Creative Spot by Indra Anandasabapathy (Quiz)

Can any viewer identify this tree laden with flowers?

The correct answer will be given next week. Be on the lookout!

Creative Spot by Srianee (Bunter) Fernando Dias

Closenberg -  Tranquility 

I received this from Srianee (Bunter) who is presently holidaying in Sri Lanka. She had done this beautiful painting when she was spending a few days in Galle. I shall let Srianee herself explain the origin of this painting which I am sure would interest the viewers.

Lucky

The inspiration for this painting was the view from "Closenberg" a mansion (now a hotel) which is situated on a promontory on the south east side of the Galle Bay.  As usual, I have taken some artistic liberty and the painting does not realistically depict every detail.  But, I hope it evokes a feeling of tranquility.

The history of this place is interesting and I thought I should include it along with the painting.  Most of the following information is taken from the 'handout' given to me by the staff at Closenberg.

"In 1719, a small fort was built on this island promontory by the Dutch. They called the island Klossenburg (or Kloffenburg) meaning "fortalice (small fort) or citadel on which the sea roars."  Klossenburg housed a battery of two guns and the Sinhalese called it "Aluth Kotuwa" or the new fort. (The larger Galle Fort was built in 1588 by the Portuguese on the south west side of the bay, and was later captured by the Dutch in 1640, with the help of King Rajasinghe II.)

By the time the British took over Galle in 1790, Klossenburg had been abandoned.
Captain Francis Bayley, the agent for the "Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company" arrived in Galle and discovered the disused fort.  Bayley was a master carpenter and mason and bought the property from the British Crown.  He designed and built the manor in 1861 and called it "Villa Marina."  He also constructed a "summer house" at the end of the property where he hoisted the P&O flag on a flagstaff. Bayley's wife Lucy Matilda née Atkinson, who was an artist, decorated the house and designed the gardens.  Plants were brought in from locations along the P&O trade route from Calcutta to Suez.  Bayley sold the property to the P&O Steamship Company in 1871, when it became the official residence of the company's agent.  He continued to live there until the company shifted its offices to Colombo.

In 1889, the house was sold to Simon Perera Abeywardene (son-in-law of Charles Henry de Soysa) on condition that it remain in the hands of the Abeywardene family.  The Abeywardenes changed the name to "Closenberg."  In 1965 the family home was converted to a hotel.  Many improvements were made and it remains an elegant, old fashioned, inviting place.

Rajan Ratnesar in Town

Rajan ("Patas") Ratnesar is in town. He was entertained to lunch at our Battaramulla home yesterday.

L-R: Pram, Rajan, JC, Lucky, Sura 

Creative Spot by Mahendra (Speedy) Gonsalkorale

                   London Underground

a sea of heads
a procession of lives
converging on gates
like ants to an ant hill
the young, the old
blacks and whites
skirts and jeans
suits and costumes
hats and caps
backpacks and handbags
pushing, jostling,
rushing, hurrying,
worried looks
anxious looks
mobiles holding
talking while walking
at watches glancing
weaving and avoiding
a busker singing
walking, rushing

impatiently waiting
a rumble growing,
train approaching
to opening doors rushing
muscling their way in
some find seating,
others standing
with one arm clinging
book in other, reading
doors closing then jamming
doors reopening
"keep clear of closing doors"
struggle to keep away from doors,
doors close slamming
packed like sardines
lurching, groping
starts moving
speed keeps gathering
platform images blur
into dark tunnel enter

dazed unseeing looks
swaying, standing holding books
trying to talk over increasing din
ipods working, ear phones stuck in
staring at others wondering
a biscuit munching
sweaty smells, sniffing
coughing and sneezing
a child starts crying
"the next station is" announces
slowing down, screeches
blurred platform appearing
restless crowds standing
comes to a stop, doors opening
impatient to get out struggling
more people squeeze in
to exits streaming, pushing jostling
in escalator standing, hurrying
with ticket or card to exit converging
stream out then pausing
which direction to go checking
with even more people merging
catching up with time, grappling
for this new day unfolding
this is just the beginning

SLMA Doctors' Concert 2018

The annual Doctors' Concert of the Sri Lanka Medical Association (for doctors and their families) held annually in conjunction with the SLMA International Congress was held last evening at the Grand Ballroom of Galadari Hotel. A few of us from our batch attended. They were Sanath Lama, Pram, JC Sura and myself. Pram is one of the Joint Social Secs who organised the show. See pictures below.

Suni Epa Seneviratne - Physician from Matara

Suri's husband Mahendra and daughter

Mahendra Amarasekara 

Paediatrician Dr. BJC Perera and wife Dr. Sarojini Perera

BJC and Sarojini 

Urologist Prof. Srinath Chandrasekara and family 

Dr. Rajendra ("Bongo Raj) and wife  Raj is Swyrie's BIL

Close up of Dr. and Mrs. Rajendra

Dr Pradeep Rangana (won Sirasa TV Reality Show when he was a medical student in Ruhuna Medical Faculty)

Colombo University Undergraduate Coloursmen

I received this from one of the coloursmen in the picture. The majority of these undergraduates were medical students who were in our batch. They all captained different sports in the Colombo University that year. Our batch colleagues are: 
Seated - Ranjan Wattegedera, V. Kunasingham, Nihal Goonetilleka 
Standing - Harsha Samarajiwa, AJA Jayaratnam, Rajan Ratnesar
The officials are Mr. PAS Perera, Mr. KLF Wijedasa, Sir Nicholas Attygalle, Dr. EHC Alles.
Others are medical students who were junior to us and those from other Faculties.

Creative Spot by Mahendra (Speedy) Gonsalkorale

The Escalator

I was half dreaming

Standing still but moving

I was going down

Others by the side coming up

Many stood still

Others pushing past me

In a hurry

Where were their thoughts

Mine was in a haze

Seeing but not observing

Then I saw her

In the distance looking up

In the distance coming up slowly

A figure in a million

Head tossed back carelessly

A sensuous but sad face

She is now almost at my level

Will she recognise me

My throat went dry

My heart was beating fast

She looked at me and caught my eye

Just a faint smile, a twitch

I looked back as she went up

She was looking at me

A smile crossed her face

I went limp and flushed

Nearly fell off as I reached the end

She remembered me! 
She remembered me!