World music strikes again!

I'm not going to lie, there are some things that I just can't appreciate, and I mean no offence to anybody, this is just my own shortcoming.  

I love photography, but dislike paintings. 

I love songs, but truly appreciate only a small handful of poems. 

I love world music, where I can't understand the lyrics, but have often looked up the overall meaning of the song. But I've found it difficult to stomach some languages and sounds, such as those from the far East and Germany.

But whatever sounds that do resonate with me, and sound pleasing to my ear, I will appreciate. And this is what I came across a couple of days ago in a short tiktok cooking video: 

Such a fun beat!

I have a feeling that I will have the lyrics committed to memory, even though I can't understand a single word of it. 

As usual this led me to look for more Tamil movie songs, and I came across this high-octane number: 

I can only imagine what it must've been like to be part of that audience. 

My poor child is going to do a Gonzo and stick two bananas in her ears, I'm sure **grin**. 

Being the queen of one-thing-leads-to-another, I remembered the fabulous drumming concert that was hosted by Musaeus College a few weeks ago, where one item brought in one of my favourite drums - the dhol. 

Which then led me to look up the Dhol Foundation, a British-Indian troupe that I was nuts about back in 2005 after seeing them perform at WOMAD Sri Lanka, at the Galleface Green. OMG what a show! 

If you were there on the last day of WOMAD, you may remember that the finale was a fusion of drum beats from most of the participating musicians of the whole event. There were the Singaporeans, the Burudians, the Indians, the Japanese, the Sri Lankans......and the impromptu result was magnificent. 

Which leads me to this notion that I explain to my daughter, time and time again, about the power of music. It's a universal language that can unite all manners of diversities across the globe. 

I love that modern pop music encapsulates many aspects of traditional music, such as their instruments, their styles, their voices, their costumes and their dances. At least for me, this leads to a voyage of discovery of the more fundamental roots of these cultures, which I find to be enlightening and enriching. 

World music has got to be the best genre out there! 

On the trail of Dutugemunu — 3 things to look out for at Dematamal Vihara

The backstory

Based on archeological evidence, the Dematamal Vihara is thought to predate the christian era, and is perhaps the oldest non-cave temple in the kingdom of Ruhuna. Prince Tissa sought refuge under the bed of the chief prelate at this temple after having lost the battle for the throne with his brother Prince Gemunu at Yudaganawa. 

The victorious prince had the temple surrounded , but didn’t touch his brother, but ridiculed him as he was carried away in the guise of a deceased monk from the premises.

Dematamal Vihara

This ancient temple is located in Buttala, in the district of Moneragala in eastern Sri Lanka. It is right by the side of the main Buttala-Okkampitiya road. It dates back to the 2 BC and is surrounded by lush paddy fields, which were originally 6 acres in extent. 

1. The stupa

The unplastered brick stupa is upon a platform that is 2.35m high. It is unusual to see a cheitya rise this much above the other buildings in a temple complex, but it is presumed that it was positioned thus so that it will be visible from afar in the completely flat environ that the temple is on. 

The stupa of the temple has been constructed on a raised platform, so that it will stand out in the surrounding flat plain.

2. Guardstone with two figures

The foundation and ruins of a small building is to be found in the paddy fields beyond the ancient chapter house. While the entrances of all ancient buildings in the country have guardstones placed on either side of the entrance, the guardstone to the left of the entrance to this structure is one of just 4 that have a female figure carved in to it, in addition to the usual male naga figure. The nagini stands to the right of the naga figure and is a few inches shorter than him. 

The remains of a building beyond the main temple, close to the paddy fields, where the rare guardstone with 2 figures is to be found. 

The Nagini on the left, and the Naga guard on the right. Only 4 such guardstones have been found in Sri Lanka.

3. The new chapter house

Only the tall foundation of the original chapter house remains to be seen today. It is believed that the infamous bed of the chief prelate of this temple where Prince Tissa hid underneath was to be found in this building. 
A new chapter house has been constructed upon this same stone foundation since then. But based on the pillars, statues and other stone items found there and in its vicinity, there is little doubt about the original structure that stood here. 

* Pictures © Radhika Wijesekera, 2018 (Buttala, Sri Lanka)

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#DematamalSeya #Buttala #DutuGemunu #Saddhatissa #SriLankanHistory #Moneragala #SriLanka 

The Enchanted Vehicles of the Wizarding World

RoyalMail recently issued a series of special stamps dedicated to the celebrated Harry Potter books. This is certainly not the first time that J.K. Rowling's magical world of wizards and muggles has been featured on postage. This series, however, caught my eye particularly since they feature the most memorable objects of the stories. 

Enter the Hogwarts Express, boarding from platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross Station (which was first immortalised by the Monopoly board game) in London; 

Hogwarts students were free to choose their prefered method via which to get to their magical school in the highlands of Scotland. While some chose to fly in on their broomsticks, others used carts and carriages. A few tried apparation, but this generally had disastrous effects given that the school is shrouded in anti-apparation charms. Then there were attempts at getting there using floo powder or via portkeys. The latter had resulted in as many as 30% of children not showing up, mainly because the children either couldn't locate them, or some unsuspecting muggle had walked off with them!

In the early 18th century, the strong willed Ottaline Gambol, the Minister for Magic at the time executed a daring plan to procure a gleaming red steam engine bearing number 5972 from "somewhere". Thanks 167 memory charms and the largest concealment charm ever performed on British soil, the Hogwarts Express made it's appearance in Hogsmead.

Coincidentally, perhaps, the Crewe railway workers appeared to have misplaced a train at the same time. 

Though many a parent had initially showed skeptisism regarding traditional muggle transportation for their children, these concerns were quickly laid to rest when the Ministry declared that the children rode the train, or didn't go to school at all. 

Arthur Weasley's Ford Anglia 

A faithful worker at the Ministry of Magic, Arthur Weasley loved the curious items produced by muggles. He often took them and performed unauthorised magic upon them. The flying Ford Anglia was one of these; the use of which went comically wrong when three of his sons decided to drive/fly it to school! 

Bearing licence plate number 7990 TD, the light blue Ford Anglia 105E Deluxe was produced in the Ford factory in UK in 1962. But when it ended up with Mr. Weasley, he performed a number of enchantments upon it, including giving it the ability to fly, making it invicible to muggles and making it spacious enough to accomodate his entire family in spite of it's modest size as seen from the outside. 

The last time that this car was in the news, it had been driven erratically by his son Ron and ended up getting a thrashing from the Whomping Willow in the grounds ajoining Hogwarts Castle. While the wizards landed in all manners of trouble, the tree and the car remained in surprisingly good condition after the collission. 

The Knight Bus

How nice to have obstacles jumping out of the way of a vehicle. The triple decker Knight bus, is a modified, purple hued AEC Regent III RT bus which was the standard busses one found on the streets of London in the 1950s and 1960s. This particular vehicle though was manufactured in 1865. 

The Knight Bus, which plows the street at alarming speeds, provides transport for standard witches and wizards. Stan Shunpike explains the Knight Bus to Harry when he first encounters it, and tells him that muggles can not see the bus, because they "Never notice nuffink, they don". 

I couldn't help but draw parallels between this bus and the tuktuks of Sri Lanka which somehow manage to squeeze their way in between any two vehicles that are on the road. The bus comes out unscathed, and continues thundering along the streets of England. (I certainly can't always say the same for the tuktuks though!)

Hagrid's Motorbike

It would just not be right if Rubeus Hagrid didn't have something extraordinary in his possession, and his enchanted motorbike is one which Royal Mail thought fit to immortalise in a stamp. 

This bike is modelled after the British-made classic, the 1959 Triumpt T120 Bonneville. Originally owned by Sirius Black, the bike makes its first appearence in book 1. Harry's godfather lent it to Hagrid to help transport Harry to Privet Drive, where he is delivered to the Dursleys. 

The 2nd time the bike appears is in the last book, where Harry rides in the sidecar in an attempt to escape an ambush as he leaves the house on Privet Drive for the last time. By this time, the bike had received some modifications from Aurthur Weasley. 

In real life, the side car comes from Watsonian Squire, a company that has been manufacturing them since 1912 and maintains the classic vibe, which is clearly needed for the Harry Potter movies. 

** All stamps and photographs used in this post are part of the author's personal collection. 

References : 

Wizarding World

National Motor Museum

Harry Potter Wiki 

Motorious