Email sent by Susiri Weerasekara
Kate Middleton has said if she has a boy she will call him by the most popular British boys name at the moment.We look forward to the arrival of baby Mohammed.
Seems every Muslim has Mohamed to his name.
jksw
This blog is about the entrants in the year 1960, to the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ceylon, Colombo. The email address for communications is, 1960batch@gmail.com. Please BOOKMARK this page for easier access later.Photo is the entrance porch of the old General Hospital, Colombo, still in existence. Please use the search box below to look for your requirement.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Kate Middleton's baby
Email sent by Susiri Weerasekara
Kate Middleton has said if she has a boy she will call him by the most popular British boys name at the moment.We look forward to the arrival of baby Mohammed.
Seems every Muslim has Mohamed to his name.
jksw
Anti-gay nations and SRI LANKA
Email from Susiri Weerasekara
NEWS
UK aid threat to anti-gay nations
Britain has threatened countries which ban homosexuality with losing aid payments unless they reform,
David Cameron said.
Reply from SRI LANKA
No problem. Over 75% of Sri Lankans are Gays. MudiyanselaGAY, ArachchillaGAY,
LiyanaGAY, GamaGAY, SemaGAY, KoralaGAY, GallaGay, UdiriappuwaduGay etc..etc..
Other words
MaGAY, OyaGAY, ArayaGAY, MeyaGAY etc...etc..
_________
Actually. I am too. Kanakkahewagay.
jksw
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Dream Home - Sri Lanka
email from Dr.Susiri Weerasekara
VIDEO - Sri Lanka - " My Dream Home "
Click on link
Speakers on
Takes a minute to download.
Web-link:-
www.youtube.com/embed/GBZ3gkm1Fko?feature=player
Mount Lavinia Hotel, Sri Lanka, legends
The governor's palace,Mount Lavinia, Sri Lanka - email from Dr.Susiri Weerasekara.
A Love story from Ceylon: The British Governor General Sir Thomas Maitland’s mansion and the Rodi (mestizo) Dancer
Sir Thomas Maitland was assigned to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) as the British Governor General during the period of 1805–1811.
Governor Maitland was a 46 year old bachelor who decided to construct his country residence on a breathtaking beachfront property at "Galkissa" (Mount Lavinia). He was also known as "King Tom" and described in a biography as “a great human force, controlled by an iron will".
During this time, Maitland fell in love with a native gypsy dancer named Lavinia (Lovinia) Aponsuwa who was an extraordinarily beautiful mestizo girl of mixed Portuguese and Sinhala Rodi ancestry. He saw the local mestizo dancer Lovina for the first time at the welcoming party held in his honor on his arrival in the island. Lovinia's father was the headman of the dance troupe. Sir Thomas was smitten by her smile and charms and soon found himself obsessed by her and took every measure possible to see more of her.Lavinia danced in her father's dance troupe and performed for the Governor and his guests. The Governor's parties were affairs of masked balls, top hats and flowing evening gowns.
It is rumored that Maitland picked the scenic location on the beach-side hill about 10 km (6 miles) south of Colombo after spotting Lavinia bathing in the sea.
The natives of Ceylon nor the British officials in England were aware of the secret love story between the British Governor and the dancer, Lavinia.
During the construction phase of the mansion, the governor gave instructions to the builder to construct a secret tunnel to Lavinia's house which was located close to the governor's residence. One end of the tunnel opening, was inside the drinking water well of Lovina's housing compound ("Rodi Kuppayama" - Sinhala language) and the other end was in a wine cellar inside the Governor's mansion. As it was unconventional for an unmarried British Officer to be seen associating with a local dancing girl, therefore, Sir Thomas and his lover met in secret.
Legend says that she was smuggled into his mansion through a secret tunnel that led from her father's well into a wine cellar in the house.
After some time, the affair flew in the face of the stiff upper lip image of Britain's colonial masters who ruled their fiefdoms with a firm grip and looked down sternly on any deviation from Crown and God. Later, the British Foreign Office sent Sir Thomas Maitland on a "routine" transfer as Governor General in 1811 to the Meditaranian island of Malta where hew he lived and died as a bachelor. He also served as governor of Corfu during the British administration of the island.
Around the year 1920, the tunnel was sealed up and the Sinhalese village that surrounded the Governor’s mansion developed into a modern city. Later, the "Gypsy village' that surrounded the mansion was developed into a modern bustling city of "Galkissa" (originated from the Sinhala word "GalVissa" or ten boulders) was renamed "Mount Lavinia" in honor the of mestizo dancing girl named Lavinia or Lovinia.
Little is known of Lavinia but Governor Maitland passed a law permitting lower-caste women in Ceylon such as his lover to cover the upper torso of their bodies.
Later, the mansion was made into to a hotel and aptly named “Mount Lavinia" (in memory of “Lavinia”). This enchanting British Colonial heritage hotel, located on a breathtaking beachfront, is a living legacy to the secret love story between the Sir Thomas Maitland, and the beautiful dancer, Lovina.
At present, the old wine cellar is used as the main kitchen of the hotel. ( The food is quaintly local by famous Chef Pabilis)
The railway line has cut the secret tunnel in two sections. The legendary romance has made this Colombo hotel one of the most popular venues in Sri Lanka for weddings. There are others who believe that the hotel was named after "Lavinia" – Titus's daughter in the play "Titus Andronicus" a tragedy written by William Shakespeare.
(Addtition. A third story of flippance is that the name is literally true; just 'mount Lavina'.)
During World War II, the hotel was used as a military hospital by the British Army.
Following the war in 1947, the "Mount Lavinia Hotel" was re-established. Some scenes in the film The Bridge on the River Kwai were filmed at the hotel.
A blue plaque commemorates Sir Thomas Maitland, Sir Robert Brownrigg, Sir Edward Paget and Sir Edward Barnes who resided at the house when it was the Governors residence.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Sunday, December 2, 2012
'Danno Budunge' - Sinhalese hymn.
email from Daya Jayasinghe
As the current patron of St Benedicts OBU in Victoria I love to promote religious friendship among all groups.This beautiful song sung by a group of multicultural, girls of various religious groups and within Holy family Convent goes a long way towards it. If you agree please pass it to our medical batch 1960. Thanks Daya j.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edLcOSLjrho&feature=email
Additional information by Dr. Susiri Weerasekara
It might interest you to know that the Danno Budunnge tune and original misc was created as a church song by /Richard Wagner of Liepzig Germany about 150 years ago.
The tune is commonly sung at Christian churches in Sri Lanka.
Also the same tune is used in as the college hymn of St John’s college Jaffna (Anglican). I heard it there a few months back. St Johnss existed since around 1830.
When did they adopt it?
The Sinhalese words can be traced to the drama ‘Sirisangabo’ by John De Silva around 1915 –or so, not sure of date? I do not know if he used the same tune- possible.
The first song sung to Wagner’s tune can be traced to G.C. Rajapakse who sings it in high pitch ( G) as in the church style. This was recorded by him, with Indian musicians coming over by ship led by- I believe Lao Je. The 78 rpm record exists.
I have a record of about 10 singers including Mohideen Baig, and last by Amaradeva singing it in different style, but all of a lower pitch.
jksw
email from Lawrence Ratnam
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| Paddy was driving down the street in a sweat because he had an important meeting and couldn't find a parking place. Looking up to heaven he said, 'Lord take pity on me. If you find me a parking place I will go to Mass every Sunday for the rest of me life and give up me Irish Whiskey!' Miraculously, a parking place appeared. Paddy looked up again and said, 'Never mind, I found one.' |
| Father Murphy walks into a pub in Donegal, and asks the first man he meets, 'Do you want to go to heaven?' The man said, 'I do, Father.' The priest said, 'Then stand over there against the wall.' Then the priest asked the second man, 'Do you want to go to heaven?' 'Certainly, Father,' the man replied. 'Then stand over there against the wall,' said the priest. Then Father Murphy walked up to O'Toole and asked, 'Do you want to go to heaven?' O'Toole said, 'No, I don't Father.' The priest said, 'I don't believe this. You mean to tell me that when you die you don't want to go to heaven?' O'Toole said, 'Oh, when I die , yes. I thought you were getting a group together to go right now.' |
| Paddy was in New York . He was patiently waiting and watching the traffic cop on a busy street crossing. The cop stopped the flow of traffic and shouted, 'Okay, pedestrians.' Then he'd allow the traffic to pass. He'd done this several times, and Paddy still stood on the sidewalk. After the cop had shouted, 'Pedestrians!' for the tenth time, Paddy went over to him and said, 'Is it not about time ye let the Catholics across?' |
| Gallagher opened the morning newspaper and was dumbfounded to read in the obituary column that he had died. He quickly phoned his best friend, Finney. 'Did you see the paper?' asked Gallagher. 'They say I died!!' 'Yes, I saw it!' replied Finney. 'Where are ye callin' from?' |
| An Irish priest is driving down to New York and gets stopped for speeding in Connecticut . The state trooper smells alcohol on the priest's breath and then sees an empty wine bottle on the floor of the car. He says, 'Sir, have you been drinking?' 'Just water,' says the priest. The trooper says, 'Then why do I smell wine?' The priest looks at the bottle and says, 'Good Lord! He's done it again!' |
| Walking into the bar, Mike said to Charlie the bartender, 'Pour me a stiff one - just had another fight with the little woman.' 'Oh yeah?' said Charlie, 'And how did this one end?' 'When it was over,' Mike replied, 'She came to me on her hands and knees.' 'Really,' said Charles, 'Now that's a switch! What did she say?' She said, 'Come out from under the bed, you little chicken.' |
| Patton staggered home very late after another evening with his drinking buddy, Paddy. He took off his shoes to avoid waking his wife, Kathleen. He tiptoed as quietly as he could toward the stairs leading to their upstairs bedroom, but misjudged the bottom step. As he caught himself by grabbing the banister, his body swung around and he landed heavily on his rump. A whiskey bottle in each back pocket broke and made the landing especially painful. Managing not to yell, Patton sprung up, pulled down his pants, and looked in the hall mirror to see that his butt cheeks were cut and bleeding. He managed to quietly find a full box of Band-Aids and began putting a Band-Aid as best he could on each place he saw blood. He then hid the now almost empty Band-Aid box and shuffled and stumbled his way to bed.. In the morning, Patton woke up with searing pain in both his head and butt and Kathleen staring at him from across the room. She said, 'You were drunk again last night weren't you?' Patton said, 'Why you say such a mean thing?' 'Well,' Kathleen said, 'it could be the open front door, it could be the broken glass at the bottom of the stairs, it could be the drops of blood trailing through the house, it could be your bloodshot eyes, but mostly ....... it's all those Band-Aids stuck on the hall mirror. |
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I hope everyone in your head is happy - we're all doing pretty good in mine!
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