A grandmother gets a call from her grandson: panicked, crying, saying he’s been in an accident and needs money wired immediately. The voice sounds exactly right, the tone, the little verbal habits, even the way he says her name. Except he’s not in an accident. He’s asleep in his own bed. The voice on the phone was never his at all.

Presented by the Colombo Ballet School, Devi: The Golden Voyage brings to life the story of Princess Viharamahadevi as a full-length Classical Ballet in three Acts. Tara Cooke spoke to the Daily Mirror on the creative process behind this unique production that marks 10 years of the Ballet School, and the work involved in bringing the Princess’ story to stage.

Art history has a way of making complicated journeys look inevitable. Artists are celebrated, movements are named, and works find their place in the story of how art evolved. What is less visible is the work that precedes that recognition: the research, the preservation of collections, the arguments made on behalf of an artist, and the people who decide that a body of work deserves to be seen again.

There is something rather refreshing about walking into a hotel and not being greeted by the usual hotel reception setup. No immediate sense that you need to lower your voice, straighten your posture or prepare yourself for a formal check-in. At Otherland Galle, the entrance feels more like walking into a place where people might actually want to hang out, even if they aren’t staying the night.

I was still in primary school when Sri Lanka’s civil war was raging. I wasn’t living at the centre of the conflict, but even from a distance, its effects were felt. I remember the security checks, the atmosphere of uncertainty and the ways the war filtered into everyday life, even for a child too young to understand what had brought the country to this point. I knew what it felt like to grow up in that environment, but I didn’t yet understand the

The clothes don’t fit the same way anymore. The weight seems to sit differently. The workouts that used to work don’t seem to work the way they once did. You’re more tired, recovery takes longer, sleep isn’t what it used to be, and suddenly the body you’ve known for decades feels slightly unfamiliar. For many women entering perimenopause and menopause, that change can be much more than physical. It can become emotional. Because when your body sta

Popular Indian English stand-up comedian Anand Rathnam is set to perform in Sri Lanka for the very first time. With over 10 years in the Indian comedy circuit and a combined following of over 400,000 fans across Instagram and YouTube, Rathnam gained widespread global acclaim following his hit YouTube special, “Stupid Philosophy.”

Our Sri Lankan physio and gym teacher, Curly, decides it’s time to get off the island of Sri Lanka and heads to Buffalo, north-east New York State. I ask why there? He says, “Cheapest place to start a new life in NY State. 600 kilometres from New York City.”

In the late 1960s, a quiet musical revolution took root in Sri Lanka. Up until that era, popular Sinhala music was largely dominated by formal orchestral arrangements and theatrical soundtracks. Then came a group of energetic young musicians carrying acoustic guitars, driving calypso rhythms, and vocal harmonies that instantly captured the heart of the nation.

Do you remember the last time someone really listened to you, without rushing you or judging you? It probably felt like a weight lifting off your shoulders. This Saturday, World Mental Health Day, Sri Lanka will come together at Viharamahadevi Park to give young people exactly that feeling.