Festive Sweets

A mix of Sri Lankan Eid and Avurudhu celebratory sweets. Clockwise from bottom left: boondi, dodol, mung kawum, murukku, and date bars. Poruthota, Negombo, April 2024.

_{• 70mm • f/2.8 • 1/40 • ISO640 • Canon R6 & RF24-70/2.8L •}

We Are Risen

As the Sinhalese and Tamil New Year holiday week faded into Good Friday and the dawn of Easter Sunday (the latter itself a poignant and bloody reminder of how the current Sri Lankan regime stormed its way into power), the protesters stayed on at Galle Face Green, in Colombo, unrelenting in their demand that President Gotabhaya Rajapakse and his government resign. 17th April 2022. But ‘Gota’ has been equally stubborn in his refusal to quit, keeping his powerful older brother (former President Mahinda Rajapakse) in the PM slot, and merely reshuffling and reappointing his cabinet in what is a clear middle finger to the dissidents. The crippling economic crisis in Sri Lanka, the worst in its modern history, in which the country is suffering widespread shortages in electricity, fuel, cooking gas, medicine, and even food, has been felt most clearly by the middle and working classes, who have turned out at Galle Face in unprecedented numbers, with all ethnicities represented in a show of unity that has loudly voiced its accusations of government ineptitude and corruption. However, with the holidays ending today, and the president deadlocked with the protestors, the battle will return to parliament where, til now, the opposition parties have displayed little more than impotence and a distinct lack of leadership in reflecting the voice of the people in the legislature.

Thank You, Sri Lanka, and Subha Aluth Avurudhak Wewa

On the eve of the Sinhalese and Tamil New Year, protestors on Galle Face Green, Colombo, continue to call for the resignation of Sri Lankan President Gotabhaya Rajapakse and his entire cabinet. 13th April 2022. Traditionally, a time of hope and new beginnings, this Avurudhu has been blighted by an economic crisis that sees many families struggling to put food on the table. Rampant inflation, and shortages in electricity, cooking gas, fuel, and medicine, has been blamed on an inept and corrupt government led by Rajapakse and his brothers. Even as Sri Lanka declared it was defaulting on its debts, Tuesday, officially announcing bankruptcy, the thousands of protestors gathered in Colombo for the fifth consecutive day will, no doubt, be hoping for some brightness on what is a decidedly dark future.

What are You Practicing for? #2

The rabané is a traditional Sri Lankan drum, played with the hands, usually in celebration of the Sinhalese and Tamil new year in April. Canon 600D and EF 50mm f/1.8 lens at 1/80, f/1.8, and ISO 800.

Posted in activities, belief, emotions, life, peopleTagged 50mm, 600D, Avurudhu, black & white, celebrations, drummers, drumming, drums, faces, hands, music, people, rabané, rhythm, Sinhala & Tamil new year, Sri Lanka, women

What are You Practicing for?

The rabané is a traditional Sri Lankan drum, played with the hands, usually in celebration of the Sinhalese and Tamil new year in April. Canon 600D and EF 50mm f/1.8 lens at 1/80, f/1.8, and ISO 800.

Posted in activities, emotions, life, peopleTagged 50mm, 600D, Avurudhu, black & white, celebrations, drummers, drumming, drums, music, people, practice, rabané, Sinhala & Tamil new year, Sri Lanka, tradition