Sri Lanka College of Journalism celebrates Vesak

Vesak is considered as the holiest day in Buddhism. Buddhists in Sri Lanka are currently celebrating Vesak festival. Vesak Day was celebrated by the Sri Lanka College on May 26th 2010 at its auditorium. The college was beautifully decorated with lanterns, colour lights, fresh Lotus flowers, coconut palm leaves and oil lamps. It was celebrated with high enthusiasm.

Devout Buddhists undertake to lead a noble life according to the teaching by making daily affirmations to observe the five precepts. The Five Precepts are commitments to abstain from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and intoxication.


Pavala Malligai flowers on nealtky woven coconut palm leave at the entrance

It is a joyful occasion

Vesak is a major festival of the year

View from the street

Betel leaves and arecanut served for the Buddhist monk

Sermon is delivered on Buddha's teachings and mankind in Sinhala and Tamil

Fresh Lotus flowers are offered

Buddhist statue is decorated with fresh flowers,oil lmap and incence

Lotus flowers and oil lamps add extra colour to the festival

Venerable Brahmanawatte Seewalee Thero is seen delivering the sermon

Tradition ascribes to the Buddha himself instruction on how to pay him homage

While sermon is being delivered

Things for the Buddhist monk are being worshipped

Vesak Day Celebrations in Sri Lanka

Vesak encompasses the birth, enlightenment (Nirvana) and passing away (Parinirvana) of Gauthama Buddha. Prince Siddhartha was born on the Fullmoon day in May known as Vesak in 623 BC in the Lumbini Park in Kapilavathu, which is in modern Nepal. Buddhists around the world celebrate Vesak on May 27th and 28th 2010 by observing the eight percepts, meditation, partake in vegetarian meals, giving charity and bathing the Buddha statue.

Siddhartha Gauthama became enlightened at the age of 35 and called Buddha. The Buddha passed away at the age of 80 near Kushinagara, which is in Uttar Pradesh.

It’s a colourful celebration. Buddhists in Nepal, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam celebrate Vesak today.


Lanterns for sale in Moratuwa

Lantern making is an art

People throng the streets to buy lanterns

Despite the wet weather condition the celebration continues

Piyaseeli Zoysa and her husband Stanley Zoysa are seen making lanterns for sale. They have been in business for the past seven years

Vesak greeting cards are for sale

Ganegoda Vithana Nilu Arachchige is seen busy making lanterns. He had been making lanterns for more than four decades

Pandol is being made in Moratuwa

Dove on a pandol

Along the Marine drive in Bambalapitty

Cave Art of 21st Century-An exhibition of Cartoons

“Cave Art of 21st Century”-An exhibition of Cartoons by Prageeth Ehnalygoda is currently being held at the Lionel Went Gallery in Colombo. It is an exhibition dedicated to freedom equality and brotherhood. The illustrations on display are by the disappeared journalist Prageeth Eknalygoda. There are 53 cartoons on display.

Journalist, Diplomats, Academics, Activists and Politicians attended the inauguration in large numbers. The exhibition will remain open on May 19th and 20th 2010 from 10am-7pm.The exhibition is organised by the Prageeth Eknalygoda Foundation.

Banner at the main entrance

Cartoons depict the socio-political issues

Sandhya Ehnaligoda waits at the main entrance and her hopes continue

Journalist Seetha Ranjanee presents a book to Sandhya Ehnalygoda

Parliamentarian Vasudeva Nanayakkara attended the inauguration

U.S Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives Ms.Patricia Butenis views the exhibition

Reverend Father Johan Devananda is seen checking the wellbeing of Sandhya Ehnalygoda and son Sanjaya Bandara Ehnalygoda

Dr.Vickramabahu Karunarathne of Nava Samasamaja Party views the exhibits

Attentive viewer at the venue

Executive Director of Centre for Policy Alternatives Dr.Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu and Executive Director of National Peace Council Dr.Jehan Perera are in conversation

Prageeth's wife Sandhya is being interviewed by a Radio journalist at the venue

Attention is paid to minute details of the issues

Education is an ideal distanced from the guidance, denied for the rural child

Adults are the adulterators of minds of children

Education is engulfing by power – politics

Crashing present education system cannot be salvaged by crash reforms

Uneven education begets a delinquent hybrid society

Tools of refinement may sustain crudity

Attitude towards women decided how rich the civilization is

Museus Girls School is in the city centre two students have committed suicide due to sexual ignorance

The weak hates democracy

The Parliament also helps to maintain Neanderthal Darkness

If the will of majority identifies as democracy.....

The society uniformed of democracy demolishes democracy

The judiciary too can exist without transparency

War is a self – destructive way to barbarity

Faith is an enemy of the rational life; if necessary, genocide can become religion

War for peace is seen as a new slogan, but it is peace towards war

They are us citizens of Sri Lanka

Religion is like water, takes the shape of the vessel

Religion is power, so as politics.Both construct their own shapes

Here we are, aren't we?

Thou shall knoweth and appreciate what thou liketh

Can they show you the path?Can they show you the path?Can they show you the path?

Sometimes this can be experience of yours as well as mine

You may like this method

Do not look at dream they point out,look at the door of you prison cell

Your passionate dream can be the noose of the other

When you cover your face with your own garment, you can not see your committed crimes

At least there should be a freedom to suffer

Don't you shoulder the burden of suppressing child's world?

The man evolves from Ape, are Sri Lankans challenging the concept?

Lunacy of history hostile to freedom of media

Mass media is also a power, both mutually subvert as well as subsist

Mass media and power together will hoodwink you

They show you the path of right as well as wrong

Sometimes they are like this.....

They have plundered your eyes

Providing your eyesight is the sacred duty of the media

Tissanayagam who provided you an eyesight sentenced for 20 years

Media can be suppressed, but not exterminated

If you consider yourself as a tool meant for them, you are deprived of your own power

Be attentive of ideologies, not caged by it

Ideology is also power, when it becomes weapon, it is self-destructive

So you are in love with your prison cell

You crucify yourself, don't you?

Think a little bit, is this you?

If we loose our voice, there will be no voice even to claim our voice

Servility by the will is dreadful than by force

This is how we enjoy

Peace and life

First you liberate from yourself, then you become you

Humanitarianism is the highest stage of civilisation

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