Kandy perahera commences on July 22

The Kandy Dalada Perahera will commence on July 22 this year according to ancient traditions associated with the oldest religious festival of the country. From July 23 to 26 the perahera will be held in the precincts of the four devales-Natha, Vishnu, Kataragama and Pattini. The kumbal peraheras will be held from July 27 to 31 while the Randoli Peraheras will follow.

Information Officer Sri Dalada Maligawa, W. Lokuge said. The main peraheras, the Randoli will start from August 1 and final night perahera will be on August 5.

The Devale day perahera performing the watercutting ritual at Getambe will follow on August 6 bringing the festivities to an end.

A large numbers of pilgrims and sightseers are expected in Kandy during the perahera.

Many of you would also visit Kandy to see this world famous perahera no doubt, as the threat of terrorism is now over. However, security arrangements will be in place this year too, official sources said.

Dambakolapatuna Purana Viharaya gets Sanghamitta statue

A statue of Sanghamitta Therini was installed at the Dambakolapatuna Purana Viharaya in Jaffna recently, at a ceremony presided by First Lady, Shiranthi Rajapaksa.

History records that Sanghamitta Therini and her retinue landed at this spot when they brought the southern sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhi to Sri Lanka during the reign of King Devanampiyatissa.

A Sanghamitta perahera was also staged to mark the occasion which was organised by the Sri Lanka Navy to convey the statue to the Viharaya.

Nagadeepa Purana Rajamaha Viharadhipati Ven. Navandagala Padumakitti Thera administered Pansil to the gathering.

Mrs. Kusum Wickremanayake, Navy Commander Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, Mrs. Asoka Karannagoda, Tharunyata Hetak Organisation, founder Namal Rajapaksa and Navy’s Northern Commander, Rear Admiral P. W. S. Dissanayake, were also present.

They also attended a special pooja held at the Sri Sambukeshwaram temple adjoining the Dambakolapatuna Viharaya.

Birth and death anniversaries from June 28 - July 4

June 28

Eric Ambler, British novelist and screenwriter was born in 1919.

June 29

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga was born in 1945.

Richard Attenborough, British actor and filmmaker was born in 1923.

June 30

Karunaratne Abeysekera, Sinhala lyricist, broadcaster was born in 1930.

July 1

Wilhelm Friedemann Back, composer died in 1784.

July 2

Arp Schnitger, builder of the organ was born in 1648.

July 3

Leopold 1, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, called the Old Desauer was born in 1676.

July 4

Johannes Schmidt, linguist was born in 1901.

Marie Curie, Polish-born French physicist twice winner of the Nobel Prize for her book on radio activity and first woman to win a Nobel Prize died in 1934.

Special events which took place in history, from June 28 - July 4

June 28

The Treaty of Versailles was signed in France, ending WW I in 1919.

Batticaloa linked to Colombo by telegraph wire in 1876.

Indo-Sri Lanka agreement of Katchchativu Island signed in 1974.

June 29

Methodist Missionaries arrived in Ceylon in 1814.

June 30

French acrobat, Blondin successfully crossed Niagara Falls on a tightrope in 1859.

Night of the Long Knives - the assassination of hundreds of Nazi party members (potential political enemies) by Adolf Hitler in 1934.

July 1

Currency union between East and West Germany.

The Mark der DDR is replaced by the Deutsche Mark.

Prince Charles was invested as the Prince of Wales at Caernarvon Castle in 1959.

Sony Walkman was launched in 1979.

The Queen officially opened the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh in 1999.

July 4

The 49-star American flag made its debut with the newly added 49th star representing Alaska, which became a state earlier in the year in 1959.

David Beckham married Spice Girl’s singer, Victoria Adams in 1999.