
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 |