Psychological issues and chest pain or cardiac neurosis

Psychological issues and chest pain or cardiac neurosis

by Dr. R. A. R. Perera

Chest pain or cardiac neurosis is characterized by anxiety, which is, severe enough to make most people fear they will die suddenly from a heart attack. They complain of pain in the left side of the chest, breathlessness, palpitations, tiredness, dizziness., and rarely fainting attacks. 10-15% of all patients referred to Cardiac Department for chest pain is due to cardiac neurosis. It occurs more often in women than in men (3:2). There is usually a family history of anxiety prone parents or children.

Childhood neurotic characteristics, such as fears of the dark, animals, heights, nail biting; stammering, nightmares and sleepwalking are common in these people. They have shy introspective and dependent personalities. They usually tend to be neat, tidy and highly conscientious as adults.

Most of us are familiar with the uncomfortable thudding of our hearts during moments of fear, and have witnessed a fainting attack provoked by the sight of something causing extreme apprehension. The defense reaction, which happens during an emergency or with a traumatic event, has behavioral and cardiovascular components, appear to be triggered with relative ease in certain people. The person has an anxious face and the pupils may be dilated. He often looks pale and sits on the edge of the chair and clearly cannot relax. He may grip the arms with his hands or fidget with a handkerchief or a ring. The voice may be tremulous and the person's hands frequently clear the throat. He will have cold clammy hands and he looks frightened and may be near to tears. They often complain of sleep disturbance and do not feel refreshed in the morning. These people feel tired and listless and are worn out by minimal effort. Headache is common, usually vague or throbbing.

During a typical 'attack' the blood pressure usually increases and there might be palpitation and loud heart beats. He may complain left sided chest pain, which might radiate along the left arm. Breathlessness may occur in circumstances that would not affect a normal person. Dizziness or momentary faintness accompanied by 'light headedness' may occur. Sweating of the palms and tremors of the fingers is very common.

In these people there will be decreased sexual activity due to impotence and with the fear that sexual activity could precipitate a heart attack. Alcohol, which reduces anxiety and temporarily restores confidence, tends to be abused. References to death or disease in newspapers or on television cause a further deterioration in confidence.

The diagnosis of a cardiac neurosis is made on positive psychological grounds, and not merely by exclusion. A physical examination followed by investigations such as a chest x-ray, ECG, and blood tests are necessary to allay the patient's fears of heart disease and to give the doctor confidence that there is not an underlying physical disorder. It is not uncommon to have an anxiety state with thyroid disease, heart disease, or to find that following a heart attack the patient is preoccupied with his heart and may impose unnecessary physical restriction upon himself.

Unconditional reassurance will be possible if the examination and investigations have been thorough. Most patients need to be told that the mind controls the heart, breathing and sweating and can produce chest pain, shaking of the body or even fainting.

Medications, which will reduce anxiety and depression, are useful in acute conditions. Relaxation training, meditation and exercises are valuable non-pharmaceutical methods.

Alcohol abuse and excessive use of caffeine (coffee) should be looked into, in the management.

Routine medical examination will help to reassure the patient that his symptoms are being taken seriously, and that his doctor thoroughly understands his case.

The final outcome is good provided the condition is recognized early and the correct treatment is instituted. An expression of empathy, genuineness and warmth from the doctor and the family can be the most powerful tranquilizer.

--- The Island

A father to a thousand sons

A father to a thousand sons

“In school, teach him it is far more honourable to fail than to cheat..... Teach to have faith in his own ideas, even if everyone tells him he is wrong. Teach him to be gentle with gentle people and tough with the tough. Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone getting on the bandwagon...
Teach him to listen to all men; but teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen of truth, and take only the good that comes through.

Teach him, if you can how to laugh when he is sad....
Teach him there is no shame in tears…
Let him have the courage to be impatient… Let him have the patience to be brave. Teach him always to have sublime faith in himself, because then he will have faith in humankind…”

Thus wrote Abraham Lincoln to the Headmaster of his son’s school. A Headmaster of our times who proved the truth of the fine words is A.P. Gunaratna, former Principal of Dharmaraja College Kandy and Ananda College, Colombo. A ‘father’ to thousands of ‘sons’, he was instrumental in pioneering the true concept of adventure in local schools. The Nation met this man of integrity to delve into his mettle…

By Randima Attygalle
Q: Can you tell us about your school days and undergrad days at Peradeniya?
A: I started my schooling at St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota and I was there till the Third Standard. My parents were so keen that I receive my education in a Buddhist environment, they admitted me to Dharmaraja College, Kandy. At Dharmaraja, I was not a very studious type of a student, but rather geared towards sports. I captained the soccer team at Dharmaraja and was also involved in hockey and other House activities. Ever since I was a school boy, I was very keen on hill-climbing and the location of our school, with Mahaweli river and Udawaththa kele, in close proximity, further strengthened this hobby of mine. The school premises were such that all Rajans were compelled to climb quite a lot as part of their daily routine! My father being a very good swimmer, encouraged me and my two brothers to swim in Mahaweli. So adventure was part and parcel of my young life. Life at Peradeniya was no exception. I offered Economics, History and Sinhala for my degree. I captained the football team of Peradeniya University and played rugger and hockey at the same time. Like most other fellow students, I too had my fair share of political experience in the University being a young Leftist! One challenge, we undergrads set among ourselves, was to leave for Siripada during the season soon after dinner. We used to set a target to climb it and be back for lunch next day! Every year we did this as a practice just to show the world our mettle!

Q: Can you name some of your famous contemporaries from Peradeniya?
A: Dr. Jayantha Dhanapala, Prof. J.B. Dissanayake, Dr. Sarath Amunugama and Dr. Michael Roberts are some of them.

Q: What made you take up a career of a school principal?
A: I strongly believe in the thing called destiny (smiles) I suppose some of life’s events are pre-determined. I never wanted to become a teacher. Quite contrary, I wanted to become a Labour Officer because joining the Civil Service was the most prestigious avenue open to new graduates those days. Subsequently I applied for the post of a Social Service Officer. I gave up that also and ultimately ended up in teaching. However, when I did end up as a teacher, I tremendously enjoyed my job. I found teaching to be immensely self-satisfactory. My first appointment was to Maliyadeva College, Kurunegala where I taught Economics and Political Science and I was the Master-in-charge of Soccer. Once I completed my Diploma in Education, I got a post of a lecturer at Teacher Training College, Katukurunda. During this time, I got a promotion and assumed duties as the Deputy Principal of Dharmaraja College in 1971. In 1973 I was appointed the Principal of Dharmaraja College.

Q: What did you feel when you became the head of your own school, Dharmaraja College, Kandy?
A: (Smiling) It aroused lot of nostalgia and at the same time I was so embarrassed to become the Principal, when some of my own teachers were still on the staff! The first thing I did after assuming duties, was to walk into the Primary School and kneel before Jayaratne, my Sinhala teacher and worship him. As I came to Dharmaraja College from St. Anthony’s College, my Sinhala was not up to the standard and it was Jayaratne who taught me the language so well to reach the degree level later in life.

Q: You were also instrumental in launching ‘adventure’ in national schools of Sri Lanka, initiating the concept at Dharmaraja College, Kandy and later at Ananda College, Colombo. Can you shed more light upon this venture?
A: Former Minister of Education, Nissanka Wijerathne invited the Himalayan Mountaineering Climbing team under the leadership of Col. Aluwaliyah to initiate an island-wide adventure project in 1980, and he selected me to be the person in-charge of it. The maiden Everest Expedition was launched at Dharmaraja under this project when a team of ten Rajans were led by Ajith Jayasekera, who was then the Master in charge of Scouting and present Warden of Pedro Scout Centre. With this experience, subsequently several more teams, both from Dharmaraja and Ananda, explored Everest led by Ajith Jayasekera.

Q: What were the challenges you encountered in this venture, specially concerning the risk involved?
A: As far as the risk was concerned, I had to take the sole responsibility of it because naturally, parental concern was there when sending young children on an expedition of that nature. However, the support I received from the Minister of Education, Nissanka Wijerathne, Sunil Jayaweera, Former Director, National Youth Council and Director in charge of Sports, Ministry of Education and the Old Boys of both Dharmaraja College and Ananda College was magnanimous, giving me all the confidence to take up this challenge. I was positive that we would succeed and eventually we did.

Q: How fulfilling was your tenure of office as the Principal of Dharmaraja College Kandy and Ananda College, Colombo?
A: Oh they were very fulfilling years. I was fortunate to achieve a lot for these two prestigious institutes of learning in the country, with the help of numerous individuals. I must admit that I was one of those fortunate Principals, around whom the staff, students and past pupils rallied around. During my 13 years at Dharmaraja College, I got the fullest support of the staff and the old Boys to boost the image of the school. I remember when the centenary of the school came about, we didn’t have much funds to celebrate it on the scale that a school of that caliber should, and when I appealed to the Old Boys Association, everybody rallied around me and it was a tremendous success. During my term of office at Dharmaraja College, I received numerous scholarships to various parts of the world and I’m ever grateful to my alma mater which made me a man and which gave me opportunities to prove my mettle as a Head.

When I took over Ananda College in 1987, I received the same co-operation. Acquiring a three-acre land for the swimming pool and the sports complex, setting up the Principal’s quarters within the school premises and initiating several new buildings with the help of Old Boys and numerous other individuals are among the collective achievements during my stay at Ananda. As I said before, I was fortunate indeed to have witnessed many milestones during my tenure as the Principal of these two leading schools in the country.

Q: How important do you think is the component of ‘adventure’ in a school set up?
A: Education is adventure, nothing else. From Pre-school onwards, the student and the teacher is involved in adventure unconsciously. It is the responsibility of the teacher to cultivate a ‘positive sense’ of adventure in the child. The teacher taking the child out of the classroom and asking him to count the number of trees around him is an adventure itself. Gradually the child will go around the trees and play. The child who observes his surroundings will develop a sense of adventure in him. It will help him take risks and challenges in life which will mould his personality.

Q: What do you think is the secret behind a successful Principal?
A: It’s his ability to become a good manager. A principal should not be an administrator, he should be a good manager, a person capable of going beyond the class room. He should have a correct instinct to delegate work to the correct individual. At the same time, he should be capable of taking a risk. Risk-bearing is almost non-existent today. But we cannot put the total blame on the Principals. There should be more opportunities given to them by the Ministry, to initiate things, to go beyond the routine school work. In a Principal, the entire institution should have confidence. You got to live up to the expectations of the staff, students as well as past pupils. The Principal must always remember that a school has its own vision and it is his duty to mission it in such a way that the vision is ultimately accomplished. Having rules and regulations displayed all over the school in big black and white letters or parading with a cane in hand would not make a successful Principal. It takes much more than that. The integrity and the image of the Principal are paramount.

Q: What was the dictum you were abided by as a Principal?
A: Optimism and self-confidence. I have taken many challenges as a Principal, in the best interest of the school. When I took the decision to initiate a Beat Group at Ananda for instance, some of the Old Boys were very critical of me. I insisted that this new Beat Group (brass band) play at the ‘Colours Night’ of the school and it proved to be a success because I showed that unless we initiate that type of activities, we cannot compete with other schools.

Q: Can you tell us about your family?
A: My wife is Sunethra, a retired teacher of English. She too taught at Dharmaraja College and Ananda College. Our son Daham is an old Anandian and he has just completed his studies in IT in the Westminister UK anh he is working presently.

Q: What were the projects you were recently involved in?
A: I was requested by the Ministry of Education to develop a criteria for the accreditation of International Schools, to bring about uniformity among them. I have submitted the basic proposal already.

Q: As a ‘father to thousands of children’, what do you think the greatest gift life had given you?
A: (smiling) It is the love and respect I have earned over the years. Where ever I go, so many students of mine flock around me and I’m so proud of ‘all my children’ who are men of integrity today, doing well in their respective vocations.

****the Nation.LK***

Silent Thief of Vision

Silent Thief of Vision

Glaucoma can rob you of your sight suddenly. Here Consultant Ophthalmologist Dr. Imalka Fonseka discusses the importance of early detection and treatment

By Kumudini Hettiarachchi

It is the silent thief of vision. Like a thief who comes stealthily in the night and robs people of their possessions, without their knowledge, glaucoma steals up on the unsuspecting and leaves them with blindness if there is no timely detection and treatment. The tragedy, of course, is that whatever vision is lost, it is lost forever. For, glaucoma is not preventable only controllable, stresses Consultant Ophthalmologist Dr. Imalka Fonseka of the Eye Hospital in Colombo. Courtesy uniteforsight.org Explaining that in glaucoma, (except in the rarer acute angle closure glaucoma) unlike in other eye diseases, there are no symptoms, she says: "There is no pain or redness and patients don't realize they are losing their vision because once again in other conditions there is central loss of vision but here it comes from the periphery to the centre. That is why patients will not know they are carrying the disease until the advanced stages. It also doesn't affect both eyes equally." Dr. Fonseka says patients manage, even with the peripheral vision of one eye being lost due to glaucoma, because the other eye is okay. "People cope without realizing the gravity of the problem. In the west, a common complaint of drivers suffering from glaucoma is that they seem to be scraping the sides of their vehicles," she says, adding that realization dawns only when it advances to "tunnel" or worse-still "keyhole" vision. Warning Because of excessive usage of steroids, all patients on steroid eye drops or oral steroids for any other medical condition must be monitored for the development of steroid induced glaucoma. Glaucoma, which mainly affects the aged, is seen in a shocking 4-5% of the population worldwide, MediScene learns, and with Sri Lanka heading towards an ageing population this should be one disease, which needs much attention. Grouping adult glaucoma into "acute" which is rare and has symptoms such as eye pain, halos around lights at night, blurred vision due to sudden high eye or intraocular pressure, Dr. Fonseka underlines the fact that "chronic" glaucoma is more worrisome and is the most common form of glaucoma. When should adults start worrying about glaucoma? Just after 40, when you find it difficult to read without glasses (presbyopia). That is the ideal time to check out whether you are coming in for glaucoma, says Dr. Fonseka, explaining that as awareness seems to be the biggest problem not only eye doctors but also opticians are now being trained to check the back of the eye, the head of the optic nerve, to catch the early signs of glaucoma. "If, however, there is a family history of glaucoma," reiterates Dr. Fonseka, "regular check-ups before 40 are a must. When a family member is diagnosed with glaucoma, every sibling and every child of that person must get their eyes checked." What are the causes of glaucoma? Those days although it was believed that glaucoma was caused by high intraocular pressure, and it was essential to have high intraocular pressure to diagnose glaucoma, at present it is only an important risk factor. This is because a larger percentage of glaucoma patients have been found to have normal intraocular pressure ie. normal tension glaucoma, explains Dr. Fonseka. Hence the most important danger sign is "glaucomatous cupping" and thinning of the nerve fibre layer of the retina. That's why when screening the population it is not only important to check eye pressure and the visual field but also vital to look at the optic nerve head itself, she says. According to a hospital-based survey carried out by Dr. Fonseka, 60% of all glaucoma patients had normal tension (pressure) glaucoma while only 32% had high tension in the eye (causing open-angle glaucoma). Eight percent had angle-closure glaucoma. Surgery to create new drainage area (hides under upper eyelid) "Bleb," new drainage area, after surgery. (Courtesy marineyes.com) When eye pressure rises, the right amount of fluid cannot drain out of the eye and thus the eye's drainage canals get clogged. If the opening of the drainage canals are clogged it causes angle-closure or acute glaucoma, while in other cases though the entrances to the drainage canals are clear, the clogging occurs inside resulting in open-angle glaucoma, MediScene learns. Even the visual field checks may come a little too late because by the time glaucoma is diagnosed through visual field tests, the victim may have already lost 40-50% of optic nerve fibres. The optic nerve combines the eye to the brain and carries images between them. It is like a cable with 1 or 1.5 million separate wires or nerve fibres connecting both. Like people shed a certain number of hairs daily, there is a slow progression of death of the nerve fibres in normal life. This is natural, says Dr. Fonseka, adding that usually a 70-year-old will have only 70% of nerve fibres. "But in glaucoma patients there is an exaggerated loss of optic nerve fibres. There is no cure for loss of nerve fibres but we can slow-down this exaggerated loss through early detection and treatment," she says. How is glaucoma treated? The first line of treatment is medication in the form of eye drops. "Prostaglandin analogues, a powerful drug, though very expensive, has revolutionized the management of glaucoma by bringing down intraocular pressures to very low levels and can preempt surgery," she says. If it fails to achieve the targeted eye pressure, which is determined on a one-to-one basis, then laser treatment may be an option. The gold standard, of course, is filtration surgery where an artificial passage is created in the eye to drain fluid and bring about normal eye pressure," she adds. The treatment is to retard further loss of vision which otherwise would lead to blindness, explains Dr. Fonseka, stressing that the essential requirements from the patient would be compliance and lifelong follow-up. Then patients can lead near-normal lives. "Don't ever stop the treatment," she advises. The risk factors: Raised intraocular pressure Age Race Myopia Diabetes High blood pressure or hypertension

-- The Sunday times - LK

More sex means less chance of ED for older men

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - There's new advice for older men who want to preserve their sexual function: have sex, and have it often, researchers say.

In a study that followed nearly 1,000 older Finnish men for five years, researchers found that those who were regularly having sex at the start of the study were at lower risk of developing erectile dysfunction (ED) by the study's end.

In fact, the more often the men had sex, the lower their ED risk.

The implication, say the researchers, is that men should be encouraged to stay sexually active into their golden years.

Dr. Juha Koskimaki and colleagues at the University of Tampere in Finland report the findings in the American Journal of Medicine. The study included 989 men who were between the ages of 55 and 75 at the outset.

Overall, those who said they had sex less than once per week were twice as likely to develop ED over the next five years as men who had sex at least once a week. Furthermore, compared with men who had sex three or more times per week, their ED risk was increased nearly four-fold.

A number of factors contribute to ED development, many of which could also affect a man's sexually activity -- such as age, diabetes and heart disease. However, after taking account of those factors, sexual activity itself remained linked to ED risk, Koskimaki's team found.

It may be a matter of "use it or lose it," according to the researchers. Just as exercise boosts physical fitness, they note, regular sexual activity may help a man preserve his erectile function.

ED occurs when there are problems with blood flow to the penis. Regular sexual activity, Koskimaki's team writes, may help maintain healthy blood vessel function in the erectile tissue.

SOURCE: American Journal of Medicine, July 2008.

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A New Clan Found - Rare uncontacted tribe photographed in Amazon

Rare uncontacted tribe photographed in Amazon

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Amazon Indians from one of the world's last uncontacted tribes have been photographed from the air, with striking images released on Thursday showing them painted bright red and brandishing bows and arrows.

The photographs of the tribe near the border between Brazil and Peru are rare evidence that such groups exist. A Brazilian official involved in the expedition said many of them are in increasing danger from illegal logging.

"What is happening in this region is a monumental crime against the natural world, the tribes, the fauna and is further testimony to the complete irrationality with which we, the 'civilized' ones, treat the world," Jose Carlos Meirelles was quoted as saying in a statement by the Survival International group.

One of the pictures, which can be seen on Survival International's Web site (http://www.survival-international.org), shows two Indian men covered in bright red pigment poised to fire arrows at the aircraft while another Indian looks on.

Another photo shows about 15 Indians near thatched huts, some of them also preparing to fire arrows at the aircraft.

"The world needs to wake up to this, and ensure that their territory is protected in accordance with international law. Otherwise, they will soon be made extinct," said Stephen Corry, the director of Survival International, which supports tribal people around the world.

Of more than 100 uncontacted tribes worldwide, more than half live in either Brazil or Peru, Survival International says. It says all are in grave danger of being forced off their land, killed and ravaged by new diseases.

(Reporting by Stuart Grudgings; editing by Sandra Maler)

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In this image made available Thursday May 29, 2008, from Survival International, showing 'uncontacted Indians' of the Envira, who have never before had any contact with the outside world, photographed during an overflight in May 2008, as they camp in the Terra Indigena Kampa e Isolados do Envira, Acre state, Brazil, close to the border with Peru. 'We did the overflight to show their houses, to show they are there, to show they exist,' said uncontacted tribes expert Jos

Lights bright – despite dim times

By Isuri Kaviratne

The Sunday Times. LK ----------

The Vesak lights will glow this weekend as the country celebrates this most hallowed Buddhist festival but this year, it seems, the pandals and dansals, will be fewer as people struggle with rising costs.

Organisations responsible for setting up pandals in and around the city of Colombo said their expenses had increased significantly. K. W. Padmasiri, president of the Sri Wishakaloka pandal organisation, which puts up the pandal at Thotalanga every year, said regular donors were unable to give as generously as they had in the past. “Even the businessmen, whom we can depend on for donations, are facing financial problems themselves,” he said.

Mr Padmasiri said the group put up their first Thotalanga pandal in 1955, and that this year will see their 57th production of the Vesak drama “Udaya Dhagga Jathakaya”. But costs have been almost prohibitive, he said.

“All those involved, from artists and electricians to labourers, are charging more this year,” he said. “We can’t blame them. Everything has become expensive. Last year it cost us Rs. 290,000 to put up the stage. This year it’s going to cost Rs. 360,000.”

D. M. Gunawardhena, treasurer of the Sri Wishaka Sambuddhaloka Foundation, said the biggest expense was electricity. “The bulbs, the wires, the power supply – these are the most expensive items this year, and labour costs have also gone up,” he said, adding that the organisation had so far spent close to Rs. 1,500,000 on the pandal, Rs. 300,000 more than last year.

Meanwhile, dansala organisers are cutting costs by offering ice-cream and soft drinks instead of the traditional meal of rice and curry. Nimal Priyantha of the Aruna Elle Sports Club in Thotalanga said the club had decided against putting up a dansala this year. Club members felt it would not be appropriate to go from house to house collecting donations in a time of economic hardship.

Torrington resident P. L. Dayananda said the neighbourhood’s dansala would be held over just two days, with the support of residents in the area. “Food prices have doubled this year, especially dhal and rice,” he said, adding that this year’s dansala expenses were expected to exceed one million rupees.

In busy Fort, security concerns have been uppermost on the minds of Vesak organisers, who have decided to cancel the Fort pandal and dansala this year. Premadasa Kalupahana, secretary of the Fort United Bodhiraja Society, said: “We have the money for the dansala and pandal, but we have decided instead to give it to social service organisations.”

Vesak lantern vendors too are feeling the hard times. Business has been anything but brisk for lantern vendor K. T. Somapala Perera of Kirulapone, who has another 400 lanterns left to sell off. “Lanterns are more expensive this year because the paper materials have gone up in price,” he said.

Vendor R. M. Sandamali said the average cost of a lantern was Rs. 250, and a set of six lanterns would be Rs. 1,200. The wooden structure of a lantern alone costs Rs. 40 and above,he said. In addition, the Colombo Municipal Council has raised its rentals for pavement stalls.

Coin collecting: Tips to get started

Coin collecting: Tips to get started

By Charles Roman

www.sundayobserver.lk

So you can’t wait to start collecting coins. Welcome to a fantastic hobby that will last your lifetime. Something you can pass on to your children and grandchildren.

Don’t Panic. It is a very simple hobby to begin. And will be a lifelong adventure as you grow your coin collection over the years. The thrill of a great find is absolutely terrific.First off; go and visit the library.

Pick up some of the standard reference books on coins. Some examples are: A Guide Book of United States Coins 2006, The Official Red Book by R. S. Yeoman, The New York Times Guide to Coin Collecting . Do’s, don’ts, facts, myths, and a wealth of history by Scott Travers.

Read them thoroughly along with as many other coin collecting books you can find. You will find a wealth of knowledge and ideas. There is no need to guess with so much information available.

Next search for and join some clubs and organizations. Stop by a local coin dealer to get the best recommendations. Just talking to the people at a coin shop can really assist the beginner.

Follow what interests you. Learn everything you can about your specialty. You can collect coins from a country or time period, or themes, like animals, airplanes or states. Silver dollars are popular as well as $100 gold coins, tokens, bi-metallic coins. You can collect coins with flowers on them or coins with a specific person. The possibilities are endless.

Collect gold rush coins or commeratives like the olympics. You can also collect coins for specific years like the birth of a child or a graduation year.

Study at your own pace and you will have more and more fun as your knowledge of coins grows. Once you learn what to look for, how to spot quality coins at bargain prices, how to speak coin, and bargaining for coins it is a great hobby for all.

Getting a big “find” is one of the thrills that keep coin collecting interesting. Get out there do a little research and have fun as you build a coin collection that others will admire.

Ideas for collecting coins from around the world

Collecting world coins is a fun hobby that gives you the feeling of travelling the globe vicariously through your coins. A collection of world coins offers a unique insight into the culture and history of other countries, and encourages you to learn at least a few words of a variety of different languages.

World coins can also be an interesting step into the world of coin collecting, because it is a relatively inexpensive pastime. Many of the coins are still in circulation, making them easy to find and light on the pocket book to buy.

While some people may enjoy collecting world coins haphazardly, simply enjoying whatever coins they happen to come across, others prefer more of a challenge.

While it may be impossible to collect every coin from around the world, you can create a lovely coin collection that is challenging and fun to complete by selecting a particular theme to pursue.

The most obvious theme for a collection of world coins is a concentration on a specific country. If that idea seems a little bit stale, you can also broaden your collection by concentrating on a region or aspect of a country.

For example, you could start a world coins collection from South American countries, nations where English is a national language, or from island nations.

Another interesting possibility is to combine two interests by concentrating on a favourite thing or hobby outside of coin collecting. For example, a coffee lover might collect world coins from countries that produce coffee beans, or an auto enthusiast might collect coins from countries that produce his or her favourite automobiles.

You don’t have to use countries as a central point of your world coins collection. You can also build a collection around a specific motif on the coins themselves. Some people have collections of coins featuring a particular animal, such as an eagle or a panda bear. Others concentrate on flowers, trees, or birds.

Some are interested in military history might enjoy a world coins collection featuring famous fighters, for example.

Another idea for starting a collection of world coins is to concentrate your efforts on coins from a particular year. Some people really enjoy collecting world coins that were minted in their birth year, or which commemorate another date that is important to them.

If none of those ideas appeal to you, perhaps you’d like to concentrate on a specific metal used to make the world coins. While precious metals like gold and platinum are obvious choices, some people enjoy putting together collections of world coins minted from common nickel or copper.

If any of these ideas have inspired you to start a collection of world coins, you might want to pause a moment before you start building a collection, and check out the prices and availability of coins matching your desired theme.

It won’t be much fun to start a collection of gold bullion coins, only to realize that you can’t afford more than one or two pieces.

A few minutes with a world coins catalog will help you decide if your ideal theme for a collection is also feasible with your budget.

Prison: Where prisoners are also human beings

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Welikada Prison: Where prisoners are also human beings

The world is awaiting the themagula of or Lord Buddha. It is the time of giving and spreading compassion to humanity. In this time of good will, The Nation visited the Welikada Prison to share the spirit of Vesak and to find more of the recent endeavours to enhance the quality of life of the inmates

“By oneself is evil done and by oneself is one sullied. By oneself is evil not done and by
oneself is one purified.” - Dhammapada

By Randima Attygalle

---www.nation.lk
“All prisoners are human beings,” state the placards that adorn the walls of the Welikada Prison. Any one walking through its gates will bear testimony to these words. A busy atmosphere coupled with a festive flavour of the Vesak season enveloped us. The prison inmates were pruning the garden flora, some carrying trays of mid-day tea to officers, whilst others were immersed in Vesak serasili. An impressive mammoth koodu rajaya complemented by an assortment of its miniature koodu awaiting the themagula of Budu piyanang, feasted our eyes. Intricate designs emerging on the pure white surfaces of this magnificent edifice spoke volumes of the creativity of those ‘sheltered’ under the ‘maha ulu gedera’.

Psychological solace
“Each prison in the country has come up with its own Vesak programme for the year. At district level, each such prison will be having its own Vesak programme in collaboration with the local authorities. At Welikada, we have several events lined up including a Sil programme and a Bodhi pooja series to mark the Vesak sathiya (Vesak week,)” explained the Commissioner General of Prisons, Major General Vajira Wijegunawardena, as we discussed the special Vesak programme of the Prison net-work of the country. “Apart from the above events, inmates of the Welikada Prison are also responsible for the Vesak decorations at Gangaramaya and Sambodhi Viharaya, Colombo,” Wijegunawardena added. Shedding light upon the Bodhi pooja series which is a new event of the Vesak agenda of the Welikada Prison, he said, “from time to time we have been having Bodhi poojas for various purposes, but this time starting from 12th of this month, we will be having a series of bodhi poojas till the end of vesak week, commencing daily at 4 o’clock in the evening.” Mental development of the inmates and psychological solace seem to be the prime objective desired through all these spiritual activities according to Wijegunawardena.

Social interaction
‘Bandanagaraya gamata’ (taking the prison to village) is a novel concept fashioned by the present Commissioner General. Its objectives are two-fold: making the prison inmates socially-oriented and their story being a ‘forewarning’ to potential wrong-doers. “If we look at prison statistics, we can clearly see that 80% of the prison population is illiterate. Majority of them have not received the basic education. They are a segment of society with no parental guidance or any religious affiliation, making them more prone to crimes. Therefore with the objective of addressing this grave social issue, the concept Bandanagaraya gamata was initiated where the prisoners will address the civil society,” explained Wijegunawardena.

Essentially a voluntary service, Bandanagaraya gamata is expected to be an island-wide campaign, with its pilot project commencing in Tangalle early next month. “Generally you cannot expose the prisoners. Therefore it is entirely voluntary, the response of which is quite satisfactory,” said Wijegunwardena. He further said, “when society is wronged by a citizen, the law enforcement authorities such as the police and judiciary will intervene and the prison set- up will occupy the third phase of this intervention process. The whole idea behind Bandanagaraya gamata is to revert to the ‘pre-wrong’ phase or to play a preventive or an awareness role because it is the prisoner who will address the civil society and his story will be a ‘forewarning’ to many.”

The target group of this concept are those who are not schooling or attending daham pasel or Sunday school, the grama sevakas and chief priests of respective areas will be acting as mediators in collecting statistics of such groups and summoning them to be addressed.

Creativity
“It is amazing what the prison inmates are capable of. From kottu- makers to mechanics, there is a wide range of resourceful personnel among them,” said Wijegunawardena. According to him, although deprived of a proper education, the majority of the prisoners are highly-skilled in some vocation, and soundly equipped with practical knowledge. “I can illustrate this with a very interesting personal experience. There was this door-alarm which was not functioning properly and all ‘experts’ ruled out it was beyond repair. To my bewilderment, one of the inmates did a marvelous job with it and now it’s in use,” added the Prison Chief with a smile.

National development
“This is a very versatile department, and it is paramount that the talent is utilised in national development rather than stagnating behind the bars,” Wijegunawardena said further. True to his words, a comprehensive project channelling the competency of the prisoners in national development is under way. “The society considers a prisoner as a prisoner forever. He may come here as a prisoner, but he need not necessarily walk out of these doors as a prisoner. There should be an attitude change. This is why I initiated the cultivation project- taking prisoners to cultivate barren paddy fields,” explained Wijegunawardena emphasising on the importance of making the prisoners an integral part of the State economy.

Disaster-management and garbage-management are the other identified areas in this endeavour. “Life is not easy for these inmates once they are released and go back to the mainstream. Very often we see them returning once more. This type of social interaction helps facilitate the process of gradually introducing them back to the mainstream,” said Wijegunawardena.

National policy
Addressing the ‘practical issues’ should be the pivotal role of rehabilitation process according to Wijegunawardena. “Millions are spent on discussions and conferences on rehabilitation. But they would not serve the purpose unless practical solutions such as the change of environment is created,” expressed Wijegunawardena of his concerns. An ‘Industrial City’ with foreign investment, akin to the Free Trade Zone, is a dire need according to him. “There should be a national policy governing this concept as unemployment crisis of those who are released has become an acute social issue, specially where drug addicts are concerned. About 40% of the prison population consists of drug offenders and very often when they are released, they get back to their old vocation and their defense is ‘apita wena monawada karanna thiyenne?’ (what else can we do?) Therefore it is time that remedial measures are taken,” he emphasized..

Rehabilitation
When the bread winner is imprisoned, the family unit disintegrates. This is the bitter truth. Addressing this social reality, a rehabilitation process of ‘those who are left at home’ is operative through Divisional Secretariats. “Statistics of dependents are obtained through Divisional Secretariats and the interests of the spouse such as Samurdhi loans and self-employment schemes are looked after, thereby securing the education of the children as well,” explained Wijegunawardena.

Overcrowding of the prisons poses as a major challenge in the rehabilitation process within the prison set up. “About 92% of the prison population constitutes short-term prisoners and out of them, the majority are those who are remanded which should not be the case. As a result of this overcrowding, our prison system has failed to separate the prisoners according to the offence, in rehabilitating them. Those who are charged with murder and rape mingle with petty offenders, making the rehabilitation process a challenge,” explained Wijegunawardena further.

Counselling
With the intervention of the UNDP, a uniform programme of counselling for the prisoners is underway. “Counselling is a very sensitive area as there is man-to-man interaction. At times, we see hidden agendas behind counselling. This confuses the prison inmates as well. So to assure transparency, we have streamlined the programmes which will be operative through UNDP in near future,” explained Wijegunawardena.

Mother and child
To ensure better living conditions for the off spring of the female inmates of the prison, thereby enhancing their quality of life, a separate ‘home’ is being established in Kalutara. “Presently there are about 45 children in Welikada and the atmosphere prevalent is not conducive for a healthy life. They interact with other inmates and the influence can be quite detrimental. We have already refurbished a building outside Kalutara prison to shelter mothers and children, a project which was quite costly,” explained Wijegunawardena who added that creating the atmosphere of a ‘real home’ and ensuring the child of his education are the prime objectives of this project.

Parental separation is a traumatising experience for any child and for those who will have to bear a ‘social stigma’, it could be worse. All children above five years are separated from the female inmates and handed over either to a guardian or a ‘home’ to ensure their education, the psychological trauma of which could reflect in their adult personalities. “Although this is done in the best interest of the child, separating the child from the mother is a very sensitive task. Sadly we have had no options in this matter. However, there is some ray of hope for them with the ‘special home’ coming up in Kalutara. Suggestions are also put forward to allow the mother and child to live together even after five years, may be till they reach the age of majority,” explained Wijegunawardena further.

Shedding light upon his vision for the betterment of the inmates, the Prison Chief said, “a change of attitude is essential, not only within the civil society but among the prison officials themselves. The world has changed and we too should change accordingly, utilising the man power behind these ‘bars’ for the sustainable development of the country.”
(Pix by Nissanka Wijerathne)

Kassapa’s Homage To Beauty

Sigiriya- Kassapa’s Homage To Beauty

A comment by… K.S. Sivakumaran
A beautiful and an exhaustive study on Sigiriya –Kassapa’s Homage to Beauty is the latest addition to the corpus of related material. The author is Siri Gunasinghe. The large sized book of 116 pages with colour photographs is a collector’s item. I like art and paintings having been a student of the arts and literature. But I am not willing to review the book for lack of knowledge on the subject. Instead, I will give information regarding the book so that based on such information, uninitiated readers will be persuaded to possess this historically relevant book.

First about the author: Emeritus Professor Siri Gunasinghe is a Lanka born Canadian academic. A linguist (Sinhala, French and English), he is a leading figure in the field of performing arts and literature, and a pioneer in modern poetry in Sinhala with his Nissanda Kavi. After having taught in the University of Victoria in Canada, he is now back in his homeland. His film Sath Samudra was one of the outstanding Sinhala films some decades ago. He has authored many books particularly on the history of Buddhist Art of Sri Lanka. His novel Havenella is translated into Thamil as well. He has many more achievements to his credit.

This illustrated book has been published by the reputed Vijitha Yapa Publications. The photographs in the book were taken by Vijitha and Lalana Yapa. Vijitha Yapa, as students of journalism would know, held Chief Editor post in three Lankan English newspapers before becoming a publisher. His articles and photographs have appeared in prestigious foreign journals like the Far Eastern Economic Review, International Herald Tribune, Financial Times UK, Gulf News Dubai, Asian Wall Street Journal, The Times London and Readers Digest. Vijitha Yapa has authored four books.
Apart from the elucidative descriptions and analysis of the author, the book also contains a valuable bibliography and a useful index.

The scholar’s thesis is presented under the following heads: Towards Sigiriya, Building Sigiriya – For what Purpose, Paintings: The Enigma of the Beauties.
Including the front cover, the back cover and the inside flap, there are about 45 photographs and a few drawings.
We must know what the writer is trying to say in the book. On page 10 he says that:

“It is perhaps time to demythologise Kassapa and his creation. My attempt here is to take a fresh look at the known historical and archaeological material on the one hand and, on the other, to search for historically valid information where nothing has been stated directly in the chronicle or in the epigraphic records. Reading between the lines in the Mahavamsa, I find that it is necessary and also possible, to revise our thinking about Kassapa and Sigiriya… I have advanced some thoughts that differ from the generally held views about Kassapa and Sigiriya.”
Read this book. It is a fascinating book in understanding oriental aesthetics.

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