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Come forth into the
light of things, let nature be your teacher. - William Wordsworth
The honey suckers’ world
Dear Children,
Do you know what keeps Sanju occupied these days in addition to her
office work and household chores? Now who is responsible for her busy
schedule? Any guesses? Difficult, I suppose. A couple of honey suckers!
Hope you know who honey suckers are. They are tiny birds with long
curved beaks. The male bird has shiny dark blue feathers and the female
bird is yellow and black in colour. How have they made my life busier?
You must be wondering now.
 Well. Two honey suckers have made a nest on the hanging bulb wire in
our verandah. They did not even mind the frequent presence of Sanda, the
howling doggie in the verandah, when they chose the bulb wire as a
secure place to make their nest. What about Tobby, the naughty cat? The
happy honey suckers did not even pay attention to the cat who sometimes
sleeps on a chair or on the floor of the verandah…
So now I have to play the role of a fairy god mother or foster mother
to the baby honey suckers when they arrive in two weeks time! It would
indeed be a pleasure to see how the parent birds feed the little ones
and how they grow big day by day. Even after they leave the nest when
they are big enough, during the first few days of their life in the
outside world, they need attention.
There are predatory birds especially Kurulugoya or even crows who
prey on baby birds who are still unaware of the dangers of the outside
world. Even though parent birds are there to safeguard their babies’
lives, sometimes they need extra help from us. So you have to watch out
for enemies and chase them out.
Even though it is the responsibility of birds to look after
themselves and their ‘offspring,’ as humans we also have a role to play.
Helping them grow big and letting them go back to the wild means
helping mother nature. Due to disturbances that have arisen as a result
of urbanization and modern ways of living, even tiny birds face
difficulties when finding a secure place to make their nests. So once
they have placed their trust in you, you should never breach it! You
have to help them as much as you can.
As you grow older you may get busier and your lives may become more
complicated. But keep in mind these few lines… Always have time in your
life to enjoy nature, be with nature.
But as I tell you always do remember that enjoying nature does not
mean trying to keep it all to yourself. Let the wild animals live their
own lives, in their own ways, but please do help them whenever they need
your assistance!!
Bye for now,
Statesman of Great Minds: distinction, dedication and devotion
Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam :
His statue stands on the grounds of the old Parliament. The plaque
beneath the statue is inscribed with the following words “...erected by
a Grateful People in testimony of a life nobly spent in the service of
his country and in recognition of his eminent services as the champion
of reformed legislature and of his matchless devotion and steadfastness
in the cause of the Ceylon University, 1853 – 1924.”
Scholar, Statesman, Administrator and Patriot,Sir Ponnambalam
Arunachalam was a pioneer in many fields and is hailed as a nationalist
who was way ahead of his times.
 The first Ceylonese to join the prestigious Civil Service by passing
an open competitive examination, Sir Arunachalam was also the first
President of the Ceylon University Association and campaigned for the
establishment of a university in Sri Lanka. He was the first President
of the Ceylon National Congress which for the first time brought
together all communities in the country to make a united demand from the
British Government for independence. He was also the first Ceylonese
President of the Royal Asiatic Society (Ceylon Branch).
Born on September 14, 1853, he was the third son of Gate Mudaliyar
Arunachalam Ponnambalam and Sellachchi Ammaiyar. His elder brother, Sir
Ponnambalam Ramanathan too was a famous Tamil leader. Having studied at
the Royal College, Colombo, which was known as the Royal Academy at the
time, he continued his studies at Christ College, Cambridge where he
became an outstanding student in both Classics and Mathematics. As Dr.
Brendon Gooneratne describes, “in the records of Christ College he is
referred to as ‘a brilliant mathematician and an able classics scholar.’
When Governor Sir West Ridgeway asked him to organise the 1901 Census
of Ceylon, making the best use of these skills, Sir Arunachalam created
a masterpiece which the Times of London described as ‘the most
comprehensive authority on the ethnology of Ceylon and of its varied
people, their history, their religions, languages and
literature.’According to the Editor Armand de Souza of the Ceylon
Morning Leader of 1901, “A Government official report would be the last
document the public would care to read for beauty of diction. But in Sir
P Arunachalam’s account of the history and religions of the Island in
his Census Report would be found the language of Addison, the eloquence
of Macaulay and the historical insight of Mommsen.”
As Justice C V Wigneswaran pointed out in his Memorial Oration, 2011,
“it could be said of Sir Arunachalam – Nihil tetigit quod non ornavit -
that is, he touched nothing which he did not adorn.” Justice Wigneswaran
recalled the words of Justice Moncrieff, who described Sir Arunachalam
as “a classical and oriental scholar, a master of the English language
and literature and brought to every task he undertook whether in
literature, law or official work habits of thoroughness and exactitude
and a practical mind.”
After retiring from public service, in 1913, towards the end of 1923,
Sir Arunachalam undertook a pilgrimage to visit the sacred shrines in
India. On January 9th, the following year, in the midst of his devotions
at Madurai in South India, he passed away leaving behind him memories of
a noble life.
The following day, the editorial of the Ceylon Daily News, described
him as "the most powerful personality in Ceylon.” Undoubtedly, he was.
My brother
My brother's name is Dinad Senith. He is one-year-old. He likes to
eat Nestum. He likes to play with my toys. He has eight teeth. I love my
brother very much.
G Shisuka T Pinnaduwa
Grade 2
Stanley Thilakarathne Vidyalaya,
Mirihana,
Nugegoda
The Little Mermaid
The Little Mermaid (1989) will be screened on April 6 at 3.30pm at
the American Centre, No 44, Galle Road, Colombo 3.
(Running Time: 83 minutes)
A mermaid princess makes a faustian bargain with an unscrupulous
seahag in order to meet a human prince on land.
Please contact the American Centre at [email protected] or at
(011) 2498100 with any inquiries.
My bed is like a sailing ship
My bed is like a sailing ship
when I'm tucked in,
I take a trip
I leave behind my busy day
and sail to places far away.
I sail past beaches,
gleaming white,
with palm trees swaying
in the night
I watch the waves beat
on the shore,
and then I see my bed room floor !
My ship goes sailing
every night
and sails home in the
morning light.
Tuan Shakeel Mutaliph,
Grade 10,
Sailan International School,
Negombo
Until I breathe this life
Your eyes, mischievous and saline
Your laugh, an airy insolence
Your hair, waves undone and shine.
I will not forget, your memory rife ...
Until I breathe this life ....
Until I breathe this life ....
Aadil Marzook,
Grade 10 A,
Sailan International School,
Negombo
Opening of the newly built shrine room at Ambagamuwa Model Primary
School
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Students of the Ambagamuwa Model
Primary School at a meritorial activity held at the school
premises recently to mark the opening of the newly built
shrine room. Picture by G A Gunasena, Ginigathena Special
Correspondent |
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