Sri Lanka, Feb. 15 -- This is a thought-provoking topic. And many would immediately think of the Perfidious Albion and its Empire, on which the sun never set, striking back. Yes, more on that later.

But let us dwell for a moment on recent history and the distant past. By necessity, this would only be a brief survey, and some might even disagree with my comments and observations.

There has been a multitude of empires, some massive, others small. For example, the Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Romans, and many more in the West. In the East are the Chinese, the Mauriyas, the Guptas, the Cholas, and the Mongols, just to name a few. Some of the Indian empires had an enduring impact on Sri Lanka. This influence covered a wide spectrum. Religion...