Winner:

My mother

My mother’s name is Renuka.She is 32 years old and she is very kind. She cooks well. My mother helps me to do my school work.

She has long hair and she is pretty.I will love her as long as I live.

Harshana Heshan,
Grade 3A,
NCEF Buddhist College,
Mulleriyawa New Town.

Winner:

Great King Dutugemunu

Dutugemunu was a great king. He was born in Ruhuna. His father was King Kawantissa and mother was Queen Viharamaha Devi. He had only one brother called Saddhatissa. Prince Dutugemunu had a religious education. He was very brave from his childhood. He had ten giants.

A significant portion of the Mahawamsa revolves around the adventures of Dutugemunu and he is also known as the ‘Hero of the Mahawamsa.’ Gradually, he unified and ruled the country.

King Dutugemunu defeated King Elara. However, he did not forget to respect King Elara’s tomb. He built many temples and shrines such as Ruvanweliseya, Mirisawetiya and the Bronze Palace. He rendered a great service to the Buddhasasana.

Simply known as the great stupa, the Ruvanweliseya was built by Dutugemunu after he became the King in 161 BC. This was his most ambitious project and it is said that one of his architects designed the dome.

He did not live to see the completion of the stupa. The island was soon to enter one of the darkest periods in its long history after his death.

Nuwanthi Kanchan,
Grade 8A,
A/Habarana Isuru School,
Hatharaskotowa.

Winner:

When I grow up...

We all have wonderful and marvellous ambitions in life. Growing means getting older but ambitions do not get older.

They come with fantastic goals. You cannot destroy your goals. We all have several ambitions and I too have an ambition to become a doctor.

Being a doctor is not at all an easy task. I have this ambition because when I had a fracture in my hand, I saw how doctors were useful to me.

I saw how they served people suffering from various diseases.

Doctors’ services cannot be expressed in words. They earn a living while serving mankind.

I love to treat small children who come with various complaints. I would also help the poor who suffer in silence.

I hope that I will realise my ambition when I grow up.

Savindu Hiranniya Herat,
Grade 7C,
Royal International School,
Kurunegala.

Winner:

My country

My country is Sri Lanka. It is an island in the Indian ocean. Our staple food is rice. There are several communities in my country. They are Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Burghers.

The population of my country is 21 million. Our main exports are tea, rubber and coconuts. Our country became a Republic in 1972. We gained Independence in 1948. Sri Jayewardenepura, Kotte is the capital of Sri Lanka. Our commercial capital city is Colombo.

Piduruthalagala is the highest mountain and the Mahaweli is the longest river. Haggala and Peradeniya are some beautiful Botanical Gardens in Sri Lanka. Sinharaja is the largest forest.

Our national game is football. The national bird is the jungle fowl. The Naa tree is the national tree and the national flower is blue water lily.

The President of my country is Mahinda Rajapaksa. Sri Lanka is very beautiful. There are 25 districts and nine provinces in my country. I love my country very much.

Ashfa Mulawfar,
Grade 5B,
Thihariya Islamic International School.