Dr. Sinniah Thevananthan and Ms. Flavia Pansieri (Executive Coordinator, United Nations Volunteers Programme Head Quarters), Traditional dancing by the Prashadi Dance Academy, Dr. Sinniah Thevananthan - Winner of V Awards 2012 and Hon. Patali Champika Ranawaka

Volunteerism is one of those rare tasks people take part in, and those who volunteer, have no intention in seeking  fame or appreciation. But IYV+10 National Steering Committee in collaboration with News 1st, organized the V Awards 2012 to honor Sri Lanka’s most inspiring volunteer of the year.
Sri Lanka’s ‘Volunteer of the Year’ was acclaimed on the 21st of January 2012  at the prestigious V Awards ceremony held at the Sirasa Stein Studios in Ratmalana.
Emerging as the winner from a pool of the island’s most inspirational volunteers, Dr. Sinniah Thevananthan, Founder of the ‘Osilmo Special Education and Research Center for autistic children’ was selected as the “Volunteer of the Year” for his outstanding contributions in the arena of active volunteerism. Dr. Thevananthan (Age 40) is tirelessly working towards ensuring the same rights, freedom and opportunities for children with autistic children that other children enjoy. Thus, he set up the ‘Osilmo Special Education and Research Center’ as a residential care giving facility to support autistic children. He and his team of specialists believe in overall development of a child that goes beyond medication towards a series of therapies and rehabilitation systems which are provided on a voluntary basis. His services have reached beyond all geographical, ethnic and religious differences in the country to brighten as many innocent lives as possible made him further more deserving of this recognition.
Further to the prestigious V Award of the “Volunteer of the Year”, seven top finalists were selected for their outstanding efforts as volunteers of Sri Lanka. The seven top finalists were; Mr. Damitha Senaka Karunaratne (Age 58) who is the founder of the Kosala Dullewa Foundation (KDF) for children with special needs.
Mr. Heenbanda Thrimanna Hettiarachchi hailing from Kothmalpura, Anuradhapura is  59 years old. He has been serving his community as a care provider for Ayurveda medicine preparation and special medical practices in Anuradhapura in a completely voluntary basis.
Ms. Kumarawathi Dharmarathne Nakathegedara (Age 44),who started to brighten the lives of those living in the rural village of Wanaraniya by reactivating the Women’s Welfare Society in the village, building houses for widows and providing sanitised water to the village for the benefit of over 170 homes.
Mr. Kushil Gunasekera (Age 55), has dedicated his life and wealth to uplifting the lives of over 25,000 people in Southern Sri Lanka. His Foundation of Goodness has 30 empowerment sectors especially designed to help the beneficiaries to fight poverty through productive activities.
Ms. Lakshmi Ratnayeke, (Age 72) with 33 years of exhilarating volunteer service at Sri Lanka Sumithrayo, a charity working in the field of suicide prevention, she was given the responsibility of Directing of 3 centres. She has made lifelong achievements by her constant presence in these effected people’s lives by preventing acts of suicide and giving those hopes of social inclusion.
Ms. Pearl Marrygold George Stephen,(Age 73) who is the pioneer of Women Empowerment Centre in Mullgampola village of Kandy. Her efforts has changed the lives of women and children who have been abused and living under hardships.
Ms. Sharmini Perera,(Age 48) the founder of “Home of Hope” .She extended her protection and care to children who were victims of abuse and abduction or had been disowned by their families. Now there are eighty three children at the ‘Home of Hope’ undergoing vocational and technical training to achieve their fullest potential in life.
The V Awards grand finale did not only consist of recognition and honouring of outstanding volunteers in Sri Lanka. It was also filled with an entertainment line-up including Sri Lanka’s pop icons Bathiya and Santhush, award winning choir Voice Print, traditional dancing from the Prashadi Dance Academy and music performances by percussion group Naardro and traditional drum performance by Jananath Warakagoda.
The event’s theme song was sung by Samitha Mudunkotuwa, Heshan Gamage, Ravihans, Sachith Peiris, Centigradz, Sankha B, Azi Sheriff, Natasha Rathnayake and Shakthi Junior Super Stars.
The event was graced by the presence of, Ms. Flavia Pansieri (Executive Coordinator, United Nations Volunteers Programme Head Quarters), Hon. Felix Perera (Minister of Social Services), Mr. Subinay Nandy (Resident Coordinator, United Nations Sri Lanka), Mr. Douglas Keh (Country Director, UNDP Sri Lanka), UN Agency Heads, Officials of Maharajah Broadcasting Corporation and several other distinguish Ministers and Deputy Ministers.
The V Awards’ finale was aired live on Maharaja Networks and was a treat to eye filled with colorful and extravagant performances and a moving speech by the winner. This programme makes us realise that there are good and kind hearted people in Sri Lanka who dedicate their time and wealth in order to make the lives of the less fortunate better and also proves that volunteerism really matters in making a difference.

The ocean covers 70 per cent of the planet and a blue whale is 2000 times the size of a human. Mind boggling as these facts are, what is interesting is the fact that Sri Lanka, despite the tropical clime, is home to its very own population of whales, blue whales included. This is exactly what Asha De Vos is basing her research on.
“Unlike blue whale populations in other parts of the world, those in the Northern Indian Ocean do not appear to migrate beyond this single ocean basin. But traditionally, we think of tropical waters as being nutrient poor and unproductive, so why would these whales spend time here in such great numbers in such a small area? How can it support their immense energetic demands? What processes within this ocean give rise to large blooms of krill – their favourite food? How do the environment and human activities influence the ecology of the whale?” Asha asks, and these questions form the basis of her research here.

The issues : Unregulated whale watching

Advertisements touting whale watching are probably a familiar sight to many by now, with people, both tourists and locals, clamouring to catch sight of these majestic beasts. But do you know that the whale watching industry is completely unregulated? That is, there are currently no regulations in place when it comes to protecting the whales. From large travel companies to just about anyone who has a licensed boat can go out into the ocean in search to catch a glimpse of these whales.
The lack of regulation however, creates problems. “There are International guidelines, like distances observed, that should be followed because whales are acoustically sensitive,” Asha said, adding that these guidelines are however put in practice by very few people. “Some operators go out of their way to find out about this, but on the other hand, there are people out there looking for a good money opportunity or a short term gain, and it is unfortunate because they have no regard for the natural environment of the whale,” she said.
“A vast majority have no skill, some of them care, but others don’t. All that is required is that they register as a boat at the fishery harbour, and the coast guard will take down details of the license and boat,” she said.
Asha however says that the answer is not to ban whale watching, but rather to observe them in their natural environment without harassing them. “I do not say no to whale watching, but you should make sure you watch it in its natural environment. You should watch them on their terms. Do not chase behind them, that is harassment. It is much better to sit and wait rather than chase because the whales will invariably go past you,” she said.
According to Asha, there are at times around 10 to 12 boats in the water at the same time, and added that she has even witnessed instances where boats have, rather than switch off their engines and observe, chased around, and even cut into the path of the whale, disturbing it.
“We have to stop this from happening before it gets any worse,” she said.

Quite literally a larger threat: ships

“Whales communicate at a very low frequency and this travels much further,” Asha explains. “As it happens, ships emit low frequencies too and this acoustically affects them. They do not realise that a ship is coming.”
Sadly, it goes beyond mere disorientation and disturbance. There have also been several instances where whales have died due to collision with ships. In 2004 for instance, Asha went on to say, there was a whale plastered to a ship entering the Colombo harbour.
As it turns out, this is not an odd freak incident because the busiest shipping line in the world, which happens to be off the southern cost of Sri Lanka, is also where the whales can be found: right in the path of the ships. Or rather, as Asha would say, “we are in their way.”
She adds that there is even a theory which says that if there were no ships, then the sound a whale emits would travel all around the world and back. “There is more noise in the ocean now, and this creates a lot of problems,” she said. For instance, whales use their eco-location as a method of communication and as a way to find a potential mate. Ships not only kill whales but confuse them too. “If they cannot mate, the population does not grow. If you add more ships and fishing lines you are degrading their habitat,” she said.

So what are whales really like?

What are the largest creatures on earth like? “When I was 6 I drew a sketch saying ‘save the whales!’ and looking back at it, I had it all wrong! In the drawing they had red lips and huge teeth, but in reality, they are the gentlest and even most graceful species ever. When they dive in, they do not even make a splash. They are so streamlined, so sleek, they are perfectly designed!” she says.
Asha explains that they are like “businessmen” in their own way. “They are not curious or inquisitive,” she said. “They seem to have an agenda of their own, and it could be anything, from feeding to finding a mate. They do not usually interact, they are rather impersonal but it is we who get in the way of their daily business,” she said.
“They are pretty amazing. When a whale comes up, they blow up to around 10 feet into the air. Imagine the sheer pressure coming out their lungs. They are immense! You never see the full creature, and it makes you realise just how massive they are. The width alone is around 6 feet,” she says.
She went on to say that she has in fact never even heard of an incident where a blue whale attacked a human. They are completely and utterly ambivalent to us it seems, going about their business of finding enough krill to feed themselves.
I tried to imagine how large a whale would be, particularly a blue whale. In school we all repeated like parrots facts like the heart of a blue whale is the size of a car. But really, can you imagine how majestic and large they really are? Can you imagine being in the same sea as them, watching them go past and five minutes later, you are still watching because they are so massive.
Although Sri Lanka is a tropical island, there is something in our waters that is conducive to whales, but what? We have an uncounted population of Bryde’s whales, blue whales and sperm whales, including a population of dolphins. “It is obvious they are feeding here. The telltale sign is a red film on the sea, which is their excretion. If you see that, you know there is a whale feeding close by,” she said. Yet it is a mystery that Asha is bent on solving.
“We need to know more about them for conservation purposes. This is the area that ships use, but it is also important for their survival. I am still trying to find out more about why they are, and maybe in a year or two I will have all the answers!”
But while Asha is on her quest to understanding the largest mammal on earth, it might be that they are dying due to what we would normally call “human advancement.” The question however is the price at which we try to obtain this.
To know more about Asha and whales, check out Asha’s blog “The Sri Lankan Blue Whale Project,” on whalessrilanka.blogspot.com.

Shehan Karunatilaka

Q: It was just announced that you won the DSC prize for South Asian Literature. How does that feel? Is it something you expected, or is it very surreal?
A: It was not something I expected. I was at Jaipur to meet Oprah and hang out with Rushdie, neither of which I got to do. It is pretty surreal, considering that I when I spent years in a tiny room in Colpetty hammering it out, I did not expect it to be read outside of Colombo.

Q: Where did you draw your inspiration from for Chinaman, particularly for the title character, W. G Karunasena? Was there a person in particular who inspired you?
A: WG is really the soul of the book and it’s his voice that attracted me to the story. While researching it, I spoke to many older gentlemen on their knowledge of Sri Lankan cricket. Yes, many of them happened to be drunk at the time. WG is not really one person, but I suppose he did stem f rom these conversations.

Q: How much work was it to write? Was it something that flowed naturally or did you too have writer’s block, as Karunasena did?
A: Writing is always tough work. Especially when you procrastinate as much as I do. The only solution is to do it everyday, at the same time, for hours on end. Some days it flows, some days it does not. But like any job, you have to turn up on time and stay till the end.

Q: I hear you attended the Jaipur Literary Festival — how was the experience, and how did it compare to the Galle Literary Festival?
A: The Jaipur Lit Fest is a stampede. I think there was around 120,000 people there, double that of last year. While the line-ups are somewhat similar, (apart from Oprah, of course) and both Jaipur and Galle are magical settings, the main difference is that Jaipur is free, so anyone with an interest, or without one, can turn up. While Galle is more intimate and exclusive, Jaipur is more egalitarian and much more crowded. But they are both fantastic events and it is a pity they are held at the same time.

Q: Do you think local writers are adequately represented at the Galle Literary Festival?
A:  I attended a few years ago, when Sunila Galapatti was in charge. Back then, I thought there were plenty of Sri Lankan writers, though perhaps not that many writing in Sinhala or Tamil. I have not been invited back since, so I am not sure I am in a position to comment.

Q: What is your own writing process like?
A: I spend months on research before I write a single word. I have to have the walls covered with notes and ideas before I begin. Then it is just a grind like any other job. I write from 4 a.m till noon every day and read in the afternoons. I try and get a first draft done in a year. Then I spend another year revising it. That is how I did it last time, anyway.
I have only written one book. The next one may take longer.
Q: How easy would you say it is to make a living as a writer in Sri Lanka?
A: As a copywriter, it is reasonably easy. Long hours at times, but decent pay and lifestyle. That is as long as you can stomach being in advertising.
Being a journalist is more challenging, but I guess more rewarding.
And depending on your beat, more dangerous. I did not find it hard to make a livi1ng as a freelancer when I was writing Chinaman. You just have to be organised and have a steady stream of clients who pay on time.
As for making a living as a novelist, I am sure it is possible, but I am not sure many have cracked it, especially if you are writing in English.
I have been searching for Sinhala and Tamil translators for Chinaman for years, but to no avail. It is sad that the book will probably come out in French, Italian and Malay before it comes out in Sinhala or Tamil.

Q: Which authors do you consider to be your inspiration? And which books do you enjoy reading, in your spare time?
A: Reading is no longer a spare time activity. It is an essential part of the gig, if you are writing seriously. You have to be knocking back as many books as possible on a daily basis. Most of my reading is connected to the project I am working on, but the authors I keep returning to are Kurt Vonnegut, William Goldman, Chuck Palahnuik and Neil Gaiman.

Q: Any future novels in the works?
A: Yep. Still in the research stage, but it is  going well. It will be set in Sri Lanka, but I am steering clear of sports and drunks.

The fuller the ear of the rice grain, the lower it bends; empty of grain it grows taller and taller.
-Anonymous-Malay Proverb-Humility

It has been said in the Bible that the meek will inherit the earth. The greater the man, the more humble he is. It has also been said that empty vessels make the biggest noise whereas a full vessel remains quiet. In Sri Lankan society we have observed many persons who have been making loud noises fading away one by one into oblivion as time passes whereas many great Sri Lankans who have rendered yeoman service to our nation silently will remain in the hearts of the Sri Lankans forever. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) or Gandhiji, as he is respectfully referred to was the pre-eminent ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement. Gandhi is often referred to as Mahatma; (Sanskrit for “Great Soul, an honorific first applied to him by Rabindranath Tagore.
Mohandas Karamchand Gandh was born on 2 October 1869 in Porbandar a coastal town which was then part of the Bombay British India. He was born in his ancestral home, now known as Kirti Mandir Porbandar His father, Karamchand Gandhi (1822–1885), who belonged to the Hindu Modh community, served as the diwan (a high official) of Porbandar State, a small princely state in British India. His grandfather was Uttamchand Gandhi, fondly called Utta Gandhi. His mother, was Putlibai, Growing up with a devout mother and the Jain traditions of the region, the young Mohandas absorbed early the influences that would play an important role in his adult life; these included compassion for sentient beings, vegetarianism, fasting for self-purification, and mutual tolerance among individuals of different creeds.
In 1888, Gandhi travelled to London, England, to study law at the University College-London, where he studied Indian law and jurisprudence and to train as a barrister at the Inner Temple. His time in the Imperial capital, was influenced by a vow he had made to his mother in the presence of the Jain monk Becharji, upon leaving India, to observe the Hindu precepts of abstinence from meat, alcohol, and promiscuity. Although Gandhi experimented with adopting “English” customs—taking dancing lessons for example—he could not stomach the bland vegetarian food offered by his landlady, and he was always hungry until he found one of London’s few vegetarian restaurants.
Influenced by Henry Salt’s book, he joined theVegetarian Society and, was elected to its executive committee, and started a local Bayswater chapter Some of the vegetarians he met were members of the Theosophical Society which had been founded in 1875 to further universal brotherhood, and which was devoted to the study of Buddhist and Hindu literature. They encouraged Gandhi to join them in reading the Bhagvad Githa both in translation as well as in the original. Not having shown interest in religion before, he became interested in religious thought and began to read up on it.
Gandhi first employed non-violent civil disobedience as an expatriate lawyer in South Africa, in the resident Indian community’s struggle for civil rights. After his return to India in 1915, he set about organising peasants, farmers, and urban labourers in protesting excessive land-tax and discrimination. Assuming leadership of the Indian National Congress in 1921, Gandhi led nationwide campaigns for easing poverty, expanding women’s rights, building religious and ethnic amity, ending untouchability increasing economic self-reliance, but above all for achieving Swaraj—the independence of India from foreign domination. Gandhi famously led Indians in protesting the British-imposed salt tax with the 400 km (250 mi)Dandi Salt March in 1930, and later in calling for the British to Quir India in 1942. He was imprisoned for many years, upon many occasions, in both South Africa and India. Gandhi strove to practice non-violence and truth in all situations, and advocated that others do the same. He lived modestly in a self sufficient residential community and wore the traditional Indian dhoti and shawl, woven with yarn he had hand spun on a charkha He ate simple vegetarian food, and also undertook long fasts as means of both self-purification and social protest.
Pioneering the use of non- violent resistance to tyranny through mass civil disobedience a tool to fight for civil rights and freedom that he called satyagraha he founded his doctrine of nonviolent protest to achieve political and social progress based upon ahimsa or total nion-violence for which he is internationally renowned. Gandhi led India to her independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world.In India, he is also called Bapu Gujarati bāpu or “Father”) and officially honoured as the Father of the Nation. His birthday, 2 October, is commemorated in India as The Gandhi Jayanthi, a national holiday, and worldwide as the International Day of Non-Violence. Gandhi was assassinated on 30 January 1948, by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist who felt Gandhi was sympathetic to the Muslims. January 30, hence is observed as Martyr’s Day in India. Jawaharlal Nehru addressing the Indian Nation on the death of Gandhi said “Friends and comrades, the light has gone out of our lives, and there is darkness everywhere, and I do not quite know what to tell you or how to say it. Our beloved leader, Bapu as we called him, the father of the nation, is no more. Perhaps I am wrong to say that; nevertheless, we will not see him again, as we have seen him for these many years, we will not run to him for advice or seek solace from him, and that is a terrible blow, not only for me, but for millions and millions in this country.”
Gandhis death was mourned nationwide. Over 2 million people joined the 5 mile long funeral procession that took over 5 hours to reach Raj Ghat from Birla house, were he was assassinated. Gandhi’s body was transported on a weapons carrier, whose chassis was dismantled overnight to allow a high-floor to be installed so that people could catch a glimpse of his body. The engine of the vehicle was not used, instead 4 drag-ropes manned by 50 people each pulled the vehicle. All Indian owned establishments in London remained closed in mourning as Indians from all over Britain converged at India House  in London.
Gandhi’s ethical thinking was heavily influenced by a handful of books, which he repeatedly meditated upon. They included especially Plato’s Apology (which he translated into his native Gujarati); William Salter’s Ethical Religion (1889); Henry David Thoreau’s On the Duty of Civil Disobedience (1847); Leo Tolstoy’s The Kingdom of God is Within You (1893) (in which he first discovered the doctrine of non-violence and love); and John Ruskin’s Unto this Last(1862), which he also translated into Gujarati. Ruskin inspired his decision to live an austere life on a commune, at first on the Phoenix Farm in Natal and then on the Tolstoy Farm just outside Johannesburg, South Africa. Gokhale argues that Gandhi took his philosophy of history from Hinduism and Jainism, supplemented by selected Christian traditions and ideas of Tolstoy and Ruskin. Hinduism provided central concepts of God’s role in history, of man as the battleground of forces of virtue and sin, and of the potential of love as an historical force. From Jainism, Gandhi took the idea of applying nonviolence to human situations and the theory that Absolute Reality can be comprehended only relatively in human affairs. Gandiji wrote: “There must be no impatience, no barbarity, no insolence, no undue pressure. If we want to cultivate a true spirit of democracy, we cannot afford to be intolerant. Intolerance betrays want of faith in one’s cause.”
Gandhi dressed to be accepted by the poorest person in India, advocating the use of homespun cloth (khadi). He and his followers adopted the practice of weaving their own cloth. President of the United States Barack Obama in an address to a Joint Session of the Parliament of India said that:”I am mindful that I might not be standing before you today, as President of the United States, had it not been for Gandhi and the message he shared with America and the world.”
It is impossible to trace the life of that great human being Gandhiji in a short article of this nature, but I have attempted to make a synopsis that may be useful to the readers especially the youth of our country, who appear to resort to violence to solve their disputes. Sons and daughters of our nation, should never to be motivated by violence in resolving  disputes and not fall into the clutches and evil machinations of disgruntled political elements that may lead  to misery and disaster.

Micheal Mansfield;                        Independent.co.uk

Text and Pictures by Sachini Perera The Ceylon Traveller

I love visiting cemeteries. The allure lies in the serene atmosphere, the haunting silence, the beautiful monuments whether they have stood the test of time or not and most of all, the myriad of stories that can be gathered, if you stop to read the epitaphs.
As far as unearthing stories goes, the British Garrison Cemetery in Kandy is one of the best I have found while travelling around the country. With recent newspaper reports of plans to relocate the cemetery, it is advisable to drop by there soon.

How to find it
Walking distance from the Dalada Maligawa (although it is a bit of a steep climb from the main road to get to the cemetery).
When you are coming from the Dalada Maligawa towards the National Museum, there are signposts on the left side of the road marking the turning point to the cemetery. There will also be a signpost saying “Cemetery Road” on the short walk up the hill. The Kandy Courts complex is also nearby.

Opening times Everyday from 8am to 5pm

History of the cemetery
The garrison cemetery was opened in 1822 as the final resting place for British nationals who passed away while in then colonized Ceylon. The cemetery was open until the 1870’s when it was closed due to lack of space.
The cemetery contains 195 graves of varying shapes and sizes, of men, women and children who died during the period it was functioning. The most common causes of death were tropical diseases such as malaria and cholera. There are several who had passed away due to heat stroke as well. It is evident how alien the tropical climate was for the colonists because the average age of those buried is under 30, apart from a few exceptions. However, here and there, you find those who succumbed to death due to freak accidents, some of which will be listed out later.
There are several other similar cemeteries around the country and those buried in them, both the famous and the not-so-famous, can be found in, “List of Inscriptions on Tombstones and Monuments in Ceylon, of Historical or Local Interest with an obituary of Persons Uncommemorated,” by John Penry Lewis.
The cemetery which was neglected for years was restored and is now maintained entirely on donations by a group called The Friends of the British Garrison Cemetery in Kandy.
The cemetery caretaker Charles Carmichael who has been present both times I visited is the best guide you can have for a tour around the cemetery. He knows the stories behind the tombs by heart and will point out the more interesting stories.
However, the museum in the cemetery premises also contains information on those buried at the cemetery and their stories.
Some of the inhabitants at the cemetery:

Sir John D’Oyly
The most famous would be Sir John D’Oyly, who is buried at grave No. 11. He was a British colonial administrator and was responsible for drafting the Kandyan Convention of 1815, which resulted in the British takeover of the Kandyan Kingdom. Fluent in Sinhala, he chose to live in Ceylon until his death in 1824.
Lady Elizabeth Gregory
She was the first wife of William Henry Gregory who was Governor of Ceylon from 1872 to 1877. This beautiful tomb made of granite (No. 123) is my favourite because even before you find out that she died after just one year of marriage, the sorrow enveloping the tomb can be felt. It is one of the bigger tombs in the cemetery, with a visiting gate as well.
Another inhabitant who is etched in my memory is Margaret, the infant daughter of one Sir John Cheape, who died at just 4 months.
There is another small but tragic tombstone built by a couple in memory of their five deceased infant sons.
Some of the tombs are nameless, with just the initials of the deceased. One in particular that caught my eye was the small and insignificant tomb that could be easily missed, with just the letters W.S. carved on it.

Freak accidents
John Spottiswood Robertson buried in tomb No. 66 was the last recorded death of a European killed by a wild elephant in Ceylon.
No. 110, William Watson Mackwood was killed because he was impaled by a stake on the ground when he alighted from his horse.
David Findlay buried in tomb No. 88 was killed when his house collapsed on him.
While the ancestors of those buried may find the cemetery to be extra special, it is still a truly fascinating place and well worth a visit, especially if the rumours of relocation are true.

Jeron Daniels is 22 years old and works in the field of finance. But what is interesting is that Jeron fancies himself a poet at heart, and is in fact launching his first book of poetry, Sketches, on the 11th of February 2012.
Starting at 14, driven by infatuation, Jeron says that “poetry is the irony of my life.” For someone who isn’t literature savvy, he has however latched onto poetry describing it as a “good medium to articulate.”
From writing poems to a girl, Jeron now writes about the ‘ugly’ issues, which he feels people are deliberately blind to. His book Sketches covers a range of topics, from heavy social issues like prostitution, child abuse and trafficking to others like the beauty of rain and memories.
“I did not want to write about themes that are self-absorbed,” he explains, when asked about his choice of topics. “It was only when I got into it that I saw beyond what’s on the surface,” he said.
Sketches is not exactly light reading some would say. Traffic Lights for instance goes into poverty, into the lives and travails of beggars, begging to feed themselves.
“At the glimpse of Amber, we moved around
Tapping on windows, stretching our palms.”
What’s interesting is the fact that Jeron has combined poetry with the art of photography and in Sketches features the photography of Thiva Arunagirinathan and would make an interesting addition to your bookshelf if poetry is your cup of tea. Watch out for Sketches at Barefoot or Odel if you’re craving for some verse.

Hello reader, my old friend. I have come to talk to you again.
You know, reading the stories and exploring the lives behind some of the craziest rock stars to walk on God’s earth is almost as fun as taking a peek behind the dressing room curtain of a Victoria’s Secret fashion show. So far we have done quite a bit of that on the column; the rock and roll stories part of course. That has been a blast, because let us admit it, entertainment is good. It is very good actually. But now, I have a confession to make.
While I enjoy digging up the murky details of rock’s finest for your fascination’s sake, there was a higher purpose, if you will, for writing this column. There is a method to my madness after all. The real reason I wanted to write a rock and roll music column  on a mainstream newspaper- apart from the incredibly great and timely pay cheques of course- was that I wanted to share whatever little pieces of  wisdom I come across while trying to survive as a heavy metal musician in Sri Lanka. If even one of these little life lessons I manage to pick up from some rock god or the other and pass on to you, manages to ease up your daily grind, I think I could afford to be fairly pleased with myself. If it even manages to give at least a few of you the push to pick up an instrument and ride the lightning, so to speak, then I could really die a happy man.
So, on the subject of the gods of rock and their infallible wisdom, it was around a year ago I think that I came across a video recorded by one of my all time favourite guitarists Steve Vai. And his title for the video was How to Be Successful. Now for those of you who do not know Steve Vai, he was a guy that once made 300 custom guitars with paintjobs featuring a few dozen pints of his own blood. But he was also a guy that at the age of 18 managed to entirely transcribe Frank Zappa’s ‘The Black Page’- a forty piece orchestral arrangement which is notoriously known as one of the hardest pieces of music to perform. Since then he had also sold millions of records and is known as one of the most talented and technically advanced guitarists in the world. So any advice from him on how to be successful is worth paying some attention to. And while Steve tailors his advice to musicians and guitarists, it is no less applicable to the everyday person.
Sitting with a bunch of students at a Guitar Centre outlet in the U.S, and with his guitar resting casually across his lap, Steve starts off by saying that the first step of becoming successful is to identify with what it is you really want. And he really could not be more right. Because when you really think about it, how many of us have really identified with what we really want in life? If you were to take a moment and think of the one thing that you do not want to die without achieving, and you struggle to put a finger on one thing, you still have not taken the first step to becoming successful. Because like Steve says, the level of achievement we have at anything is a reflection of how well we were able to focus on it.
Identifying with what we want from our lives is a concept, which I think, is a severely neglected one in Sri Lanka. Well intended or not, I think the education system and our parental system sadly plays a huge part in this neglect. For one, throughout my thirteen or so years at school, I have only heard a precious handful of teachers encouraging their students to dream their wildest dreams and follow them. For the most part, what is drilled into kids’ brains from day one is to polish up one side of their brain, the academically inclined one, get their straight As, pass their exams with flying colors and someday become a doctor, lawyer or engineer. Most parents, God bless their souls, who only want their kids to have the best life possible, echo this sentiment at home. But the thing is, neither the teachers nor parents really tell these kids what to do next. No one tells them what happens next once they become a doctor, lawyer or engineer and find themselves battling a 9-5 job for the sake of a pay-cheque with no real sense of enjoyment. Now remember, I am not saying that becoming a doctor, lawyer or engineer is a bad thing. Parents, if a kid genuinely is passionate about one of the bluer colour careers, help them become the best lawyer, doctor or engineer they can be. But do not drill in things, no matter how well intended, if their heart lies in a direction other than the clichéd ideal.
That said a very wise man once pointed out quite accurately that there is an expiry date, for how long we can blame our teachers and parents. Because at the end of the day, like Steve Vai says, the only thing holding us back is the way we are thinking. Now as incredibly cliché as that sounds, it is also incredibly true. Look at it this way. Why do you think Sri Lanka has so far managed to continuously produce some of the best cricketers in the whole world, but is still struggling to produce a world conquering musician? The reason is in the way we are thinking. Because we have seen the Sanaths and Muralis of our time make it, we have the belief that most of us too can become world class cricketers if we really try. But since we have not yet seen a Metallica or Bon Jovi leap out of Sri Lanka and grab the world by its neither regions, the belief that we can go conquer the world with our music is not as strong. This is true for not just music but, any other avenue of success. Because of this way of thinking comes what I call the culture of compromise. Even those brave enough to try and stake their claim in the world in paths not yet traversed by Sri Lankans, adopt this culture of compromise where they think that they want to become one of the best guitarists or painters in the world, but nurture that nagging doubt that they should also have a real job and backup plan, because after all, what if things go wrong? But I believe that therein lays the fundamental mistake. While it is always prudent to be pragmatic about your chances of survival and paying the bills, I do not think that Sanath Jayasooriya ever worried that he could not become the best batsman in the world and spent time on backup safety nets. After all, I do not think anyone can complain of a lack of success if they put in anything less that their 100% effort towards that one thing.
Speaking of 100% effort, that brings us to Steve Vai’s next piece of advice.  The sheer amount of work you have got to put in. Whatever said and done, the right way of thinking is only ever the starting block. The rest depends entirely on how much hard work you are willing to put in towards achieving your goals. Guitar virtuosos like Steve Vai are musicians who spent the early years of their careers practising 9-10 hours every day. They are not people that set aside the guitar for a few days because they had other things to do, friends to meet or parties to go to. They are musicians that found time each and every day to practice their instrument no matter what other tasks or obligations they were burdened with. This is also where Steve Vai points out just how much the power of visualisation helps. Whenever you are feeling in a rut or lacking inspiration to pick up your instrument and practice, Steve advises that you go back to the final picture of what you really want to achieve. No matter how hard a particular finger exercise is or no matter how complex a piece of music is to learn, Steve points out that once you visit that bigger picture and that place of excitement in your mind, you are able to rally yourself and get through it.
What Steve also points out is that once you’re able to revert back to that chief image in your mind, all that hard work becomes almost enjoyable. Steve claims that he has never struggled a day in his life in terms of learning and practising his instrument. Whatever challenges he had faced, the work he needed to put in to overcome them was always a joy because he knew exactly where he was headed with it. I think that is absolutely amazing. The feeling of never having  to struggle for something you want to achieve, because the work you put in is actually a joy, is one of the most incredible feelings any human being could have.
For those of you interested in hearing what more Steve has to say on life and success, go connect yourself to the internet, visit YouTube and search for ‘Steve Vai “How to be Successful” Private Sessions Guitar Centre.’ It will just take 8 minutes of your life, but will change it for the better. And while you are at it, also check out some of his songs like Whispering a Prayer, Tender Surrender and For the Love of God, and I guarantee you’ll have a better  Sunday  until we talk again.

Author Neil Gaiman

People recently celebrated Chinese New Year. This year is the Year of the Dragon. Read on to find out if you are one and what it means.
The Dragon Ruler of the hours 7am to 9am

Direction – East/Southeast

Season – Spring/April

Fixed element – Wood positive

Yin/Yang – Yang

Personality Traits

People born under the year of the Dragon appear to have magical traits, they are strong and full of energy and forever on the go.  Some of their more negative traits include: eccentricity, a tendency towards being arrogant and very trying.  However they do have many fans and expect the same level of excellence from others that they expect from themselves.  They are also full of pride. Other traits include: failing to practice what they preach, over confident, a tendency to intimidate others, feel themselves to be above the law, and can be illogical, domineering and obstinate.  In many cases they fail to identify their foes.
Although energetic they are liable to become obsessive.  On the plus side they seldom hold grudges and are generally quick to forgive.  Dragons are said to be able to accomplish great things and those born in this year are also said to represent the horns of destiny. Needing a cause for which to fight, Dragons will never merely stand back and accept their fate or what life brings.
The year of the Dragon: is one that brings happiness and good fortune.  It is one of the most positive and strongest of all of the twelve star signs.  During the year of the Dragon their will be violent acts of nature, with an electrifying ambience and things coming in waves.  For those considering marriage or starting a new venture or business it is an favourable year.

Types of Dragon
The Fire Dragon – challenging, compassionate, fair, motivated by aspiration and is virtuous.
The Fire Dragon Years
3 Feb 1916 to 22 Jan 1917
31 Jan 1976 to 17 Feb 1977

The Wood Dragon – arrogant, giving, logical, motivated by inspiration and frank.
The Wood Dragon Years
16 Feb 1904 to 3 Feb 1905
13 Feb 1964 to 1 Feb 1965
The Earth Dragon -  courageous, motivated by jurisdiction, is practical, steady and leisurely.
The Earth Dragon Years
23 Jan 1928 to 9 Feb 1929
17 Feb 1988 to 5 Feb 1989

The Metal Dragon – truthful, intense, motivated by contest, is resolute and inflexible.
The Metal Dragon Years
8 Feb 1940 to 26 Jan 1941
5 Feb 2000 to 23 Jan 2001

The Water Dragon – democratic, dedicated, unrestrained, motivated by negotiation and is also dependable.
The Water Dragon Years
27 Jan 1952 to 13 Feb 1953

Courtesy: paranormality.com