“Well, oral intercourse is the safest mode of sexual intercourse. Saliva kills germs and viruses that cause Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and Diseases. So we are safe,” a 42-year-old from Nugegoda area says.

‘It is like our own cult, you see, someone knows someone who sells hallucinogens or any other form of drug at these parties and after that everything is a roller-coaster ride’, said 26-year-old Tharindu Sameera*.

The humble saint clad in a brown habit (cassock) and tonsured head, has drawn the affection of millions of Catholics globally. St. Anthony of Padua, a Franciscan friar is probably the most popular figure in the galaxy of venerated saints. There are many shrines, chapels and churches dedicated to this prudent priest. One such church is in Colpetty ,Colombo 3.

With almost 300,000 passengers coming to Colombo daily, in 275 trains, the Fort Railway Station is undoubtedly the heart of the railway service. It continues to be a busy hub connecting Colombo with the rest of the island. Since 1917, this station has steadily progressed to rise to its present status. When train services were introduced in Ceylon, a small station called Fort was built in 1877 where the present Secretariat Train Station stands (near Lake House). Subsequently, the new Fort Station was built to resemble the Manchester Victoria Station, in England. Prior to this, the Maradana Railway Station was the hub of train transport.

The world’s leading climate scientists have warned there is only a dozen years for global warming to be kept to a maximum of 1.5c, beyond which even half a degree will significantly worsen the risks of drought, floods, extreme heat and poverty for hundreds of millions of people.

Ratnapura, known as Minipura or City of Gems is my adopted hometown. After the lapse of a year, I am back in Ratnapura to explore the city and get a glimpse of the culture, history and life of the people in this region. However, this time around, I had a specific purpose. Recently, I came across an invitation through the Facebook page of the Ratnapura Mini-Gem Museum which said, a ceremony would be organised by the Mayor of the Ratnapura Municipal Council, to commemorate the centenary of the colonial clock tower of Ratnapura, on October 30, 2018. This invitation prompted me to embark on this journey.

Beruwela has been a desired tourist destination for decades. The small fisheries harbour located a short distance from the main town is an interesting venue, the base of fishing trawlers. For decades it has been a haven for local seafarers. As we walked along the pier there were at least 50 plus trawlers berthed, some unloading their catch of deep sea fish and other crews getting ready to launch. Boat crews were exchanging information on weather conditions. The strong smell of fish had attracted crows and other marine birds. We even spotted a few large pelicans, standing with pomp on the wooden pier. One of the first boats we climbed onto was a trawler painted bright yellow and red.

The story of ancient Sri Lanka begins in the Stone Age. It is during this period that we find the early man who lived in caves with family members, eating fruits, yams and bush meat. Many of these characteristics have survived among the Aadivasi community today, and it is widely supposed that the people of the Stone Age bear a close resemblance to them. The rocky caves became their homes, where they lived in small family groups.

According to the International Food Policy Research Institute’s Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2017, with 14.7 percent of the country’s children stunted and 21.4 percent of children under the age of five already wasted, Sri Lanka finds itself among only four countries in the world to have every fifth child wasted. The other countries with over 20 percent wasting rates are India, Djibouti and South Sudan.