UDDIKA AWARD WINNING ACTOR,VOCALIST ,MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT WITH A UNIQUE VISION FOR A FRESH EPOCH – By Sunil Thenabadu UDDIKA PREMARATHNA born on 16th September in year 1980 to his parents ,father had been employed in the health sector recollected his era at Padaviya hospital while mother was a housewife educated at St.Joseph’s College Anuradhapura, had excelled as a cadet had won the award for best sergeant in schools at his age of eighteen years in year 1998, renowned actor in cinema and tele drama , a television host of a reality contest ,an acclaimed vocalist. Uddika recalls he is not a successful television presenter had been in the three judge panel at ‘Hiru Mega Star’ at the recommendation of teledrama and film assistant Director Nirendra Deshapriya , Viraj Weliwatta, a top executive at Hiru TV .The gruelling contest was live for a period of one and a half hours daily ...

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Nayomi recipient of Sumathi and Raigam Telees awards on a scintillating voyage at just twenty four Years old from remote Nellikulama –  by Sunil Thenabadu Nayomi Thakshila the award winning renowned tele drama actress is a native of a remote village Nellikulama close to Anuradhapura born on 1st January 1999 to humble parents has two elder sisters and one elder brother as siblings, she been the ‘bada pissa’ of the family. All elder siblings have tied the respective nuptial knots, to date Nayomi has eight loving nephews and nieces domiciled in the Anuradhapura district.In the dwelling they were brought up has had a few perches of bare land where they had grown many types of vegetables including ‘sugar cane’, ‘plantains’. In an television confrontation she had jested that one day when they visited a family friend, he had given a small branch of ‘Sugar cane’ advising them to grow which had grown wild ...

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Avukana Buddha – A Magnificent Testament of Sri Lanka’s Buddhist Heritage – By Malsha – eLanka In the heart of Sri Lanka lies the awe-inspiring statue of Avukana Buddha, one of the country’s most revered Buddhist pilgrimage sites and a popular destination for tourists. Standing tall in the picturesque village of Avukana, near Kekirawa, the statue overlooks the ancient Kala Wewa reservoir, surrounded by a serene forested area. This strategic location was chosen to evoke a sense of grandeur and inspiration for all who visit. The Avukana Buddha is a remarkable sight, representing the standing Buddha with his right hand raised in a gesture of blessing, known as the Abhaya Mudra, symbolizing reassurance. Adorned with a beautifully carved Mandorla, a circular halo featuring intricate lotus petals and other motifs, the statue portrays a peaceful and smiling face with astonishing attention to detail. The most astonishing aspect of this statue is ...

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Why you should visit this undersold, teardrop-shaped island right now – By Lee Tulloch Source : smh If there’s a country that could do with a lot of love right now, it’s Sri Lanka. Over the past three decades, the island nation has been ravaged by conflict and disaster, beginning with the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which claimed 30,000 lives, and the 26-year-long civil war, which ended in 2009. It had just re-emerged as a popular tourist destination when, on Easter Sunday 2019, an Islamic group, in retaliation for the Christchurch attacks thousands of kilometres away, bombed three churches and three luxury hotels in Colombo, unnerving the tourists who had returned in record numbers. And then in 2020 there was COVID-19. Even though Sri Lanka managed it well, the world shut down. Shopkeepers in Galle Fort, the beautiful, fortified 17th-century village on the south-west coast, say they closed their stalls ...

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A important full moon poya day of Buddhists – ‘ Poson ‘ – By Malsha – eLanka Poson Poya Day is an important religious holiday celebrated in Sri Lanka. It commemorates the arrival of Buddhism to the country in the 3rd century BC. Poson Poya is observed on the full moon day in the month of Poson (June), according to the lunar calendar followed in Sri Lanka. On this day, Buddhists in Sri Lanka engage in various religious activities to honor the introduction of Buddhism to the country. One of the significant events associated with Poson Poya is the arrival of Arahat Mahinda, the son of Emperor Ashoka, to Sri Lanka. Arahat Mahinda is believed to have introduced Buddhism to the island by converting King Devanampiya Tissa and his subjects. During Poson Poya, Buddhists visit temples and engage in religious rituals. Many people also participate in pilgrimages to important Buddhist ...

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Jetavanaramaya: the third tallest ancient structure in the world! – By Silkroute Source : Silkroute linkedin Jetavanaramaya is a famous Buddhist temple located in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. It is one of the largest stupas (domed structures) in the world and holds great historical and religious significance. Here are some key details about Jetavanaramaya: Location: Jetavanaramaya is situated in the ancient city of Anuradhapura, which is located in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. Construction: The stupa was built during the reign of King Mahasena (273-301 AD) of the Anuradhapura Kingdom. It took nearly 15 years to complete and stands as a testament to ancient Sri Lankan engineering and architectural prowess. Dimensions: Jetavanaramaya stands approximately 122 meters (400 feet) in height, making it the tallest stupa in the world and the third tallest ancient structure in the world. The base of the stupa covers an area of about 2.3 hectares (5.7 acres). Architectural Features: The stupa ...

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The economy During Sigiriya was the Capital of Ceylon. – By Dr Tilak S. Fernando Although I managed (the author of the book) to systematically detail different epochs of economic development in ancient Ceylon, it is impossible to forecast, in detail, during the Sigiriya reign. It is because it is impossible to categorise Sigiriya’s economy into various sections. Because the King murdered his father and all his subjects and the Buddhist clergy despising the King had become a political problem.    According to old folk stories, King Kasyapa collected wealth. He kept it in protected custody, but later, out of that fortune, he constructed a beautiful chamber out of gold and lived there as emperor Wesamuni. His wealth was considered by all the kings from the Anuradhapura era. According to folk stories, once he (Kasyapa 1) ordered the killing of all cooks and horse keepers to be killed as his ...

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               AN ODYSSEY  –  AND A SEARCH FOR HERITAGE. (PART 1) – by Bernard VanCuylenburg. PROLOGUE. Travel is an apt metaphor for life. There is a mystical side to any journey, specially to lesser known archaeological sites which one has never visited before. While travelling we realize that life cannot be wholly planned and controlled however much we prepare in advance for our own futures. Having visited the more famous historical treasures of ancient Ceylon some more than others, many of which are today World Heritage Sites, I surmised long ago from what I had seen, the limited research that I undertook, and the books I read, that Sri Lanka virtually groans under the weight of its cultural cachet, and there is much more to be revealed by the archaeologist’s spade which promises to be a cultural cornucopia. Illustrating this point, let me quote from the book “Essaying into Serendipity” ...

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Stories Behind Names of Places in Sri Lanka – PALAGALA – By Dr. Nimal Sedera Source :  Queensland Sri Lankan Newsletter – Dæhæna – April 2023 This article series has been on for a long period. I take great pleasure in doing this article as the feedback is that many read it. These stories are not my original findings. They are the wealth gained by reading the work of other people. Stories in our history becomes his or her story.  This month, I write how a village in the Anuradhapura got its name “PALAGALA”. Palagala is now a Pradesheeya Sabha in Anuradhapura. Almost all the names of villages and places in and around Anuradhapura are linked to some King that ruled from the Anuradhapura Kingdom. This naming is linked to the famous King Dhathusena who built the mighty Kalaweva reservoir. He considered Kalaweva as his wealth. When the tank was ...

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