Casa Loma!

Yesterday, I went to Casa Loma, one of Toronto’s most famous landmarks, to attend a wedding. It was a wedding with a limited number of invited guests. These are some of the photos I took at Casa Loma on that occasion.

A few words about Casa Loma…

Casaloma in Night 

Casa Loma is a must-see landmark for anyone visiting the city of Toronto. It is a large mansion resembling a castle, originally built to be a castle by wealthy businessman Sir Henry Pellatt between 1911 and 1914. Constructed in the Gothic Revival architectural style, this mansion stands as one of Toronto’s most iconic architectural landmarks. The architect was E.J.Lennox.

The mansion, which contains 98 rooms, features a 61-foot-high Great Hall, secret passageways, a bowling alley, underground tunnels for servants, and areas for maintaining horses.

Following the First World War, Henry Pellatt fell into financial difficulties and was unable to pay his property taxes to the government. As a result, the property was seized by the city.

In the years that followed, this castle-like mansion was used in various ways—as a hotel, club, and research facility—before coming under the care of the Liberty Entertainment Group in 2014.

Today, it functions as a tourist attraction, museum, and venue for events. Notably, more than 650,000 visitors come to see Casa Loma each year.

Casa Loma – https://casaloma.ca/

Writer V. N. Giritharan’s Tamil novel Kudivaravalan (An Immigrant) was already translated into English by writer Latha Ramakrishnan. Its English version was published earlier as a Kindle e-book on Amazon.

The First Tamil Novel from Canada to Appear in English Translation (e-book) is V. N. Giritharan’s An Immigrant. The first Canadian Tamil novel to appear in print in English translation is Devakanthan’s Prison of Dreams. – 
The English translation of writer Devakanthan’s novel Prison of Dreams has been published by Mawenzi House, translated by Nedra Rodrigo. The launch of this translated work will take place on September 6, 2025, in Scarborough. This announcement was made by the Tamil Arts Collective. Their invitation states: “The publication of the Prison of Dreams quintet marks a historic moment in Canadian Tamil literature, as it is the first book-length translation of a Tamil novelist published in Canada.”

In other words: the publication of the Prison of Dreams quintet in Canada is considered a historic moment in Canadian Tamil literary history, as it is the first full-length Tamil novel to be translated into English and published in Canada.

There is no doubt that Devakanthan’s Prison of Dreams is a monumental novel—a major contribution to Tamil literature. But is it truly the first Canadian Tamil novel to appear in English translation? The answer is no.

Writer V. N. Giritharan’s Tamil novel Kudivaravalan (An Immigrant) was already translated into English by writer Latha Ramakrishnan. Its English version was published earlier as a Kindle e-book on Amazon.

Even before that, the complete English translation of the novel was published on one of V. N. Giritharan’s blogs, Canadian Tamil Literature: Writer V. N. Giritharan’s Corner. Tamil Nadu scholar Dr. Tharani Akhil also published an English critical essay on this novel, titled “An Immigrant: A poignant autobiographical sketch of V. N. Giritharan”, which was likewise featured on the above-mentioned blog. These writings were also published in online journals.

Citing this novel, research papers on refugee literature have been published in English and French. A podcast episode about the novel has also appeared on the V. N. Giritharan Podcast channel on YouTube.

The Malayalam Film “Mathilukal” by Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Winner of Four National Awards!

One of actor Mammootty’s finest films is Mathilukal (“Walls”). It is notable that Mammootty’s performance in this film was chosen by Forbes magazine as one of the 25 greatest acting performances in Indian cinema. The film, written, directed, and produced by Adoor Gopalakrishnan, won four Indian National Film Awards in 1990—for Direction, Acting, Sound Recording, and Best Regional Film.

Mammootty received the National Award for Best Actor for his role in Mathilukal and also for Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha. He remains the only actor to have received the Best Actor National Award simultaneously for two films in the same year.

The story of this film is based on a novella by the celebrated Malayalam writer Vaikom Muhammad Basheer. It is a semi-autobiographical work, inspired by his own experiences in prison.

Wishing my favourite star, Mammootty, a smooth and speedy recovery. Get well soon, sir!

 

One of my most favorite actors is Mammootty. His acting fills the heart.Recently, media reports have said that he has been unwell, but is now recovering. He is a powerful performer who can do justice to any role. His voice, smile, and acting always bring joy to the audience. I have strong faith that Mammootty will soon return with full health.

A scene from Mathilukal, based on Vaikom Muhammad Basheer’s novella, comes to mind. Mathilukal won Mammootty the National Award for Best Actor. It is also noteworthy that Mammootty has won the Indian Government’s National Award for Acting three times.

The Malayalam films in which Mammootty played a CBI investigative officer are very popular — and I love them too.
He also won the National Award for his role in the film portraying the life of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.

Another interesting fact about Mammootty is that he initially earned a Bachelor’s degree in Law and worked as a lawyer before entering films.

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Some of my favorite songs of Mammootty:

Sivakami Ninaippinile – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYUEmBx75SE

Oru Naalu Naalai – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAgchoDbYj4

Kannamma – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3uQQ1XaHWo 

Sangeetha Swarangal – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxsPj4Hyry8

Scene from Vaikom Muhammad Basheer’s Mathilukal – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aFhSDunru4 

Poem: My Surrender to Winter! – V. N. Giritharan –

Winter is fast approaching.
I have lived many years in Canada.
Yet, my hatred for this season
has not lessened in the slightest.

As always, when memories of winter
come rushing in, they bring along
the snow, the frost, and the ice.
Thoughts of how I will cope with them
this time spread throughout my mind.

Many times, I have tried—
hoping at least this year
I might sign a treaty of friendship
with winter, and live in peace.

Law and Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe!

 

Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has been accused of misusing public funds. He has committed an offence and has been arrested.

In response, many southern Sri Lankan politicians argue that Ranil donated his own house, worth 200 crores, to the college he studied at. They say he gave this, gave that, never even took a salary as President. Therefore, they claim, a former President should not be arrested for a small crime.

To such people, there is one question:

If a very wealthy and generous philanthropist drives his vehicle recklessly—where the speed limit is 40 km/h, he drives at 100 km/h—and the police stop him, will you then also say: “Ranil donated 200 crores, so he should not be fined or ticketed”?

During his presidency, Ranil Wickremesinghe misused public funds. If he had done so unknowingly, he could have rectified it. For someone who donated so much, that would have been easy. Why didn’t he?

If he has not committed any wrongdoing, then he has the opportunity in court to prove his innocence. Let him prove it and come out clean. That is the correct position to take.

Until now, not only in Sri Lanka but also in countries like India, politicians have been steeped in corruption. They use politics for their personal lives. If they violate the constitution and criminal laws of the country, then the law must deal with them without any bias.

On the arrest of former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe...

Former Sri Lankan President and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has been arrested on charges of corruption. This is a welcome move. Let the law do its duty. In recent times, the arrest of several prominent political figures accused of corruption is a healthy sign for the future of Sri Lanka. In this matter, it is essential for the law of Sri Lanka to act without ethnic or religious bias, for the sake of a better future for the nation. It is also necessary that the people of the country realize that the law is carrying out its duty without discrimination of race, religion, or language.

Ranil Wickremesinghe’s arrest appears to be an act by Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s National People’s Power that seeks to deeply understand the mindset of the people. If Ranil’s arrest does not lead to political protests or unrest in the country, we can expect that, step by step, more individuals will be arrested.

There is, however, one area where the government could have acted with a little more caution. There are several issues related to Ranil’s corruption allegations—such as protecting the Rajapaksa brothers, the Central Bank bond scam, and others. There are also matters concerning human rights violations. If the government had chosen one of those cases to arrest Ranil, it would have been even more effective. Perhaps, due to the legal delays and complications in proving such charges, the government has opted for this particular charge, which might be easier to establish.