Life style
SAROJINI JAYAWICKRAMA
Memories …
Though memories are many and pleasant, they are difficult to recall in her absence. Six years have passed, but it seems like six months. Saro was the sheer embodiment of elegance, beauty, intelligence, and friendliness all rolled into one.
I first met her at the then beautiful campus in Peradeniya. That was about the time that the Vice-Chancellor, at the behest of her parents, had admonished her, warning her that she will be sent down if she and her future husband Nihal were to be found together within the campus! Well, with the passage of time, matters had cooled down, and I joined Nihal and Saro with her roommate, a relative of mine, on the dance floor at our graduation in 1962.
Ever since then, it was my delightful privilege to call them my friends. Though we were living oceans apart, we never lost touch ever over the next six decades. I always looked to enjoy their company and never missed a chance to visit them. It is, of course, the intercontinental telephone calls that kept our friendship alive.
I remember the long hours spent chatting at their Park Road flat in Colombo, often accompanied by dinner. It was always pleasant conversation about the affairs of the State. Saro, though mild-mannered, would never fail to express strong views and frequently warn us whenever she knew almost intuitively that we were naive in our analysis of the politics or politicians.
Shanthi and I have visited them on three occasions while they were in Hong Kong. There, they had a gorgeous flat overlooking the harbour and the skyline beyond. I distinctly remember being seated on the balcony some ten floors up the skyscraper watching the boats go by. It was heaven on earth. We went down to the boat club to have lunch and enjoy the waterside scene. On another occasion, we took an enjoyable boat ride to visit Macau. Saro guided Shanthi through the narrow lanes in the open-air shopping market. Once, they arranged a flat of one of their colleagues who was away for us to occupy while we were there nearly a week. That was in 1995 and happened to be the 30th wedding anniversary of Saro and Nihal. We celebrated the event together with some friends, including our mutual friend, the eminent journalist, Neville De Silva and his wife Sunetha.
While in Hong Kong, Saro used her time to earn a Master’s degree and a Ph.D. in English and a Diploma in Education. All that she achieved while teaching English Literature at the University of East Asia in Macau. That speaks for her tenacity and the yearning for knowledge. Much later, we were delighted to get an autographed copy of her thesis published as a book. A seminal work on Robert Knox’s writings on Ceylon, which displayed her mastery of English literature and the history of Ceylon.
During a summer vacation they visited us in Vienna, where we were then based. Shanthi had his nephew, who was living near us, vacate his apartment so that Saro and Nihal would have a comfortable stay as Nishana and Sharanya accompanied them. They had company as our two sons Chaminda and Janaka, were also visiting us from the United States during their vacation. We spent a few pleasant days visiting the famed palaces and churches in Vienna and Salzburg and dining at famous Viennese Heurigen in the Grinzing wine country. Then we were off to Prague, where we toured the famed Prague castle and took a pleasant walk from Wenceslas Square to the historic museum and dined by the Charles River.
I believe Saro enjoyed the time they spent in Hong Kong. Just as they moved there following Nihal’s escapades with governance in Sri Lanka as an indispensable administrator and adviser to Mrs. Bandaranayake, resulting in the loss of his civic rights along with Mrs. Bandaranayake; they moved out of Hong Kong having been the most sought after adviser and advocate for Human Rights for the local residents following the return of Hong Kong to China by the British.
I did visit them at their next home in Germany, where Nihal was based as the Executive Director of Transparency International, the anti-corruption agency. The couple of nights spent with them were equally pleasant as always, with engaging banter over Saro’s culinary creations. Then they moved to London, where Saro was lecturing at the Open University. Shanthi and I had visited at least twice and enjoyed the usual hospitality.
Of all the visits, the most memorable was when Saro and Nihal visited us in New York in 1993. They were then living in Canada where Nihal was occupying the prestigious Sallows Chair of Human Rights at the University of Saskatchewan. Shanthi had met with a serious car accident and broken both her ankles. Following surgery, she was home with the expectation of at least three months in bed before she would be ready to walk. After about three weeks, she was undergoing a strict physiotherapy regimen and other treatments when they arrived. After a couple of days, Saro and Shanthi were chatting, and the next thing I saw was Shanthi walking out of the room with the help of Saro and Daya, our household help! Later I learned that it was the encouraging words of Saro that Shanthi got the courage to take baby steps months ahead of schedule. The vision of that scene keeps repeating in my mind every so often, even after so many years since the incident.
In his latest incarnation, Nihal began working as a Senior Consultant for the U.N. Expert Group of Judges working on Judicial Ethics and Human Rights and found that he could be based anywhere. It is no surprise that both of them, who always had their heart and soul in Sri Lanka, moved back to base in Colombo. Whenever we were in Colombo, we have visited them as usual in their Queens Court apartment.
The warning that happy days were coming to an end arrived with the shocking news that Saro was diagnosed with the dreaded disease. Though we knew that she was receiving the best medical care in London, Shanthi and I were distressed to hear the news. We kept in touch with Nihal and hoped that she would be soon back to her usual cheery person. Knowing that a brew made of a Brazilian herbal plant had helped a couple of our friends, we arranged to send some for her use. Regretfully, by the time it arrived, Saro had left us.
It is equally sad that Sharanya, just like her mother, having earned a Ph.D. and been a University Lecturer, was struck down by cancer and left us to join Saro at a very young age.
There is birth, and there is death, two acts to a complex play called life, and between them is an interval which should be enjoyed. I believe Saro did just that and went with no regrets!
–Shanthi & Nandi.
Dr Nandasiri (Nandi) Jasentuliyana was the Director of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs in New York, and Deputy Director-General, United Nations, Vienna.
Author
- News Advertiesment
See Kapruka’s top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Flowers, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka’s unique online services such as Money Remittence,News, Courier/Delivery, Food Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka.
Author
-
Sri Lanka is a land renown for stunning natural beauty. Yet, LUXASIA still managed to usher in a different kind of beautiful to the market through its expertise in luxury beauty retail and omni-distribution.
In November 2019, LUXASIA unveiled its inaugural classy beauty counters at Odel, One Galle Face. Since then, it has brought enchanting fragrances from luxury brands such as Burberry, Calvin Klein, Gucci, and Marc Jacobs, as well as trendy skincare from KORA Organics to beauty-lovers in an exquisite and captivating retail format.
Now, having successfully overcome the challenges in 2020 imposed by COVID-19 and related lockdowns, LUXASIA is ready and excited to thrill Sri Lankan consumers again. This time, it is with the launch of both skincare and make-up collections from the prestigious Japanese beauty brand, Shiseido. Arriving with a glamorously magnificent pop-up at One Galle Face from 8 to 14 February 2020, LUXASIA promises to bring memorable consumer experiences and a feast for the eyes that showcases the best in Japanese beauty.
Leading up to this pop-up, LUXASIA partnered the Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and top influencers of Sri Lanka to excite the beauty community with a sneak peek of what Shiseido have to offer. This campaign garnered more than 100,000 social interactions, with over 1.2 million social media impressions, piquing consumers’ fascination in Shiseido’s award-winning and best-selling serum, The Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate.
Looking ahead into 2021, LUXASIA aims to continue delighting consumers with even more fresh retail innovations to spice up the luxury beauty scene in Sri Lanka. Soon, fragrance enthusiasts can expect a unique pop-up of all the scents that Luxasia carry, featuring new launches from Davidoff and Calvin Klein, as well as other interesting novelties. Beauty-lovers can also expect more limited edition products and gifts-with-purchases, interesting workshops, as well as seasonal offerings in the coming months. Concurrently, LUXASIA also aspires to continue grooming the Sri Lankan beauty community through more entertaining collaborations with KOLs throughout 2021.
LUXASIA sees immense potential in Sri Lanka’s fast-growing beauty market and has been its voice in the international beauty industry. For some time now, LUXASIA has been relentlessly reaching out to numerous luxury beauty brands across to world to interest them in Sri Lanka. While it is encouraging to see the first-fruits, LUXASIA is aiming much higher. Forging ahead, LUXASIA strives to champion and lead the growth of luxury beauty in Sri Lanka, through even more partnerships with great brands, and by continuously delighting consumers.
Author
by Ifham Nizam
Shipping lanes to the south of Dondra pose the threat of ships colliding with whales as the area has very rich marine life which also attracts whale watching boats, says prolific wildlife writer and photographer Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne, author of the recently published ‘A Naturalist’s Guide to the Mammals of Sri Lanka’.
He says international shipping industry organizations have written to the government to push back the existing shipping lanes and if no action is initiated, there is the danger of whale watching boats colliding with vessels.
Dr. Susannah Calderon and her colleagues at the University of Ruhuna have recommended the shipping lanes be moved 15 nautical miles south. The cost impact to all concerned will be negligible, but it significantly improves safety at sea, especially at night when the sea is dotted with the lamps from hundreds of small fishing crafts in the path of giant container carriers.
“It is primarily a safety issue though an important secondary impact will be that it reduces fatal collisions with whales, while generating favourable publicity for the government of Sri Lanka. It boils down to moving the shipping lanes further south and saving lives, Wijeyeratne stressed in an interview with The Sunday Island.
Asked what’s special about his latest publication, he said: “This is the first photographic field guide which covers nearly all of the mammals found in Sri Lanka. It covers 96 per cent of the land and marine mammals. The book, which is portable and affordable, also contains a large number of images from 40 photographers which are practically useful in the field to identify 
a mammal to species level. It also covers a number of small, discrete, nocturnal mammals whose existence that even many local wildlife enthusiasts will not be aware of.”
On the book’s coverage of the marine mammals, Wijeyeratne said there are two noteworthy aspects. Firstly, it covers all the species recorded in Sri Lankan waters expect for one, the Omura’s Whale. This will be included in a second edition. Secondly, it uses images of the whales and dolphins (cetaceans) which will show the animals the way a whale watcher will see them on the surface.
Artwork that shows the whole animal is important, but in field conditions, they are often of limited value to identify cetaceans which only show a little of their upper body in sections at a time they surface.
Q: You were the first to publicize that Sri Lanka was the best location for Blue Whale sightings and offered the best chance to see a superpod of Sperm Whales. Can you explain briefly how you set about branding Sri Lanka as a top international destination for whale watching?
A:
I started with field work to ascertain the facts and launched a media campaign initially with Jetwing Eco Holidays and Jetwing Hotels which was supported over many years by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) and others in the media and tourism business. I have published 37 articles on whale watching in Sri Lanka. The first, in May 2008, was pivotal as it boldly stated that Sri Lanka was best for Blue Whales. This set everything in motion. My articles give due credit to many people who were a part of this amazing story. This includes Dr. Charles Anderson who first told me it would be feasible to see Blue Whales from the South.
A Belgian millionaire philanthropist who prefers to remain anonymous and helped create the infrastructure for whale watching by 13 tsunami affected fishing youth who set up Mirissa Water Sports and Sue Evans who was important for connecting all of us and Anoma Alagiyawadu (the Jetwing Lighthouse Naturalist) whom I tasked with collecting the initial data for the Encounter Rates I publicized in the media.
Remarkably, no Sri Lankan marine biologist played any role in publicizing whale watching in the early years. However, soon after, they benefited by being thrust into the media spotlight by film crew researchers who had read the publicity which began with my various widely disseminated articles. Having read them, and sometimes after conversations with me, the film crews and the press came to Sri Lanka and incorporated local marine biologists into their story.
At the time I broke the first story, I do not think any of the local marine biologists had even one image of a Blue Whale of a publishable standard or had any idea that Sri Lanka was the best place in the world to see Blue Whales. Hopefully, the increased profile of local marine biologists has made it easier for them to raise the funds needed for their important research.
Q: Did the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau help your efforts with publicity and branding?
A:
Yes indeed. At the start of the publicity campaign, we produced a series of informative and attractive publications designed by Chandrika Maelge. These were printed and distributed at key consumer and travel trade fairs such as the Bird Fair, WTM and Destinations where a number of important press and tour operators were informed about Sri Lanka being a good place for whales. At some of the press drinks events in London hosted by Jetwing Eco Holidays, around 35-45 press people would attend. These events were held in collaboration with the London Office of the SLTPB.
In some years, As many as three of these press events were held allowing personal interaction with a wide pool of media people. Another important and later development is the role played by Nalin Perera who ran the SLTPB office in London for several years and attended many consumer and travel trade fairs. I had developed media briefs for him which he would print and distribute. In one conversation, he estimated that he had printed and distributed over 10,000 copies of this material.
There were others who also disseminated my stories to the international press; a notable example being Chitral Jayatilake who shared my publicity pdfs with various wildlife documentary makers he invited to Sri Lanka.
Q: Did everyone readily embrace your ideas?
It took a couple of years. I remember even into the second year of the publicity campaign there were doubts from the big companies in tourism.
I remember Srilal Miththapala who was then President of The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka speaking to me and joining a celebrity whale watching event I was leading with Shyamalee Tudawe. This was organized by Olivia Richli of the Amangalla in Galle.
Srilal wanted to report back to the association if there was any truth to the claims being made by me about how easy it was to see Blue Whales. On the coastline, the people running small guesthouses readily embraced the story as tourists who were reading my stories turned up with copies of my articles and asked for boats to take them whale watching. The international press also readily took it on as I provided credible data.
Q: What do you say to criticisms that whale watching needs better regulation?
I agree on the need for better regulation and higher standards. The tourism industry has played its part in publicizing whale watching. Other state agencies also need to step up their efforts to regulate the industry in a way that is good for the welfare of the animals and provide a good visitor experience.
Q: What do you expect ‘A Naturalist’s Guide to the Mammals of Sri Lanka’ to achieve?
I would like people to understand that there is still a lot to be discovered about Sri Lanka’s mammals and I hope this portable and affordable guide will find its way into the hands of local naturalists and inspire more research and more practical steps to conserve habitats and species.
Author
Brides and Grooms of Sri Lanka – Reimagined
“Together we’re creating moments of happiness and cherished memories for the new couple and their families” said Founder and CEO of LOVI Ceylon, Asanka de Mel, as he introduced LOVI Ceylon’s Groom collection. Each groom’s look was paired with extraordinary creations from Sri Lanka’s top bridal designers, jewelers, florists, hair and make-up artiste and was captured by story-telling photographers.
The presentation graciously hosted by the Taj Samudra and Shangri-La hotels saw 30 leading designers working hand in hand to infuse fresh ideas, celebrate cultural diversity and show-off Sri Lankan couture—the island’s hand craft heritage.
The stunning bridal costumes were painstakingly made by renowned designers Messrs. Dhananjaya Bandara, Rishard Raheem, and Michael Wijesuriya as well as Mses. Indi Yapa Abeywardena of Brides by INDI, Sonali Dharmawardena, Darshi Keerthisena of Buddhi Batiks, Ramona Oshini, Sandani Perera of IKIGAI Bridal, and Jaish Parathalingam of Aashkii. The newcomer, Ms. Anusha David also presented her couture creations under the label Gabriel.
“We want our Groom and all of the men in the wedding including the groomsmen, dads, young boys and friends, to be themselves–to feel rooted in culture, well dressed and at ease on the wedding day,” says Asanka. Celebrating the religious and cultural traditions including Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Kandyan, Malay, Muslim, Sinhala, Tamil and western traditions of the island LOVI Ceylon’s Grooms’ range presented modern sarongs paired with formal shirts, jackets, kurtas and more. They were paired with sarees, dresses, lehengas, pant suits and an array of breathtaking outfits. There were many looks offered for the Sri Lankan diaspora, as well as couples seeking inspiration for destination weddings.
As the designs progressed from sketch to stitching, our jewelry partners Careems, Lalitha, Mallika Hemachandra, Tiesh and Vogue jewelers added their brilliant sparkles with handcrafted fine jewelry made of precious metals encrusted with diamonds, sapphires and rubies. And what wedding would be complete without flowers? Bringing the latest floral creations were florists Designer Flowers, Flowers by Joan and Karen Forbes, Lassana Flora, and Supreme Flora who made the spectacular bridal outfits blossom with their creations.
Breathing life into these wonderful creations with superb hair and make-up was anchor of the shoot, Ms. Nadiya Fernando and her collaborator Omesh, while Ramani Fernando Salons, Shane Perera, Viran Peter, Brides by Leena and Talia designs, also worked magic on the models.
The father son duo Dinuka and Dineth Fonseka of Studio3000 took on the herculean task of capturing all the creations as the anchor photography partner. The works of Ashene Bernard, Amarante Studio, Geeshan Bandara, and Portrait Culture were also presented in imaginative and artistic captures.
De Mel expressed his thanks to the wonderful models who brought the visions and fancies of the designers to life, as well as poet and author Ashok Ferrey for being the MC of the shoot and providing an eloquent commentary, delivered with his inimitable panache!
“We have world class craftsmanship here, it’s fun to work with so many experts, who just happen to be friends, to present a beautiful collection that could nudge the course of Sri Lankan clothing identity” said Asanka when asked about the work that went into this.
As he rightly reminded the gentlemen to choose wisely, “on that special wedding day, when all eyes are on her–her eyes are on you!”
