A colourful pageant

Sandasen MARASINGHE in Kandy

As the rays of the golden sun touched the pinnacle of the Sri Dalada Maligawa amidst the balmy chill of the Hill capital and the cool breeze that made ripples in the placid waters of the beautiful Kandy Lake celebrations to commemorate the Country’s 62nd Independence Anniversary - the first since the liberation of the country from 30 years of terrorism - got under way with the customary pomp and pageantry in the historic city of Senkadagala overlooking the Sri Dalada Maligawa, under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The premises of the Sri Dalada Maligawa was itself decorated in a simple manner where National flags fluttered in the cool breeze evoking a sense of pride and dignity to the thousands present to witness the military parades and cultural pageant of this year’s Independence Day held under the theme ‘Let us dedicate and Build the Nation’.

By 8.30 a.m. the Government leaders led by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka, Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara, the Chief Justice, the Chief of Defence Staff, the three Service Commanders and Inspector General of Police arrived at the outer premises of the Sri Dalada Maligawa.

The absence of the members of the Opposition was a conspicuous feature.

Amidst the blowing of trumpets the motorcade of President Mahinda Rajapaksa escorted by Mounted Police arrived at the venue at 8.45 a.m. He was received by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka and senior Ministers.

Thereafter, the President was conducted to the main flag post by the Chief of Defence Staff, three Service Commanders and Inspector General of Police and he hoisted the National Flag amidst the beating of Magul Bera and blowing of conch shells.

A bevy of schoolgirls from six schools in Kandy and another six from Peradeniya, Tangalla, Jaffna, Mahiyanganaya, Sri Jayawardanepura Kotte and Colombo, sang the national anthem.

The President was conducted to the special dais thereafter by the Chief of Defence Staff and the three Service Commanders, the IGP and the Jaya Mangala Gatha and Devo Vassathu Kalena were sung by a group of 25 schoolgirls to the music of the Eastern Band of the Sri Lanka Navy.

Thereafter, the gathering observed two-minutes silence in honour of all patriots who laid down their lives to preserve and protect the freedom, unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.

President Rajapaksa thereafter addressed the nation after a 21 gun salute, to the nation.

The march past by Sri Lankan Army, Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Police and Civil Security Force was followed by the cultural pageant performed by nearly 1,000 artistes.

The pageantry included cultural items performed by 21 cultural centres around the country, cultural items presented by students of schools in the Kandy region ves netum, hevisi netum and kavadi netum presented under the coordination of the Sri Dalada Maligawa.