Renovating religious sites

Many pilgrims will be converging on the sacred areas of the country such as Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa during Vesak. Besides observing sil and performing other religious rituals, they will also visit the many sacred sites in the area.

Instructions have been issued by the President to renovate the religious sites in Anuradhapura and build other infrastructure for the benefit of pilgrims, in time for the Vesak Poya. Steps will also be taken to speedily renovate damaged religious sites in the North and East.

The Religious Affairs and Cultural Development Ministry has allocated Rs. 6 million for the restoration work of the Shivaram Kovil and Mavattapuram Kandaswami Kovil, while Rs. 17 million has been allocated to develop the Talawila shrine, Tewatta, Wahakotte and Hiniduma, which are important to Catholics.

The project will be carried out through the Departments of Buddhist, Hindu and Catholic Affairs and the Public Trustees Department, coming under the Ministry. The programme will focus on developing projects which enhance Sri Lanka's culture with equal emphasis being laid on all major religions.

Hydro power project at Upper Kotmale

You may have heard of the large-scale hydro power projects that had been carried out in this country. Another such mega project, the last of its kind, will start construction soon at Upper Kotmale.

The construction work of the water tunnel of the Upper Kotmale Hydro Power Plant was expected to begin this month under the second phase of this project.

Financial aid worth 33,265 million Japanese Yen will be provided by the Japanese Government towards the carrying out of this project. It is expected to generate 409 million electrical units every year.

A committee headed by the Kotmale Project Director has been appointed to ensure that the Nuwara Eliya public get a fair share of the benefits when the project is up and running. The Japanese company carrying out the project and the contractor have been asked to ensure that everyone gets a fair share as they construct the tunnel.

The first phase of the Upper Kotmale project is envisioned to rehabilitate 495 families in the area. The houses are already complete and will be handed over to the people shortly.

Highways, roads, schools, cinemas, rest houses, municipal offices, industrial sites and 56 business sites are being built under the programme.

Cabinet approval for education projects

The Ministry of Education will, from next year, provide one textbook free, out of multiple books, to all school students.

Accordingly, the Multiple Book Option Policy, which had so far been in effect, will be cancelled.

Cabinet approval was granted recently to a memorandum submitted by Education Minister Susil Premajayantha, on the cancellation of the Multiple Book Option Policy and the provision of a single free textbook from 2008 onwards.

The books will be selected on the basis of requests made by schools for each textbook. The printing of the selected textbooks for grades 8 and 9 for 2008 will be handled by the printing establishments which had originally been responsible for the printing of the books.

Cabinet approval was also granted to another memorandum submitted by Minister Premajayantha; this one is on the construction of a stores complex for the Educational Publications Department, and obtaining assistance from the University of Moratuwa for the planning and other activities related to the construction.

Premises acquired at Kalapaluwawa, Rajagiriya by the Educational Publications Department has been earmarked for the construction of the stores. The university's Architecture Department will support the planning of the complex, with two stores and a book stall.

Many delays and inconveniences are caused presently due to the loading of books from stores located in different places. This move is expected to accelerate the process of providing textbooks to students by the beginning of each school year.

Financial assistance for the construction of the buildings and the installation of a computer system will be provided by the World Bank.

Sumo performance at Royal College

by Ananda Kannangara

The traditional Japanese sport 'Sumo' was performed by the students of Royal College, Colombo for the first time at the Japanese Day ceremony organised by the Japanese Language Society of the school at the Nawarangahala recently.

The objective of conducting the ceremony was to give away certificates and prizes to students who excelled in Japanese language competitions, conducted by the Japanese Language Society of Royal College.

'Sumo' is a form of wrestling in which a contestant wins if he succeeds in forcing his opponent out of the ring or causes him to touch the ground within it, with any part of his body other than the soles of his feet. The students were trained in 'Sumo' by Master-in-Charge, Japanese Language Unit of Royal College, Nimal Senaratne.

The ceremony was held with the participation of a large number of students from various Colombo schools including Ananda College, Nalanda, Isipathana, Visakha, Mahanama, St. Paul's, Bishop's, Musaeus and Gothami Balika under the patronage of the Third Secretary, Information and Cultural Centre, Japanese Embassy in Colombo, Ms. Miki Kitaoka. The day's proceedings began with age-old Sri Lankan and Japanese customs.

The traditional oil lamp was lit by the special invitees including former Dean of the Sri Jayawardenapura University, Prof. Chandima Wijebandara, President, Japanese Language Education Association of Sri Lanka, Dayasiri Warnakulasooriya, President Japanese Solidarity Association of Sri Lanka, Takeshi Yamasaki and Principal, Japanese School in Colombo, Norito Sasaki.

Royal College Principal Upali Gunasekara and Deputy Principals Prasanna Upashantha and Ms. S.N. Amarasekara were also present. The students of Ananda and Gothami Balika performed a traditional Japanese dance.

Stamps of astrological interest

The Sinhala and Hindu New Year dawned with the Sun entering the Mesha raasi from Meena and the nation celebrated for several days. Astrology plays a leading role in the rituals connected with the celebrations.

The first stamps of astrological interest(on top) came from Austria. This country came out with a stamp to be used as Christmas greetings, towards December 1937. The stamp depicted a vase of flowers surrounded by two columns of the signs of the zodiac.

It was often suggested that Hitler's face could be seen among the flowers, although it had been difficult to locate this sight.

Another stamp that has astrological interest came from Israel. Along with the large stamp you see here (above), there were 12 other stamps depicting the 12 signs of the zodiac. Japan, Switzerland and Spanish colonies like Ifni, Rio Muni, Sahara and Fernando Poo are some of the other countries which have issued similar stamps.

Francis P. Gunasekera