Baby riding the front seat

It is possibly not well understood in Sri Lanka that driving with your baby in the front passenger seat is not only dangerous but also a strict offense in most other countries. I'm sure most of us remember when famous Pop star Britney Spears was photographed driving with her child in the front seat of her convertible. But I have seen this happening countless times in Sri Lanka.

Whether you are driving the latest vehicle equipped with the best life-saving airbags system, you are putting your child in harms way. 

Those parents who say their children are fussy and demand riding in the front are simply giving excuses for themselves. Of course it is easier giving in to your child than the ultimate penalty---hearing them cry. Car seats for kids have been specially designed to keep your children safely while you drive. However it is still not a "THING" in Sri Lanka. 

Such laws should not only exist in Sri Lanka but also be strictly applied. It would be quite unfortunate to hear of an accident where a child was seated in front comfortably embraced by his mother while hit by the airbag which deployed at 170-200 miles per hour.

While airbags make driving a lot safer, injuries have been reported. Serious injuries are less common, but severe or fatal injuries can occur to vehicle occupants very near an airbag or in direct contact when it deploys (such as a child sitting on the mothers lap and playing with his toys on the dashboard???).

This site is not an uncommon occurrence. You see it everyday. Infact you may be doing this already. It is time to educate ourselves. Change can start with the smallest effort.

Maybe instead of hiding in bushes, trying to catch speeding drivers, law enforcement should be directed towards these more sinister issues--- issues that are clearly visible to the naked eye. Issues that can one day save a child's life.

Devil Masks of Sri Lanka

A mask can be some kind of a language that expresses the emotion of a figure one chooses to create. It is a language anyone can understand and one that has been shown to be of great historical significance in Sri Lanka. The tradition of mask dancing or yakun natima has been, and still is, used for spiritual, religious, healing and even exorcisms.

Mesmerized by the beauty of these masks, I chose to discover the culture behind it and it surprised me how very little I knew about these dying traditions. What little I found out was enough to get me fascinated to draw one.


For those of you who don’t know, there are different types of masks used in Sri Lanka: Kolam mask, Sanni mask and the Raksha mask. The Kolam masks were mainly used for theatrical performances. Sanni masks were mainly used to treat disease. In the Sinhalese society, disease had two origins. It could be either natural or supernatural. While Ayurvedic treatments were greatly popular to heal the natural diseases, supernatural ones were put in the hands of a greater power. Dancing rituals were performed when all other methods of healing had failed. And finally the Raksha masks or Devil masks which were depicted as cobras or peacocks etc, each carrying with it a different meaning.

While these hand-crafted masks make beautiful mementos for tourists to take back home, each mask is unique. Here I drew the Mauru Raksha or the Peacock Demon and it signifies Peace, Happiness and Luck.

You can truly appreciate all the details in such a piece. I only drew this with my polychromos, but the actual mask is hand-crafted and made of wood which is later painted. The attention to detail is imperative.

Unfortunately, yakun natima is now a fading culture. The language that these masks speak and the sound of their beating drums will soon fall to deaf ears. It is therefore an immense responsibility to shed light on this beautiful tradition and give it the recognition it deserves.

Painting my Hobbies

Looking at a blank canvas and being unable to decide what to draw is frustrating in itself. Drawing and painting of all sorts has been a hobby of mine for as long as I can remember. So when I decided to do this piece, I wanted to incorporate all the things I love about Sri Lanka.

I started with the most interesting bird (in my opinion). The peacock most well known for its magnificent show of feathers that span to a length of more than  60% of their body. Each feather is beautifully designed to showcase a "long eyed" pattern.

I used poster colors just because they do have a richness and ofcourse the results are pretty much instant. I was initially fascinated with drawing fish and I knew I had to incorporate it in this drawing.

Sri Lanka is known for its wonderful beaches and I didn't think twice about it. I added all the oceanic features that I was in love with.

http://instagram.com/naj568/?modal=true

I continued to add color and texture to make the drawing seem 3D (at least I hope I did). Butterflies have always been my favorite thing to draw so I didn't hold anything back! Here's the rest of the progression!

Almost completed - You will also note that my feet are showing! OOOPPS!!

Completed! FINALLY

This drawing hangs in my room and is a constant reminder of all the things I enjoy about being in this beautiful country - Sri Lanka.

Another one of my peacock feather drawings this time with Faber Castell Polychromos.

Giving your baby a healthy start

Giving your baby a healthy start is not only any mother’s obligation but is an important responsibility. Eating healthy and watching your weight, are both equally important during the entire course of your pregnancy. Before planning to get pregnant you need to assess your current health status. The concept is simple; you need to be healthy enough for both you and your baby.

Pregnant mothers constantly find themselves facing numerous questions when it comes to the health of their unborn baby. Taking early steps to improve your weight issues can make a tremendous difference in your life.

What should my weight be before pregnancy?

Many women obsess about weight issues every day. It is most definitely a challenging task for most individuals. Having the right weight and being in the best state of health before you get pregnant can ensure the well-being of both you and your unborn baby. If you are overweight, trying to lose a few pounds before you conceive can be a good decision.

 

In fact, it is well established that being overweight or underweight can reduce chances of fertility or may give rise to many complications during and after pregnancy. So it is best to have the optimum weight which is calculated by BMI (Body Mass Index). BMI represents the relationship between your height and weight and can estimate the amount of fat in your body. Normal BMI values range from 18.5 to 24.9.

What should I do to increase my chances of having a healthy baby?

You should first start by getting a pre-conception check up. This is a medical checkup which can assess your current health status and the medical practitioner can give you recommendations on areas like weight, diet, health and exercise before your pregnancy. This can help you obtain the optimum weight that is required for your pregnancy and educate you on the basics of what you should or should not do.

How much weight should I gain during pregnancy?

You should first of all accept that you are going to gain weight during pregnancy. However, you should not take the metaphor of ‘eating for two’ too seriously. You need to ensure that your diet is nutritious enough in order for your baby to develop and grow healthily.  This means the mother has to consume a rich balanced diet of carbohydrates proteins and fats along with a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.

It is recommended that a woman with a healthy BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 should gain about25 to 35 pounds, i.e. 11.4 to 15.9 kg during the course of her nine month pregnancy. The weight gain during pregnancy may wary for different women depending on their weight before pregnancy, their current health and their age. A woman who is overweight has a recommended weight gain between 15 to 25 pounds, i.e. 6.8 to 11.4 kg.

What should I eat when I’m pregnant?

Like I mentioned before, a rich balanced diet is very important. Vegetables and fruits have a rich supply of nutrients and vitamins. It is recommended that a pregnant woman should consume at least four portions of fruits or vegetables a day. Having healthy portions of rice, pasta, bread or potatoes can give you the necessary carbohydrates. Foods rich in fiber, like whole grain foods can prevent conditions like constipation, which is common during pregnancy.

If you are vegetarian you can eat tofu, beans, lentils, legumes, etc, which are good sources of protein. A good calcium intake, like milk, cheese and other dairy products are also necessary for your diet.

Remember; eat ‘twice as healthy’ not ‘twice as much’!

Soaked In uniform

The skies turn grey and with it comes a cool Colombo breeze. A policeman rushes to grab his raincoat before he is soaked in the endless downpour. The roads are blocked by vehicles eager to take their passengers home after a hard day's work. He takes a deep breath and make his way to the middle of the junction. This is going to be yet another long night.

Have you ever got stuck in traffic and blamed it on the policeman? If you haven't noticed, most of the traffic in Colombo is in fact blamed on the traffic police. Many misunderstand that the sole purpose of placing such an individual on the street is to relieve traffic. It's probably easy to place blame and judge from the comfort of your vehicle. But why don't we get out of our air-conditioned vehicles which are providing shelter from the rain and get a taste of what this individual might be going through. After all he is only following orders. 

Colombo has seen a steady rise of DUIs in the recent past. Getting pulled over is not something you can anticipate, but the roads close to the bars and pubs are usually crawling with cops after 8 pm. Again, the policeman's job is to make sure the citizens of Sri Lanka are not put in harms way. No one wants another incident where people are run-over by someone under the influence. But this is another great example where the policeman becomes our enemy. Once pulled over and even when it's completely clear that you are in violation of the law, there are still ways of getting out of it. Most would just offer a bribe. But how much are you willing to give to the policeman to let u loose? Or is that amount directly proportional to the type of vehicle your driving? Or maybe you know a politician who can make all this go away with only a matter of a phone call?

You finally are let loose from the scene with a strict warning. You drive off with a sense of relief. You have gotten away with it once again. The policeman is left with a profound realization. Will there never be any kind of law and order? Is there any use for his services? There will always be someone with influence that even the policemen are scared to raise hands to. So what will be of the duties and responsibilities of policemen? 

Aren't we to blame to blame for their sourness towards their own job. We have unknowingly made this individual hate his job and doubt his value.

People complain about our country, how somethings are so unfair. But maybe we can ourselves start with a change. We can change the way we think. We can change the way we do things from now on.