Vesak dansala in Ipoh, Malaysia
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Alfred and Kamalawathie of the ‘Sinhalese Bar’ with their
friends at the dansela. |
A grand dansala was organised in Ipoh, Malaysia during the Vesak with
great enthusiasm from Tamil and Sinhala communities of Sri Lanka origin,
organised by Alfred Perera and his wife Kamalawathie of Ipoh, continuing
a tradition since 1971. The two own the 'Sinhalese Bar', a restaurant in
Ipoh. The main part to prepare the free meal was by the Tamil community
in Ipoh, some of whom, Kamalawathie's maternal relatives.
Among the Sinhalese who took part in helping out and who conducted
the Buddhist rituals before the opening of the dansala was Bennet a
brother of Alfred a retired respiratory nurse from the UK Piyaseeli, a
doctor pursuing higher education in Malaysia, Roshini, her parents from
Sri Lanka, and a Sri Lankan consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
undergoing sub speciality training in Infertility care Denegama. Nearly
2000 people were offered free meals at the dansela this year.
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