Archaeological sites in Sri Lanka

Winner:

My country is very beautiful and many foreigners visit it. The archaeological sites attract most of these tourists. The ancient cities which are in ruins today were once the capitals of our ancient rulers, the kings.

Archaeological cities like Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, Panduwasnuwara and Yapahuwa have many ruins. Archaeologists believe that these ruins may be those of the palaces of ancient kings.

My country has a cultural heritage of over two thousand years. And these cities had been very popular in the olden days. Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura had been the most popular among them because, many kings had lived and ruled in these cities. The other importance is that these cities were rich in natural resources, which added more beauty to these places.

Therefore, it is our paramount duty to safeguard these valuable cities and resources for our future generations.

Wishmin Chamanga,

Grade 8,

Ceylinco Sussex College,

Kurunegala.

A tribute to my seeya

"Write one's name on the sand, and the waves may wash it away,

Write one's name on the air, and the wind may blow it away,

But write one's name in the hearts of people, who care

And that's where it'll stay, forever."

My beloved and irreplaceable grandfather was the heart and soul of each and everyone of us. He carved his name in the hearts of those who loved him, as solid as a rock. But he departed to a distant cloud two years ago, on June 9.... leaving behind his much loved memories and his advice.

Seeya your loss is felt with immense agony and the memories are played back, cherished and treasured with my whole soul.

Once a doctor, once a husband, once a father and a grandfather. I've never seen such a person who does each part with pleasure, dignity and commitment. His gentle touch and his heavenly words eased unbearable pains, cured incurable ailments, brought unconditional faith. His presence itself, in the most darkest situations brought strength, courage and determination to pursue our path.

To me he is a ray of hope in a storm, a diamond among a dozen rocks, so unique, special and valuable.

He looks gracefully from his portrait among us, eyeing our every move with dignity. Even though he is with us no more, he will always be deep down in our hearts; so no wind or wave may wash his memories away.

My idol, he inspired and retained, each stepping stone. I'm comforted, knowing that the silver lining he left behind will always give strength and guide us as life goes on.

I consider myself to be one of the luckiest grandchildren to have had the opportunity to be a part of his life. It was, and will always be, a pride and an honour to have had him as my grandfather, I will do my part in bringing pride to his irreplaceable name....

May his meritorious deeds shorten thejourney through Sansara and may he attain the supreme bliss of Nirvana!! My seeya, and you will always be secure in my heart.

Ranishka Ratnasekera,

Bishop's College,Colombo.

The parrot is beautiful

The parrot is a beautiful green coloured bird. It has a red beak which is curved and seems to be very strong. Some parrots learn to imitate what they hear and so they can speak a few words.

Some people keep parrots as pets not only in our country, but also in other countries. There are people who allow them to live freely and some who keep them in cages. Keeping them in cages is not a good practice because if we forget to feed them they could die. Anyway we must not hinder the freedom of any type of bird or animal by caging them. As children, we must learn to let them live in their natural surroundings.

I love all birds.

Masna Jiffry,

Grade 6,

Jennath International School,

Weligama.

Where the rainbow ends

Winner:

Even though there are different colours in a rainbow, they all travel together and end up in one place. Like the colours of the rainbow, humans in this world too are different; the colour of skin, their religion, language and race are not the same. If we think of these differences a lot, we can't live together happily.

It is true that it is difficult to practise peace among all these differences. But there is no difference of black or white for peace. There is only humanity.

So, like the way the different colours of the rainbow travel together, let's travel together to make a world of peace, through unity.

The rainbow has different colours, but all these colours blend into each other. People also are diverse, but they must live together in harmony like the rainbow. We have to love each other and understand our brothers and sisters. We have to live peacefully.

Maneesha Kaluaddaarachchi,

Grade 9,Rathnavali Balika Vidyalaya,

Gampaha.

Smoking affects your health

Winner:

Smoking has become a very common habit, especially among young boys. This habit usually begins at school when boys try to experiment with every new thing that they hear or see and can lay their hands on. Despite the warnings given by adults and doctors about the ill effects of smoking, people continue to smoke.

Most smokers are addicted to it, and even if they want to, they cannot refrain from picking up a cigar or cigarette and smoking it. Some youngsters smoke out of peer pressure or to fit into a certain segment of society. Some feel that smoking would make them appear liberated and broadminded.At the start he/she may only take a few puffs from a friend's cigarette, then comes a time when it becomes an indispensable part of his/her life.

Having a puff could be the formation of a habit, so don't do it. Smoking may affect the health of the smoker, but he/she is reluctant to give it up. Many end up as 'chain-smokers'.Smoking causes lung cancer. Tobacco companies all over the world have been requested to carry a health warning on every packet of cigarettes or cigars. Even though smoking is injurious to health and the packs warn you about the danger, the smoker never reads this warning and even if he/she does, hardly pays attention to this.The government increases the price of cigarettes and tobacco every year. This is usually done to discourage people from smoking. But it has no impact. People who are addicted to smoking, continue to do so even if the price has gone up. Smoking not only harms the smoker, but also others. The people who inhale the smoke released from cigarettes become `passive smokers'. Therefore, smokers force the members of their family and other people to bear the ill effects of their smoking.

Smoking can be stopped if one has a strong willpower. Every person has the ability to give it up, once he/she sets his/her mind to it

Chamodi Lakshani Liyanage,

Grade 10,

Gampola International School.

My father

My father is a Police Officer. He goes to work early in the morning. He brings me biscuits and sweets in the evening.

Father is kind to me and loves me.

I too love him.

H.A. Jinadi Hallawa,

UKG,Western International School,Wennappuwa.

Your poems

Snakes, they thrill me

Winner:

The king of reptiles is truly the snake,

But it's only known for the trouble it can make.

Who would like to be stung by a venom injector?

Or be crushed and swallowed by a boa constrictor?

The giant anaconda is truly the biggest,

The harmless grass snake is obviously the smallest

Snakes bite only when they're troubled,

Leave them alone, they are never a bother.

A python can eat a creature as big as a deer,

You have to accept that's something to fear.

A viper can strike as far as a metre,

But not a single snake is a greedy man-eater.

A rattlesnake threatens with its rattle,

A black mamba can scare a herd of cattle.

One of the deadliest is the Gaboon viper,

Striking so accurately, it's compared to a sniper.

I live in a world full of snakes

They are the ones who make me absolutely thrilled,

Even though none of their necks are beautifully frilled.

My dear readers, for snakes you must care,

For me, they're precious, like my cuddly teddy bear.

Shahmi Anas,

Ceylinco Sussex College, Kandy.