Amadahara Vesak Kalapaya

The 2600th Sambuddhatva Jayanthi Ama Dahara Vesak Zone will be held from May 17-19 in the vicinity of the Lake House building at D.R. Wijewardene Mawatha.

Organised by the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (ANCL) in association with Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT), the Ama Dahara Vesak Zone will be replete with a Vesak Lantern contest and exhibition, devotional songs presentations by renowned singers and ANCL employees, puppetry shows by masters from Ambalangoda and several dansalas.

This is the 21st year that the ANCL is organising the Vesak Lantern Competition and the Vesak Zone. Attractive prizes are on offer for winners of the Vesak Lantern contest.

The Ama Dahara Vesak Zone will be inaugurated by Cultural Minister T.B. Ekanayake at 6 p.m. on May 17, Vesak Full Moon Poya Day. It will be opened by Information and Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella on the following day and on May 19, the chief guest will be Media Secretary W.B. Ganegala.

Renowned singers, winners of Derana Dream Star and Little Star contests will be featured in devotional song concerts on all three days. TV Derana and FM Derana are the electronic media sponsors and the main events of the Ama Dahara Vesak Zone will be broadcast live on Derana.

Several Government and private institutions in the vicinity of Lake House are participating in this year's Ama Dahara Vesak Zone, which is expected to draw thousands of people from all parts of the country.