Quick Look

New Year festivals in Kegalle

The Maheepala Herath ‘Jana Sahana’ (Relief) Foundation has organized three Sinhala and Tamil New Year festivals in the Kegalle District. The festivals will be held at the Kegalle UC grounds, Bathabure grounds and Warakapola UC grounds on April 14, 15 and 22 respectively.

The Bathabure grounds is situated in close proximity to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and the Festival on April 15 at the venue will feature several events reserved for elephants and visiting tourists said chief Minister Maheepala Herath at a press conference held recently. A new year anointing ceremony will also be held at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage on April 15 at which oil will be anointed on the heads of nearly 100 elephants.

Oil Anointing ceremony

Mahinda P.Liyanage

The annual Oil Anointing Ceremony organized by the Galle Heritage Foundation in view of the Sinhala- Hindu New Year will be held at the auspicious time of 7.08 a.m. on April 15 at the Galle Heritage Open Stage premises ( Court Square).

Arrangements have been made to serve” Osu Pen” (Herbal Drink) to all participants, the organizers said.

Distinguished Service Award

Professor W S Fernando, an Emeritus Professor of the Sri Jayawardenepura University and currently Visiting Professor of Chemistry at the University of Ruhuna, will receive the Distinguished Services Award – 2012 for the yeoman services rendered to the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon in an honorary capacity.

The award will be presented to Professor Fernando at the Inauguration of the Annual Sessions and the International Conference on Chemical Sciences scheduled to be held on June 20 at Waters Edge.

Wasantha Udanaya

Lyric composer, poet and a free lance journalist W K Sarath Wimalasiri’s Wasantha Udanaya musical programme will be broadcast from 10.30 am to 11.30 am on April 14 over the Sinhala National Service of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation.

The programme covers the history behind ‘traditional Sooriya Mangallaya’, auspicious times and other cultural and religious activities.

Wasantha Udanaya is produced by Dilka Handuwala, presented by Dinesh Upendra with the technical assistance by Palitha Jayathilake.