Friday, February 18, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Sacred Bo Sapling Venerated in Jaffna
Brigadier General Staff Security Forces Headquarters-Jaffna Brig. B.C.J.A.F. Rodrigo along with a host of Security Forces and Police personnel were present at the Palaly airport to receive the sacred sapling. After offerings at Palaly, it was taken to famous Sri Naga Vihara in Jaffna town via Vasavilan, Urumpirai and Thirunelvely.
When the sacred Bo sapling placed in a golden bowl (Pathra) was first brought to Jaffna in a magnificent motorcade with ceremonial escort by Security Forces and Police before it is taken to India next week, large crowds of people irrespective of their religious divisions had gathered on either side of the road to pay homage to it. Special offerings had been organized by School teachers, students and community representatives at Vasavilan, Urumpirai and Thirunelvely. They lined up on the Palaly-Jaffna main road to offer flowers to the sacred sapling. Small children threw flowers at the gaily decorated vehicle where the sacred sapling had been safely placed.
51 Division in Jaffna town had arranged alms giving for the delegation of Buddhist monks and nuns.
Later, it was brought to historical Dambakola Patuna on the Mathagal beach where a brief religious ceremony was held. Arrival of this sacred Bo sapling in Dambakola Patuna visualized the significant day in Buddhist Year 236 that Arhath Sangamiththa Therani, the daughter of Indian Emperor Ashoka brought the southern sapling of the original Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in Bodhgaya, which sheltered the Lord Buddha to attain enlightenment, here. To further strengthen the long-term friendship prevailed between India and Sri Lanka, Emperor Ashoka sent this invaluable prize to his friend, King Devanampiayathissa who walked into the waist-deep Mathagal sea to receive it with enormous piety before placing it at Mahamevuna Uyana in Anuradhapura.
The route from Palaly airport to Jaffna town and back to Dambakola Patuna had been decorated with Buddhist flags as a symbol of veneration. A vehicle which aired Seth Pirith chanting all the way followed the motorcade.
Marking the 2600th incidence of Attaining Enlightenment of the Lord Buddha at Bodhgaya in India, this sacred sapling is to be flown to India and planted in Bodhgaya on 17th February on initiative of Sangha Nayaka of Maha Bharatha (India) and General Secretary of Maha Bodhi Samagama in India Ven. Dr. Dodamgoda Revatha Thero.
The delegation comprised of about thirty Bhikkus including the Chancellor of University of Kelanniya and Parivenadhipathi of Vidyalankara Pirivena Ven. Dr. Velamitiyawe Kusaladhamma Thero, Sangha Nayaka of Maha Bharatha (India) and General Secretary of Maha Bodhi Samagama in India Ven. Dr. Dodamgoda Revatha Thero and Anuradhapura Atmasthanadhipathi Ven. Dr. Pallegama Sirinivasa Thero. A team of Buddhist nuns is also traveling around the island with the sacred sapling throughout. Commissioner General of Buddhist Affairs Mr. Chandraprema Gamage, Commander Northern Naval Command Rear Admiral S.M.B. Weerasekara, General Officer Commanding 51 Division Major General Janaka Walgama and senior officers of the Army, Navy and Police were also present.
The sacred sapling will be taken to the “Temple Trees” on the 14th evening where His Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapaksa will make offerings.
Source:http://www.cimicjaffna.com/Cimicnews_2011_02_09.php
China and ADB facilitate to develop roads in Jaffna
Thirty seven highways in Jaffna are to be reconstructed with the help of Asian Development Bank and Chinese Government funds.
Chinese Government will help to reconstruct 18.5 Km along Jaffna-Kankasanthurai road, 33.79 km Jaffna- Point Pedro road, 17.3 Km Jaffna-Palaly road and 13.68 Km in Puttur-Meesali road..
Asian Development Bank will facilitate to reconstruct 25.74 Km in Poonaryn road, 17.12 Km in Navatkuli Kerathivu Mannar road, 13.67 Km in Manipay-Kaithady road and 27.4 Km in Vallai-Tellipallai road.
source:http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20110215_01
Chinese Government will help to reconstruct 18.5 Km along Jaffna-Kankasanthurai road, 33.79 km Jaffna- Point Pedro road, 17.3 Km Jaffna-Palaly road and 13.68 Km in Puttur-Meesali road..
Asian Development Bank will facilitate to reconstruct 25.74 Km in Poonaryn road, 17.12 Km in Navatkuli Kerathivu Mannar road, 13.67 Km in Manipay-Kaithady road and 27.4 Km in Vallai-Tellipallai road.
source:http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20110215_01
Jaffna to beat to the rhythm of folk artistes
The traditional folk artistes from the northern region of Sri Lanka are today an enthusiastic group making preparations for that grand comeback after almost three decades of oblivion. Jaffna Music Festival 2011 scheduled to be held from March 25-27 in the city of Jaffna will present a wonderful opportunity for folk artists from the Jaffna peninsula, who could not perform due to the environment that prevailed there during the war with the LTTE, to showcase their skills.
The festival will take place amidst a folk village camp setting which is built surrounding the main stage, explained the coordinator Jaffna Music Festival Ramesh De Saram. The artists will lead simultaneous performances from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. followed by a daily main stage act from 4.p.m to 10 p.m. each day.
Colourful performances from the Jaffna Peninsula such as Kappat Paatu, Papiravaham, Chinthunadai Koothu, Villu Paattu, other forms of dance varieties representing Sri Lankan traditional arts such as famous mask dances, Kohombakankariya, Thovil, Muslim group performances, puppetry, stick dances, estate sector performances will also spice up the music festival, he added. International folk music groups from Norway, India, Palestine, Nepal, and South Africa will also be featured. A series of village performances have also been lined up in February leading up to the final festival in March.
There will be open forum workshops with discussions on sound engineering, said artistic director Arunthathy Sri Ranganathan. Preserving our local musical heritage apart, the event promotes regional music cooperation and exchange of knowledge on folk arts, she added.
The Jaffna Music Festival is organised as a sister event of the Galle Music Festival held in 2009 and the event will alternate between Galle and Jaffna. It is supported by the Royal Norwegian Embassy, Sewalanka Foundation and Aru Sri Art Theatre. Concerts Norway are implementing partners while Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, the main media sponsors will broadcast three performances island wide.
The event is open to the public free of charge. More details can be obtained via
http://www.jaffnamusicfestival.org./
Once again it’s time for the Gratiaen
Sri Lanka’s most important literary award in English, the Gratiaen Prize, supported by Standard Chartered Bank, will soon once again help to transform the future of Sri Lankan authors. The award event, to be held on May 21, annually recognizes one Sri Lankan writer for his or her achievement.
Now on its 18th year, the Gratiaen Prize rewards the best writing in English of the year 2010.
The three judges selected each year by the Gratiaen Trust make their choice from an increasing number of entries – in the past few years over 50 – submitted by authors and publishers. The entries include fiction, poetry, drama and literary memoir, either published during the last year or presented in manuscript form. Initially a short-list of five is chosen, and the winner is announced at the Gratiaen Prize award event. The value of the prize is Sri Lankan Rs 200,000.
Standard Chartered’s Chief Executive, Anirvan Ghosh-Dastidar, on the Bank’s support of the awards, said “The Gratiaen Prize recognizes the best work by a Sri Lankan author and Standard Chartered has been involved since its beginning. We are delighted to support the award with literary excellence as its sole focus”.
The Gratiaen Prize is named in memory of Doris Gratiaen, Michael Ondaatje’s mother. Ondaatje, a joint-winner of the prestigious Booker Prize in 1992 for his novel The English Patient, also a successful film, instituted the award in the same year with the Booker prize money. Since then it has been a major event in the island’s literary calendar. Sri Lankan writers resident in the country are eligible to vie for the accolade, and over the years recipients have included both first-time and well-known authors.
EWC invites writers for Channels issue
The English Writers Co-operative (EWC) is conducting its Short Story and Poetry Competition 2011 and invites original, unpublished, creative writing in English by Sri Lankan writers to be included in the 2011 issue of Channels Vol. 17.
The three best stories/poems received will be awarded prizes.
Short Stories – Maximum - 2,500 words
Poetry – Maximum - 30 lines
Translations will not accepted.
The format is as follows:
* Manuscripts typed on A4 paper – one side only; font size 12; pages should be numbered.
* Name, address, telephone/email details of the author should be set down at the beginning and the end of each story, and on each page of poetry.
* Submissions will NOT be returned to authors.
* Only paper copies will be accepted and should be sent by Registered Post to
Mrs Nanda Wanasundera
Flat 4, 96/1 Fifth Lane
Colombo 3
* Deadline: Tuesday, March 15, 2011
* Only entries which reach an acceptable standard will be published.
* The decision of the Editorial Board will be final.
source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110213/Plus/plus_11.html
The festival will take place amidst a folk village camp setting which is built surrounding the main stage, explained the coordinator Jaffna Music Festival Ramesh De Saram. The artists will lead simultaneous performances from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. followed by a daily main stage act from 4.p.m to 10 p.m. each day.
Colourful performances from the Jaffna Peninsula such as Kappat Paatu, Papiravaham, Chinthunadai Koothu, Villu Paattu, other forms of dance varieties representing Sri Lankan traditional arts such as famous mask dances, Kohombakankariya, Thovil, Muslim group performances, puppetry, stick dances, estate sector performances will also spice up the music festival, he added. International folk music groups from Norway, India, Palestine, Nepal, and South Africa will also be featured. A series of village performances have also been lined up in February leading up to the final festival in March.
There will be open forum workshops with discussions on sound engineering, said artistic director Arunthathy Sri Ranganathan. Preserving our local musical heritage apart, the event promotes regional music cooperation and exchange of knowledge on folk arts, she added.
The Jaffna Music Festival is organised as a sister event of the Galle Music Festival held in 2009 and the event will alternate between Galle and Jaffna. It is supported by the Royal Norwegian Embassy, Sewalanka Foundation and Aru Sri Art Theatre. Concerts Norway are implementing partners while Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, the main media sponsors will broadcast three performances island wide.
The event is open to the public free of charge. More details can be obtained via
http://www.jaffnamusicfestival.org./
Once again it’s time for the Gratiaen
Sri Lanka’s most important literary award in English, the Gratiaen Prize, supported by Standard Chartered Bank, will soon once again help to transform the future of Sri Lankan authors. The award event, to be held on May 21, annually recognizes one Sri Lankan writer for his or her achievement.
Now on its 18th year, the Gratiaen Prize rewards the best writing in English of the year 2010.
The three judges selected each year by the Gratiaen Trust make their choice from an increasing number of entries – in the past few years over 50 – submitted by authors and publishers. The entries include fiction, poetry, drama and literary memoir, either published during the last year or presented in manuscript form. Initially a short-list of five is chosen, and the winner is announced at the Gratiaen Prize award event. The value of the prize is Sri Lankan Rs 200,000.
Standard Chartered’s Chief Executive, Anirvan Ghosh-Dastidar, on the Bank’s support of the awards, said “The Gratiaen Prize recognizes the best work by a Sri Lankan author and Standard Chartered has been involved since its beginning. We are delighted to support the award with literary excellence as its sole focus”.
The Gratiaen Prize is named in memory of Doris Gratiaen, Michael Ondaatje’s mother. Ondaatje, a joint-winner of the prestigious Booker Prize in 1992 for his novel The English Patient, also a successful film, instituted the award in the same year with the Booker prize money. Since then it has been a major event in the island’s literary calendar. Sri Lankan writers resident in the country are eligible to vie for the accolade, and over the years recipients have included both first-time and well-known authors.
EWC invites writers for Channels issue
The English Writers Co-operative (EWC) is conducting its Short Story and Poetry Competition 2011 and invites original, unpublished, creative writing in English by Sri Lankan writers to be included in the 2011 issue of Channels Vol. 17.
The three best stories/poems received will be awarded prizes.
Short Stories – Maximum - 2,500 words
Poetry – Maximum - 30 lines
Translations will not accepted.
The format is as follows:
* Manuscripts typed on A4 paper – one side only; font size 12; pages should be numbered.
* Name, address, telephone/email details of the author should be set down at the beginning and the end of each story, and on each page of poetry.
* Submissions will NOT be returned to authors.
* Only paper copies will be accepted and should be sent by Registered Post to
Mrs Nanda Wanasundera
Flat 4, 96/1 Fifth Lane
Colombo 3
* Deadline: Tuesday, March 15, 2011
* Only entries which reach an acceptable standard will be published.
* The decision of the Editorial Board will be final.
source:http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110213/Plus/plus_11.html
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