A lecture on Oru and Maha Oru at HNB Auditorium

The 50th lecture in the Monthly Lecture series of the National Trust- Sri Lanka, Oru and Maha Oru: their techno cultural aspects by Prof Vini Vitharana & Lt Cdr Somasiri Devendra will be held at the HNB Auditorium, 22nd Floor, HNB Towers, 479 T.B. Jayah Mawatha, Colombo 10 at 6.30 pm on Wednesday (April 24). The lecture will be simultaneously transmitted to the E.L. Senanayake Children's Library Hall at Kotugodella Veediya, Kandy.

The word Oru means a trough - something long, narrow and hollowed out. In the present context it means a water-craft carved out of a single tree-trunk, with its components mainly a heavy wooden out-rigger, sewn or lashed to it. Maha Oru is a very much larger version not carved of a single trunk but carvelly constructed of 2" thick planks.

Prof. Vini Vitharana has a PhD from London and Ceylon. He was a lecturer in Sinhala and later Associate Professor Vidyodaya University ; Professor in Sinhala Ruhunu University and Editor-in- Chief, Sinhala Etymological Dictionary from 2002-05. He is presently a Consultant, publications of the Central Cultural Fund. He has been awarded National Award of Kala Kirti , Rohana Ran Silu Southern Provincial Council Award and Uruma Prasada Ministry of National Heritage Award. Prof. Vitharana has authored seven research works on Geography, Language/Literature, Archaeology & Cultural Anthropology.

Lt Cdr Somasiri Devendra graduated from the University of Ceylon and thereafter pursued a varied career: School teacher, Naval officer, Company Director, Chairman Brokers Association and Founder Director of the Colombo Stock Exchange. In retirement he took up his early interests and introduced the discipline of Maritime Archaeology to Sri Lanka which led himto becoming a founder member of the ICUCH ( International Committee on the Underwater Cultural Heritage) which is a scientific committee of ICOMOS.He is currently awaiting publication of his book felicitating Prof. Vini Vitharana titled Oru-Paru-Yathra:De-mystifying Sri Lanka's shipbuilding culture.

The National Trust - Sri Lanka conducts monthly lectures usually on the last Thursday of each month. The lectures are open to the members and to the public at a nominal fee. Further information could be obtained from the Trust Office at the Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology, 407, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7. Tel: 2682730, The events of the National Trust - Sri Lanka are principally sponsored by the HNB Sustainability Foundation.