|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 15 September 2002 |
 |
|
 |
Letters |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Please forward your letters to [email protected] in plain text format within the e-mail message, since as a policy we do not open any attachments.
Kuppiyawatta Temple and Vidyodaya Pirivena Reference two letters in the forum page of the Sunday Observer of August 11 about the "Kuppiyawatta Temple - its true history" and the "Ten questions for astrologers" it appears that one more post script is necessary to complete the true history. According to the 125th anniversary celebrations of Vidyodaya Pirivena and its history published in the Sunday Observer of 19.9.1999 that pirivena had been founded due to the efforts of Sangharaja Sri Saranankara whose demise took place as far back as 1778 during the Dutch period and not the Venerable Mohottiwatte Gunananda in 1873 immediately after his resounding victory at the Panadura controversy. His aim was to train educated orator monks to save Buddhism and for that purpose he made logic compulsory in pirivena education. But soon after his death in 1890 Vidyodaya Pirivena became the centre for promoting astrology and a glowing tribute for that running into one full page of EPA Ephemeris (Panchanga Litha) appears every year even now on the first page itself about it although astrology had been condemned by the Buddha as an animal science that appeals only to idiots. Besides it will be very interesting to read the answers to the ten questions put to the Buddhist astrologers in Sri Lanka without delay, specially the answer to the first question about the sun which is the centre of the solar system. R. Ekanayake , The local re-telecasts of the recently concluded cricket tournament in Morocco from a viewer's point were deplorable to say the least. It was evident that this TV station was least concerned of what the viewer's wanted to see. Actual playing time was often encroached into advertisements forced down viewers throats. Viewers were shown just a glimpse of the great moments in the wickets that fell. Jubilation of the players and valuable commentaries that followed were not for the viewers' pleasure. Moreover, the TV screen was constantly obstructed with the display of more advertisements and logos criss-crossing the screen and adding to the annoyance. Is this the price we have to pay for the commercialisation of sport? I hope the BCCSL and the Minister of Sports would take note of this. If anyone has access to cable TV, they would easily identify the better telecast of the two. Cable TV stations run advertisements too but they are not foolish and avaricious to interfere into the playing time and the valuable commentaries and thus ruin viewers' pleasure. S. M. Ranasinghe, It is indeed a welcoming news for the Buddhist community to hear the above proposals made by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe when he called on the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatta Chapter on August. The administration of the Kandy town is in the hands of the Kandy Municipality. Therefore it is very essential that the co-operation of the Kandy Mayor too should be considered, because nobody can declare Kandy a sacred city with the abattoir at Deiyanwela and all the meat stalls within the building of the Kandy Central Market. This will be the bone of contention not to declare Kandy a sacred city. No government ever attempted to amend the animal laws of the country which were introduced during the colonial era. The above refers to the article which appeared in the Sunday Observer of August 11. H. G. P. Jayasekera, Advertising and the general public Things have definitely gotten out of hand with advertisers on radio, TV, as well as outdoors. It is not possible to watch a film or listen to a radio newscast or musical program without having to take a dose of nauseating advertisements. The pioneers of advertising were of the opinion that "to sell you must tell" but it never meant "Yell". Many folk will agree with me that the height of absurdity has been reached in advertising. For instance, the TV news - does this public service need to be subjected to soap, banking, biscuits, detergents and lotteries between breaks? Radio too has this malady since nothing is done in moderation or taste. I am totally sick of those exercise machines, cooking pans and household items which bombard us un-mercifully day and night. I have noticed how advertisers have corrupted even the TV news in those empty mugs advertising a malt drink lying empty with the logo pointing dramatically towards viewers. Why can't local stations take a cue from the foreign news casters whose broadcasts are not making viewers captive to cheap advertising? Needless to state most TV stations make horrible viewing. One channel filled with violence, blood-letting, thuggery and impossible fist-fights takes most of the day and these being cheap Indian movies. prime time is totally monopolized to no end. This clearly indicates that the media, broadcasting and TV advertising are in the hands of imbeciles, loaded with hyperbole, exaggeration and equine ideas and proves that TV advertising has reached immense proportions. Vendors of entertainment in cinemas need to be taken to task. Most halls screen rubbish "Adults only" films which are anyway subject to censorship and use the medium of advertising to pull in patrons. Brian Jansz,, Sri Lanka is still rich in her exquisite cultural and artistic heritage. But, unfortunately, we could not boast of it long because of the mercilessly ravaging tendency of unscrupulous greedy traders and culture vultures including higher ranking Police Officers! On the other hand, I feel the people of Sri Lanka are not as much aware of the smuggling of antiques as they are in other fields. Very little has been done to make the people conscious about the values of antiques. It is very disturbing to learn that our precious artistic and cultural treasures are getting pillaged day by day. Because of these art plunders, our ancient artistic and cultural heritage is nearing extinction. Sri Lanka is renowned for her rich possession of human antiquities. Sri Lanka may be economically backward but artistically it is among the best. It is a matter of grave concern that we, the inheritors of the priceless legacy, are unaware of the worth of our cultural treasures. Art lovers of western countries have an access to most of our ancient Relics. If proper measures are not taken to curb cultural thefts, we might be deprived of whatever is left. We should see that priceless works are passed on to posterity. The law should be made strict and severe as far as these smugglers who lay their dirty hands on our cultural heritage are concerned. Most of all, the best way to protect our monuments, idols etc., is to make our younger generation aware of our cultural heritage which is in no way inferior to any other culture in the world. It is the duty of all citizens of this country to protect what exists at least. We all know there are financial constraints for archaeology. well then, arrange for maintenance of already excavated places and protection of unearthed heritage. M. Muthukumaran, |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
