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As written for MuslimMatters (June 17, 2014) Riots broke out in the coastal Sri Lankan town of Aluthgama yesterday in an escalation of Muslim targeted violence that many Sri Lankans fear would intensify into a resemblance of the incidents of Black July – the anti-Tamil lawlessness of July 1983 which was said to have ignited […]
July 28, 2013
As written for Yahoo! Maktoob (July 24, 2013) To anyone looking to truly appreciate Ramadan, I would say: put on those blinders. Block out the clichéd crescent-themed commercialism lacing the highways – the hawking of seasonal sugar syrups competing with the peddling of fast food all-you-can-eats. Ignore the ostentatious Ramadan tents and the allure of their […]
March 29, 2013
Following months of an incendiary campaign against Muslims in Sri Lanka, a Muslim-owned fashion store was attacked last evening by mobs of hate-mongers led by men in the saffron garb of Buddhist monks. I refuse to dignify these robed madmen by associating them with the religion they claim to represent, just as I would be […]
February 11, 2013
As written for Muslim Matters (February 11, 2013) The island nation of Sri Lanka celebrated its 65th Independence Day on the 4th of February amidst conflicting emotions. Although no stranger to tourism brochures as the idyllic holiday getaway, this teardrop isle has also had its fair share of the spotlight in making international headlines – there was the incapacitating […]
April 25, 2012
As written for Muslim Matters (April 25, 2012) The city of Dambulla in Sri Lanka, more known for its representation in tourism brochures as a registered heritage destination for culturally-inclined tourists to the island, made headlines of a less-idyllic nature on the afternoon of Friday the 20th of April – when Buddhist monks led a 2000-strong protest against a […]
December 25, 2011
As written for The National, UAE (November 21, 2011). As is the case with most Sri Lankan authors having spent a considerable period of time abroad, I expected Shehan Karunatilaka’s accent to have a pronounced Kiwi cadence and tinged with only a slight Sri Lankan nuance, considering the years he spent in New Zealand. But […]
November 4, 2011
I haven’t inherited many traits from my maternal grandmother (other than her classic good looks, and razor sharp wit of course), but she has gifted me many a plaything, clothes, and gift vouchers over the years. But of all her endowments, I am most grateful to her for the one thing she’s handed over to […]
September 14, 2011
As written for Groundviews. Up until just two years ago, I have only known a Sri Lanka at war. And it was possibly just over a decade ago when I came about to comprehending that we were in fact, at war with ourselves. Having recently just returned from yet another visit to […]
April 5, 2011
There’s this joke I heard the other day where this Sri Lankan chap at a little ‘teh kadey’ was found drinking his hot beverage from a saucer. When asked why he wouldn’t just use the correct crockery, he replied rather dejectedly: “Can’t machang. The Indians took the cup.” Okay. So it came out lame […]
October 20, 2009
As written for Khaleejesque:Images courtesy of Dinidu De Alwis: Sir Arthur C. Clarke once very famously declared: “The island of Sri Lanka is a small universe; it contains as many variations of culture, scenery and climate as some countries a dozen times its size.” The wise man couldn’t have phrased it better. Sanskrit for sacred […]
The Kaftan Writer 
June 17, 2014
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