Category: Articles

By Ama H. Vanniarachchy After the establishment of Buddhism in Sri Lanka during the 3rd century BCE, educational institutions were also established on the island. These were ‘colleges’ and ‘universities’ that were centred around Buddhist monasteries. Buddhist monks ran these colleges and universities and some of them were open for lay students as well as The post Anuradhapura: The City of Anuradha (Part X) appeared first on Ceylon Today.

By Ama H. Vanniarachchy Learning one’s mother language is not just important—it’s essential. From the moment we are born, language plays a central role in shaping our identities, facilitating communication, and connecting us with our culture, heritage, and community. Here are 800 words elaborating on why learning your mother language is crucial and a necessity: The post The Importance of Learning Your Mother Language appeared first on Ceylon Today.

By Ama H. Vanniarachchy “When he (Vijaya) said, ‘These men are hungry,’ she (Kuweni) showed them rice and other (food) and goods of every kind that had been in the ships of those traders whom she had devoured. (Vijaya’s) men prepared the rice and the condiments, and when they had first set them before the The post Untold secrets of our food – Part I appeared first on Ceylon Today.

By Ama H. Vanniarachchy “Easter; the joy of candy, colours, creativity, and costuming. A season unlike any other.”  —Grant Morrison, Happy! The Sinhalese New Year is a festival of harvest and a time that people celebrate the spring season and pay tribute to the Sun God and Mother Nature. Many South Asian cultures celebrate a The post Eastern connections of Easter appeared first on Ceylon Today.

By Ama H. Vanniarachchy For weeks, Ceylon Today has been discussing the role of youth in Sri Lankan politics in our series ‘Pumping Young Blood into Politics’, discussing various possibilities of Sri Lankan youth in national politics. In our previous seven segments, we have discussed this topic in detail with relevant examples.  Youth-led movements and The post Pumping young blood into politics (Part VIII) appeared first on Ceylon Today.

By Ama H. Vanniarachchy Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana (also known as Tantrayana) are three major branches of Buddhism that have evolved over centuries, each with its distinct philosophies, practices, and historical developments. While all three share a common foundation in the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha, they have diverged in their interpretations, scriptures, The post Theravada Vs. Mahayana (Part III ) appeared first on Ceylon Today.

By Ama H. Vanniarachchy Last week in the part I of, ‘Maha Vihara to be Dostorted?’, Ceylon Today brought to light how the proposed Maha Vihara project by Robin Coningham and the uninformed conclusions of his suggesting a ‘theocracy’ in Anuradhapura Era. Continuing the discussion, next, we contacted Brigadier (Retired) Athula Hemachandra De Silva of The post Maha Vihara to be distorted? (Part II) appeared first on Ceylon Today.

By Ama H. Vanniarachchy Nestled in the heart of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka beckons travellers with its lush landscapes, pristine beaches, and rich cultural heritage. As tourism flourishes, the call for sustainable and eco-friendly travel practices becomes ever more urgent. With its diverse ecosystems and vibrant communities, Sri Lanka presents a prime opportunity for The post Embracing eco-friendly travel in enchanting Sri Lanka appeared first on Ceylon Today.

By Ama H. Vanniarachchy Today, in our seventh segment of ‘Pumping Young Blood into Politics’, we shall discuss the responsibility of Sri Lanka’s senior politicians and well-established politicians to take measures to make sure the youth has a clear path to enter into national politics. However, sadly, we see that Sri Lankan politicians have ignored The post Pumping young blood into politics (Part VII) appeared first on Ceylon Today.

Archaeologists have found 3400-year-old prehistoric human remains in a shell midden on Jaffna Velanai Island. This is reported to be the first confirmed prehistoric human remains found in the Jaffna Peninsula. Researchers point out that the archaeological site with these data is located about one kilometer south of the well-known tourist attraction beach of Velanai […]