A trip to a ruined city

Winner:

During the last school vacation my family members and I went on a trip to Anuradhapura – the first kingdom of ancient Sri Lanka.

Everybody woke up early in the morning and got ready for this unforgettable trip. We were able to travel by the early morning train which started from Colombo. As my father is a government servant, we could book first class seats in the train. We reached Anuradhapura by about 10 a.m.

First we visited the Sri Maha Bodhi, the most sacred Bo Tree which we all respect very much. After worshiping it we visited Ruwanweliseya which was built by King Dutugemunu.

Next we visited the Jethavana Stupa which is recorded to be the highest stupa in the world. It is over 400 feet in height. The structure has been built by King Mahasen. Now it has been renovated. Mirisawetiya is another stupa put up byKing Dutugemunu. My father told us an interesting legend centred around it.

My father did not forget to take us to various other sacred places in Anuradhapura.

However, as time was limited we could not visit many places. We returned home by the evening train.

It was the most interesting trip we had and I enjoyed it very much.

Gayashan P. Dias,
Grade 8 B,
Seethawaka National College,
Avissawella.

How I celebrated my birthday

Winner:

My birthday was on February 17, but as the school sports-meet fell on this day my birthday was celebrated on Saturday the same week. I turned eight on that day. We gave food to some homeless children. In the evening we had a small celebration.

The birthday cake was shaped like a gift. The cake had a lotus shaped yellow multi coloured candle which I lit. Later in the evening we went to my mother’s hometown for a Pirith Pinkama. It went on till the next morning. I enjoyed my birthday because my family and relations helped children who had no parents and lived in a Children’s Orphanage. I saw 25 children at the orphanage.

Children who are homeless can suffer emotionally. People have to help them. I have read a book titled “Oliver Twist” by Charles Dickens which is about orphaned children.

In Africa too millions of children starve due to the severe drought and poverty. We can help people in many ways. I believe that giving donations is a very good way to help needy people.

Shivangi Sritharan,
Grade 3A,
St. Jude’s College, Negombo.

I want to become a JMO

Winner:

Most humans have an ambition in life. As a Grade 11 student my first aim is to get through my O/L examination with six As. If I pass the exam successfully I can do A/L in Science because my ambition is to become a Judicial Medical Officer (JMO). I believe it is the best experience anyone could have because it is a special field. If I get through university, I will continue my education. Firstly, I will get an MBBS. Then I will study law and eventually become a JMO.

If I can become a JMO, I can earn well and live a successful life. It is a recognised job. It is a great challenge in my life, because I need to study a lot and as it is I hardly have time to do my studies.

However, as I want to be a JMO, I would somehow overcome all the obstacles and achieve my goal. I will learn to manage time and also sacrifice the time I spend on entertainment. I get up early in the morning to study. If I work hard I will be able to enter university and become a JMO one day. Then I will be able to look after my parents and my sister.

I really hope my ambition to become a JMO one day will not remain only a dream.

M.G. Tharushi Dilhani,
Grade 11A,
Good Shepherd BMV, Nayakakanda,
Wattala.

My favourite game

Winner:

My favourite game is cricket which is known as the gentlemen's game. In a cricket match two teams play and each team has eleven players. There are three skills in cricket. They are bowling, batting and fielding. One who performs high skills in all categories is an all rounder.

The captain leads the team with the help of the vice captain.

There are two umpires in the ground to judge the match. If they are not able to give the judgement of a wicket, they are helped by a third umpire.

Some of the ways that a batsman gets out are run-out, caught, LBW, hit wicket, bowled and stumped.

When the batsman hits the bowl to pass the boundary line on the ground, four runs are given and if the ball over the boundary, six runs are given.

There are three kinds of matches in cricket. They are twenty-twenty, fifty-fifty and test matches.

Brian Lara was a cricketer of West Indies who had taken 400 runs as the highest score in a test match. Mahela Jayawardena was able to mark the second highest taking 375 runs.

He is currently the Captain of Sri Lanka cricket team.

Out of the faste bowlers in the world, the third place has been taken by Sri Lankan cricketer Lasith Malinga. The Sri Lankan team played cricket with 14 countries and became the runners-up at the ICC Cricket World Cup against India in 2011.

I play cricket for my school and it is my hobby. I love cricket very much. I am determined to perform well in my favourite game, Cricket.

D. Yasiru Roshan,
Grade 7-F,
Dharmasoka College,
Ambalangoda.

Mahaweli River - a precious natural resource

Winner:

The Mahaweli River begins at Adam's Peak and falls to the sea at Trincomalee. It is 335 kilometres long and is the largest river in Sri Lanka.Its services to Sri Lanka is so great that most Sri Lankans speak about the river with much gratitude. In its course from Adam's Peak to Trincomalee, the Mahaweli River feeds thousands of acres of land and helps prepare the land for cultivation.

It has been serving our motherland for centuries. Under the Accelerated Mahaweli Development scheme the maximum use has been made of its waters. Now, five reservoirs have been built with the water from the river. Many foreign countries helped us to carry out this great work.The water from the reservoirs not only helps generate electricity but also in the cultivation work in the country. Most often, the problems faced by farmers in the Anuradhapura region revolve around water.

Today the water from the Mahaweli River has helped the majority of farmers to overcome many of the water related problems and increase their paddy yields. Increasing the paddy harvest in the country is very important because rice is the staple food of Sri Lanka. In ancient times we were known as the Granary of the East because we were self sufficient in rice but things changed with time. Since then we have been working hard to become self sufficient in rice once again. The Mahaweli River is a precious natural resource in our country. She helps us in two major ways, by giving us water for cultivation and also to generate hydro power. We are indeed grateful to her for the service she renders to make our motherland resplendent.

Shamila Amith,
Grade 6B,
Sailan International School, Seeduwa.

A great king

A person I admire and like to write about is King Dutugemunu. He was the son of King Kavantissa and Queen Viharamahadevi. When he was still a young prince ,the North and North Central provinces of Sri Lanka were ruled by Tamil kings. Prince Dutugemunu was very concerned about this and was determined to do something about it.

When he became an adult and a king he raised an army to battle with the invaders.

He had ten giants including Velusumana and Gataimbara. With the army and the ten giants, King Dutugemunu proceeded from Ruhuna to Anuradhapura to fight with who was ruling Anuradhapura at that time.

King Elara , a ruler who was very fair in his dealings was popular among the Sinhala people. Therefore, many of the Sinhalese in Rajarata did not support King Dutugemunu in his attempts to overthrow King Elara at the beginning.

However, King Dutugemunu won the goodwill of the people of Rajarata eventually and fought against Elara and his army. King Dutugemunu, fought with courage and defeated king Elara.

King Dutugemunu put up a monument to mark the death of King Elara. Thereafter, King Dutugemunu set up his kingdom in Anuradhapura and ruled Sri Lanka for a long time.

He built many temples and dagabas. Ruwanwelisaya was his famous dagaba.

Even after his death, Dutugemunu is regarded as a great king by the people. I too think he was a great and brave king who ruled the country.

G.H. S. Chandula Ariyadasa,
Grade 9, S.
Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia.