoorthi Vizha”: Celebration of spiritual and social obligations for a blissful life

“Let there be many windows to your soul that all the glory of the world may beautify it”~Ella Wheeler Wilcox, (1850-1919), (American Poet and Writer)

“Shashdiyapthapoorthi”- the term in numerology denotes sixty. The completion of sixty years is referred to as “Shashdiyapoorthi”. The term is derived from Sanskrit which means Shashdi-Sixty, Abda-Years and Poothi Completion. “Shashdiyapthapoorthi” is celebrated when the husband completes 60 years, if the wife is alive and both living together [click here to see & read more]

Kokkuvil brings back many pleasant, traditional and unforgettable memories

“It takes a whole village to raise a child” ~ Anonymous

Kokkuvil is a small village in Jaffna Peninsula.It is situated 3 miles away from Jaffna town. It has many Hindu temples and thick traditional values are still being followed here. [click to see & read more]

Kondavil brings back a wholesome and cherishing childhood memories

“The Sun does not forget a village just because it is small”~ African Proverb

Kondavil is a small village in Jaffna Peninsula, adjoining the village Kokkuvil. “Yazh Devi” – Colombo – Jaffna train used to stop at Kondavil station. Most of the travellers stop by the Ambaal temple and get her blessings before the long journey. [Click to see & read more]

Residing at Jaffna Railway Station: “Nobody Cares For Us and We have Nowhere To Go”

“To love is to risk not being loved in return. To hope is to risk pain. To try is to risk failure. But risk must be taken because the greatest hazard is to risk nothing” – Anonymous

A family of three reside at the Jaffna Railway Station. Selvaratnam Jeyalingam (43) and his wife Jeyarubi Jeyalingam (40) have lost their legs and fingers in 1992 in Vasaavilaan, in Jaffna Peninsula. [click to see and read more]

Jainism: An ancient religion which teaches the way to liberation and bliss to live lives of harmlessness and renunciation

“Oh soul,
you worry too much.
You have seen your own strength.
You have seen your own beauty.
You have seen your golden wings.
Of anything less,
why do you worry?
You are in truth
the soul, of the soul, of the soul.” ~Jalal ad-Din Rumi, (Persian Poet and Mystic), (1207-1273)

Jainism is an ancient religion of India. Most Jains live in India, and according to the 2001 Census of India there are around 4.2 million living there.

According to community estimates and Jain leaders there are 6 million to 8 million Jains in the world. About 100,000 live in North America, including 4,000 in the Bay Area in San Francisco, Northern California. [click to see & read more]

Sri Krishna Jayanthi: Spread the Melody of LOVE

“Share our similarities, celebrate our differences” ~ Morgan Scott Peck,American Psychiatrist and best-selling author,( May 1936 –September 2005)

Sri Krishna Jayanthi was celebrated on 1st of September 2010 with pomp and splendor. [click to read & see more]

"Noothana Prathishda Maha Kumbabishekam" at Naattukkottai Nagaraththaar Srikathirvelaayuthaswamy temple

"A woman whom we truly love is a religion"~Anonymous

Three new deities namely Lord Murugan, Goddess Valliyammai and Goddess Theivayaanai have been installed at Naattukkottai Nagaraththaar Srikathirvelaayuthaswamy temple recently.

“Noothana Prathishda Maha Kumbabishekam”- a ceremony to officially install the new deities took place at Naattukkottai Nagaraththaar Srikathirvelaayuthaswamy temple on 29th of August 2010. A large number of devotees attended the ceremony. [click to see & read more]

Visual Reponses During the War:Selected Works of Artists

“In peace prepare for war, in war prepare for peace. The art of war is of vital importance to state. It is matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence under no circumstances can it be neglected”~ Sun Tzu , Chinese Military commander, (722–481 BC or 476–221 BC)

Visual Responses During the War: Selected Works of Artists

Painting,Drawing,Sculpture,Installation and Photography is currently being held at Lionel Wendt Gallery&Harold Pieris Gallery in Colombo. The exhibition will remain open from 28th of August 2010 till 31st of August 2010.The gallery hours are from 10am to 7pm. [See & read more]

Spectacular Street Parade of a Sparkling Silver Cart

“You are invited to the festival of this world and your life is blessed” ~ Rabindranath Tagore, (1861-1941), (Indian Poet, Playwright and Essaiyist.Won the Noble Prize for Literature in 1913)

The Silver Vel cart decorated with fresh flower garlands, lines of electrical bulbs in Yellow and traditional cloth hanging paraded through the main streets of Colombo. [click here to see & read more ]

blogher 10

The International Activist Blogger Conference-BlogHer'10 was held at Hilton New York on August 6th&7th 2010. 2,400 worldwide women bloggers attended the 6th annual BlogHer conference. Four international activist women bloggers from Afghanistan, Argentina, Bahrain and Sri Lanka delivered the key note speech on August 7th 2010 at Hilton New York. [click to see & read more]

An Enchanting Annual Aadi Vel Festival in Colombo

The 136th Annual Aadi Vel festival was held in Colombo with colour and glamour. Beautifully decorated wooden carved cart left the Colombo Sammaankodu Sri Kathirvelaayuthaswamy temple in Sea Street left in the morning on July 23rd 2010 and reached the Sammaankodu Sri Maanikka Vinayagar temple at night. [click here to see & read in full]

“J” Awards Nite

Journalism Awards for Excellence 2009 was held at the Mount Lavinia on July 27th 2010.

Journalism Awards for Excellence 2009 was organised by the editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Press Institute. The awards were selected by a panel of judges comprised of experienced journalists. [click to see & read more]

Women Artists’ Colloquium Exhibition 2009/2010: “Omnipresence of the Prick”

Women Artists’ Colloquium Exhibition 2009/2010: “Omnipresence of the Prick” was inaugurated at Theertha Red Dot Gallery in Pitakotte on July 24th 2010.

An exhibition of Art Works by 9 women artists will remain open to the public from July 25th 2010 to August 3rd 2010.

Gallery hours-Monday to Wednesday 10.30AM-5.00PM and Sunday 11.00AM-4.30PM. [see & read more]

“Vigil” and Other Works: An exhibition of installations,drawings and paintings

“Art must be an expression of love or it is nothing”~ Marc Chagall,(7 July 1887- 28 March 1985),Russian- French Painter

“Vigil” and Other Works by Chandraguptha Thenuwara is currently being held at the Lionel Wendt Gallery in Colombo. It was inaugurated today for special invitees. The exhibition will remain open from July 24th 2010 to July 29th 2010 from 10am to 7pm except the Poya Day on Sunday-July 25th 2010. [click to see & read more]

Vairavar Madai: An ancient ritual continues with a traditional touch in Jaffna

Lord Vairavar is one of the most terrifying aspects of Lord Siva. And, Lord Vairavar is also considered a God who safeguards villages and his devotees. He is the fierce manifestation of Lord Siva associated with annihilation. He is a folk deity who safeguards the devotee on all eight directions. [click to see & read more]

Anguru: An exhibition of Charcoal drawings

Artists mostly use pencils, pen, ink, brushes, canvass, water colours, graphite, wax, colour pencils, crayons, chalk, pastels, markers, stylus or various metals like silverpoint to bring out their imagination into images. [see & read more]

Aadi: A month of festivals, celebration and observances

Aadi Pirappu or the birth of the Tamil month of Aadi is being traditionally celebrated today-July 17th 2010. The Month of Aadi is associated with the festivals in Goddess temples around Sri Lanka. [click to read & see more]

Sri Lanka’s 207 Centimetres Tall Tamil Netball Champion

Now, we move to Sri Lanka where our Colombo correspondent, DushiYanthini Kanagasabapathipillai, takes us to meet the tallest female netball player in Asia – Tharjini Sivalingam.
She stands at 6ft 10in (that’s 207 centimetres) and she is also a Tamil.
Her sport, netball, is like basketball but you can’t run with the ball or bounce it. [click to hear & read]

Vesak Day Celebrations in Sri Lanka

Vesak encompasses the birth, enlightenment (Nirvana) and passing away (Parinirvana) of Gauthama Buddha. Prince Siddhartha was born on the Fullmoon day in May known as Vesak in 623 BC in the Lumbini Park in Kapilavathu, which is in modern Nepal. [click to see & read more]

Sri Lanka College of Journalism celebrates Vesak

Vesak is considered as the holiest day in Buddhism. Buddhists in Sri Lanka are currently celebrating Vesak festival. Vesak Day was celebrated by the Sri Lanka College on May 26th 2010 at its auditorium. [click to see & read more]

Cave Art of 21st Century-An exhibition of Cartoons

“Cave Art of 21st Century”-An exhibition of Cartoons by Prageeth Ehnalygoda is currently being held at the Lionel Went Gallery in Colombo. It is an exhibition dedicated to freedom, equality and brotherhood. The illustrations on display are by the disappeared journalist Prageeth Eknalygoda. [click to see & read more]

Akshaya Tritiya-Festival of everlasting prosperity

The word “Akshaya” means the never diminishing in Sanskrit, and the day is believed to bring good luck, eternal prosperity and success. Buying gold is a popular activity on “Akshaya Tritiya”, as it is the ultimate symbol of wealth and prosperity. [click to see & read more]

Enriching Experience through the Eastern Eyes

It has been a real pleasure to teach photo journalism to a group of youth in the East who have missed so much due to the three decades long war in Sri Lanka. On the other hand, it has been extremely challenging for me because the technology was new to all of them. [click to read & see more]

“Mai”: The launch of the newest Tamil online magazine

“Mai”, which is the newest online magazine by the Tamil students of the Sri Lanka College of Journalism, has been officially launched today at the college auditorium. [click to see & read more]

Through the Eastern Eyes IX: Kaluwankerny

Kaluwankerny which is situated in Batticaloa district between Vanthaarumoolai and Thalavaai. It has a total population of 2,123 people (568 families). [click to see & read more]

Through the Eastern Eyes VIII: Saainthamaruthu

Saainthamaruthu which is situated in Ampara district between Kalmunai and Karaitheevu. It has a total population of 26,708 people. [click to see & read more]

Through the Eastern Eyes VII: Poonochchimunai

Poonochchimunai which is situated in Batticaloa district between Navatkuda and Kaathaankudy. It has a total population of 450 people (130 families). [click to see & read more]

Through the Eastern Eyes VI: Paalaiyadiththoona

Paalaiyadiththoona which is situated in Batticaloa district between Thevapuram and Korakallimadu. It has a total population of 2,576 people (534 families). [click to see & read more]

Through the Eastern Eyes V: Puthukkudiyiruppu

Puthukkudiyiruppu which is situated in Batticaloa district between Thaazhankuda and Kirankulam. It has a total population of 3,771 people (1,079 families). [click to see & read more]

Through the Eastern Eyes IV: Kalkuda

Kalkuda which is situated in Batticaloa district between Paasikuda and sea. It has a total population of 2,292 people (715 families). [click to see & read more]

Through the Eastern Eyes III: Ninthavur

Ninthavur which is situated in Ampara district between Saainthamaruthu and Oluvil. It has a total population of 42,600 people. [click to see & read more]

Through the Eastern Eyes II: Kaaraitheevu

Kaaraitheevu which is situated in Ampara district between Saainthamaruthu and Ninthavur. It has a total population of 5,334 families (19,668 persons) [clcik to see & read more]

Through the Eastern eyes: Periyaneelaavanai

நன்றி: வீரகேசரி: மே 12, 2010

Periyaneelaavanai which is situated in Ampara district has a total population of 5,453. There are 2,625 males, 2,828 females and 2,061 children currently live in Periyaneelaavanai according to the District Secretariat. [click to see & read more]

"Oor Aadal Kathai"-An Evening of Dance Drama

“Oor Aadal Kathai”- Dance Drama was performed by the students of Ramanathan Hindu Ladies’ College in Bambalapitty. The performance took place at Kathiresan Hall in Bambalapitty on April 18th 2010 at dusk. Two shows have taken place on the same day amidst hot weather during the first show and heavy downpour during the second show. The event was organized by the School Development Society. [click to see and read more]

"Vikirththy Varudam": New Year dawns with renewed hopes for a better future with sustainable peace

Sri Lankans celebrate the first post-war Tamil and Sinhala new year.“Puththaandu” or “Puthu Varusham” literally translates New Year. The New Year is the harbinger of spring. [click here to see & read more]

முஸ்லிம் மக்களின் சொந்த இடங்களுக்கான குடியமர்வு-மீள் வரவு, நல்வரவாக அமையுமா?

[முழுமையாக வாசிப்பதற்கு இங்கே அழுத்தவும்]
Difficult homecoming for Muslim IDPs [Click to read more]