Children

Have time to play with your friends

Dear Children,

It is really pathetic to see many children stressed out when they have to face exams. They often get angry for little things and become unpopular among their siblings and even peer groups. Children face such unfortunate situations because they do not plan or study on a daily basis according to a timetable.

Be Prepared is a good motto. Thus you can avoid the last minute rush catching up with your studies. Please don't postpone your homework. At the same time don't forget to reserve some time to play with your friends. According to a medical survey, most children in Colombo schools are diabetic due to lack of physical exercises. Their negative food habits like junk food and soft / carbonated drinks too have contributed to an alarming situation.

International Women's Day was held on March 8. Since women represent 2/3 of the world population and when considering their immense contribution to the labour market, Women's Day has become an important event in the calendar.

All the best in your studies and exams. Bye for now.

- Aunt Anji

 Exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic till March 16 :

Significant event in our history

An exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha is being held till March 16, with a new era of peace and unity in Sri Lanka.

The exposition is held to invoke the blessings of the sacred relic on the entire population of Sri Lanka. This is a significant moment in our history as Sri Lanka has achieved peace after fighting with the ruthless LTTE terrorists for about three decades.

The Tooth Relic exposition is held after five years at a very special moment for the country. Let us focus on the Sri Dalada Maligawa or The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic as the attetion of all Buddhists drawn to this significant event.

The Sri Dalada Maligawa was built within the royal palace complex which houses a relic of the Buddha, a tooth, which is venerated by Buddhists.

The relic has played an important role in local politics since ancient times. It's believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country, which caused the ancient kings to protect it with great effort. Kandy was the capital of the Sinhalese kings.

Kings from 1592 to 1815, fortified the terrain of the mountains and made it difficult to approach Kandy. The city is a world heritage site declared by UNESCO, in part due to the temple.

Monks of the two chapters of Malwatte and Asgiriya conduct daily ritual worship in the inner chamber of the temple, in annual rotation.

They conduct these services three times a day: at dawn, at noon and in the evening.

On Wednesdays there is a symbolic bathing of the Sacred Relic with an herbal preparation made from scented water and flagrant flowers, called Nanumura Mangallaya. This holy water is believed to contain healing powers and is distributed among those present.

Prophet Muhammed

Rabiul Awwal is the Arabic month
In which Prophet Muhammed was born
In Mecca and lost father before birth
And mother after birth ..... So he became an orphan.

He spent his youth very decently
Without wasting time in useless funs.
He never uttered a lie in his life
He was so trustworthy that he was
popularly recognised as 'Al-Ameen'

When he reached the age of forty
He became a prophet of Allah
And began to preach Islam.

When Meccans stood against him
He made Hijrath to Medina
Where he found converts to Islam.
Then he fought a series of defensive wars
Against Meccan invaders
And defeated them at last

Then Prophet Muhammed won the hearts
Of all Arabians and found them to be Muslims
At last with his preaching of peace
And humanism towards Muslims and non-Muslims.

Rimsa Farwin Meeadh

G.C.E. O/L Al-Imran International School, Kandy

Cleanliness is next to Godliness

Staying clean is an important practice of all human beings. Cleanliness in and around man shows his qualities and characteristics.

Staying clean doesn't always have to mean being neatly dressed in clean clothes.

It means that a person has to be clean himself while he tries to keep his surroundings clean and tidy. The place we do most of our day-to-day work has to be well kept in an orderly manner.

First of all, we have to be clean. Our home must also be kept clean and our surroundings has to be cleaned at least once in a week to reduce the pollution of the environment.

When this is done, we can see a difference in our lives as well as we would love working in a clean, well kept environment rather than a dirty looking one. Cleanliness in a person is admired by all.

It is said that cleanliness is next to godliness as they pair up very well together. There is a saying that God loves people who are clean and tidy. And also there is a saying by John Wesley (An English religious leader) "Let it be observed, that sloveliness is no part of religion, that neither this, nor any text of scripture, condemns neatness of apparel. Certainly this is a duty, not a sin. Cleanliness is, indeed, next to godliness". So even all the religions say every human-beings to be clean and tidy.

Mushfiq Ruzaik

Sailan International School

A/L Commerce Grade 12

Negombo

Part 27:

Performing a bit of elf magic

Nalaka couldn't exactly recall whether it was the tree itself which began to move or whether it was the ground which spun out of control but after a brief spell of dizziness the yellow coloured mushrooms that had been by their feet were facing the opposite direction.

Sachi was giving Anu a very stern look.

"Where did you learn elf magic?" he asked.

Anu tried to shrug off the episode as he darted a guilty look towards Basu and the other rabbits.

"Just picked up some of it while I was doing some of the errands for the chief," he explained.

"Hey, cool down. It's only a bit of elf magic. No harm in using it at an emergency ..."

"They wouldn't see it that way," Basu snapped, recovering from the shock of seeing one of his fellow rabbits performing magic.

"Besides what if it went wrong? Elf magic is very powerful," Kapu added.

Anu scratched his head pondering the matter.

"I guess it does sound as if I took a risk," he muttered, his ears dropping over his face to hide his embarrassment.

"What is done is done. You should never do that again," Shamilka scolded him lightly before turning back to the tree.

"Where do we go from here?"

Pramu scampered up to her and studied the new position of the mushrooms.

"You go East and take the path down the mushy meadows across the slopes of the Brownies," he said. "Why that's just between the valley of the pixies and the gnomes' hideout. Anu and I can accompany you part of the way..."

"That's a great idea," Sachi jumped at the offer. Basu seemed too absorbed in the episode which took place a few minutes ago to take notice. Anu was only too pleased to join in after a terrified blink at Basu's direction. Eventually the rabbits set off on their way with Sachi and the children in their company.

"Are we all going together? They are still with us," Champika whispered to Pramu as she watched Basu hopping ahead with Sachi puffing to keep up.

"No, we part ways near the joint which divides the land of the divines from the other beings. That's the custom and Samu has to go get his manuscripts. He must cross the Raging River to get to the Hollow. Mind you, it can be pretty rough at this time of day. The elf chief designed it especially so that we absolutely need to go on the specified times to collect the manuscripts," Pramu whispered back.

Champika nodded but she had a new cause to worry about. Her stomach was urging for food and she felt almost faint from hunger.

Sensing her discomfort Wasu took pity on the lass and shoved his hand into his sachet and brought out a carrot.

"My lunch," he admitted. "But do take a munch."

"Oh, thank you," Champika cried eagerly grabbing the carrot with both hands. At that moment she would have eaten even grass if it had been served to her!

"Wait up. There's more. Just give me a minute," Anu exclaimed suddenly and before anyone of them could ask him what he meant he scamped into the shrubs nearby. Basu frowned, wondering where he was heading. What has come over Anu? Was he up to his old tricks again?

To be continued
 

Art Gallery

A woodpecker Thrithavi Hasheendra Perera, 2G Musaeus College, Colombo 7	The Sea Side Nipuni Yasmadha Ponnamperuma, Grade 6 St. John’s Girls’ School, Panadura
Waterfall Eshini Abisheka Gunasekera ‘Sarasavi Sevana’ Pre-school Gonahena, Kadawatha	My House Kalana Nethsara Ponnamperuma Grade 1C, St. John’s Girls’ School Panadura

Nithila Ekanayake of Ceylinco Sussex International School receiving a certificate from principal C. B. Rathnayake at Mini Graduation ceremony held recently. Ms. de Mel also in the picture.	Kaveesha Dulanja, student of Grade LKG of Sussex International, Kiribathgoda won the award for the best performance at the educational program of the Educational Division of HelpAge Sri Lanka. Director, Education Division, HelpAge Nimal Ranatunga hands over the award to the student.