Ravana's Lanka

Just the tonic for the winter blues! Warm up your January morning by journeying virtually to the island of Sri Lanka with the Friends of Sri Lanka Association, as we meet Sunela Jayawardene, one of the country’s most celebrated architects and authors.

Renowned for her eco-conscious designs, such as Jetwing Vil Uyana and the Rainforest Ecolodge, Sunela has long been recognised for blending nature, culture and design into spaces that tell stories. But her creative talents extend well beyond architecture. Her literary debut, The Line of Lanka, shortlisted for the 2017 Gratiaen Prize and soon to be republished in November 2025, traces the island’s history through the footsteps of its people, myths and landscapes. It established Sunela as a lyrical chronicler of Sri Lanka’s spirit: part traveller, part storyteller and part environmental philosopher.

Now, in her latest work, Ravana’s Lanka: The Landscape of a Lost Kingdom, Sunela invites readers on another mesmerising journey. With her signature blend of scholarship and imagination, Sunela explores the historical and mythical dimensions of King Ravana’s Lanka, an island caught between legend and archaeology. Her narrative challenges the familiar tale of Ravana as mere villain, instead reimagining him as a ruler whose legacy is deeply interwoven with Sri Lanka’s cultural identity.

Join us on Saturday 17 January 2026 for a double bill of insight and inspiration as Sunela discusses Ravana’s Lanka alongside her acclaimed Line of Lanka. Expect myth, history, mystery and a good dose of Sri Lankan warmth to chase away the chill.