Record 2.4m visitors at Deyata Kirula exhibition

Dharma SRI ABEYRATNE at the Deyata Kirula Anuradhapura

The visitor turnout exceeded 2.4 million by yesterday afternoon setting a record at the Deyata Kirula exhibition, the Deyata Kirula exhibition organizing committee said.

Over two million people visited the fifth Deyata Kirula exhibition held at Buttala last year which is the largest crowd recorded at a Deyata Kirula exhibition so far, the exhibition organizing committee said .

Thousands of people have thronged the sixth Deyata Kirula national development exhibition from all parts of the country.

The entire 500 acre exhibition site is filled with visitors. It has been noted that a significant number of visitors from the North and the East are also patronising the with the dawn of peace in the country. School children were grateful for being given such an opportunity to visit the Deyata Kirula exhibition.

According to Deyata Kirula exhibition committee secretary Udaya Seneviratne, it is expected that the visitor turn out would exceed three million by the end of the exhibition,by setting a record for the largest ever crowd.

All stalls of the exhibition were filled with visitors of all age groups and the Lake House stall which symbolizes the Lake House main building in Colombo at the media zone is no exception It is significant that the visitors to the Lake House stall can get a firm idea about the expansion and development of the print media sector.

A printing machine, which had been used for printing Lake House newspapers in the past is also on display at the Lake House stall. The first pages of the very first Daily News, Dinamina, Sunday Observer and Silumina newspapers are issued free to visitors at the Lake House stall. These pages are printed at the Lake House stall by the old printing machine.

"The exhibition is the biggest Deyata Kirula exhibition to be conducted so far. Among the daily features are daily parachute displays by the Armed Forces.

Navy motor cyclists stage a special show daily. Besides, cultural shows including Angampora Satan (traditional martial arts), musical shows many other events take place daily" Seneviratne said.

Sports competitions have also been organized. All ministries and private sector organizations have established hundreds of stalls throughout the exhibition site. Admission is free for school children and teachers while others have to purchase a Rs.20 development lottery ticket.