Sri Lanka Planetarium, an astronomical marvel in an astrology worshipping land

Still, school children visit Colombo planetarium as a regular place of their visit to the capital city. I visited it once when I was a school boy and due to nostalgia I went there once again as a young man. It was not as exciting as it was in the earlier visit. As well, it was not as big as it was in the eye of a small boy. Both shows were alike despite the scope of time. There were jam fruit trees in the garden bent with tasty berries, I should not forget to mention.

Government sources say that the planetarium was built by German engineers according to a plan of  renowned civil engineer A.N.S. Kulasinghe targeting a technical exhibition held in 1965.

500 can sit in it and view the sky in different points of view.

It is good the government has decided to upgrade the Colombo planetarium which provides knowledge on astronomy in which astrology is venerated.

Under a proposal of Minster of Technology and Research, Pavithra Wanniarachchi, the cabinet has granted approval to install a Full Dome Project System. The technological upgrade takes place on the recommendation of Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee with a view to increase the facilities in Planetarium. Government is to spend US $ 1.2 million for the upgrade.

This is the first time I heard the cabinet portfolio of Ms. Pavithra Wanniarachahi. I thought the planetarium belonged to the Ministry of Science and Technology. Perhaps, it can be the only asset of  Pavithra's Ministry, what a pity! But how lucky we are, if we have a separate Minister for planetarium! But I am wrong. The President has not downgraded Pavithra lower to Minister Thissa Vitharana. She is given some good institutes like Arthur C. Clerk Institute for Modern Technology.

The Ministry has a blog, a funny one with real nonsense. Believe, it was last updated November 30, 1999. I think it is the oldest un-updated blog of Sri Lanka!

Await! I have found more funny stuff regarding Sri Lanka's science and technology.

Visit planetarium website.

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