INAUGURATION: Jayantha Palipane, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Qatar, opening the New Year celebrations.
Famous comedian Wilson Gunaratne and the popular TV actress Anjali Himaya Bandara were flown in from the Pearl Island to celebrate the Sinhala and Tamil New Year in Doha, writes Umer Nangiana
Hundreds of Sri Lankan community members in Doha danced and sung their way to another Sinhala and Tamil New Year (Bak Maha Ulela 2014).
The New Year marks the harvest of a year’s hard work — ploughing of fields for a new crop that is reckoned to bring prosperity and growth. It warranted celebrations and people from the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean” had a day to remember.
Ignoring the rising mercury last Friday, Sri Lankan expatriates in Qatar flocked to Al Sadd Sports Club in large numbers to partake a day-long recreation comprising Sri Lankan games, played to the beat of traditional songs and ballads.
The Sinhala and Tamil New Year falls on April 14.
The New Year celebrations were organised by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Qatar in collaboration with the Sri Lankan Co-ordinating Committee (SLCC) Qatar.
“I wish all my fellow Sri Lankans a happy New Year. I am happy that a large number of our community members participated in the celebrations,” Jayantha Palipane, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Qatar, told Community. He thanked all the government agencies of Qatar and other sponsors who assisted the embassy and the Sri Lankan community in organising the event.
The winners of different games and specially arranged on-the-spot lotteries were showered with gifts and prizes — as handsome as a return air ticket to Sri Lanka.
A large number of men, women and children took part in games such as track-and-field 100metre (male and female), 1,500metre marathon, 4x100metre relay, volleyball, breaking the pot (male and female), lime and spoon (female), pillow fight, tug-of-war (male and female), Raban, Jana Kavi, fancy dress (children and adults), Singithi Avurudu Kumari and 10 metre Rabbit Race.
The event was all about sharing love and happiness and the organisers had set the stage accordingly, fulfilling their promise of making it “a day full of fun and joy”. Famous comedian Wilson Gunaratne and the popular TV actress Anjali Himaya Bandara were flown in from Sri Lanka to perform at the ceremony.
“I know humour has healing powers to treat those suffering from stress and tension. I keep performing for the people and believe it is my duty as an actor and satirist,” Gunaratne told Community in a chat after the show.
Youngsters on the ground of the sports club just let loose listening to the melodious voices of Bandara and other local singers. Some had even brought along their own guitars and drums while others simply turned empty water bottles into ‘drums’ to provide extra bass to the upbeat music.
“I am enjoying out here. It was a good opportunity for all of us to get together with family and friends on this special occasion although it was a little hot today,” said one of the participants. He wished more artists from Sri Lanka had come to perform at the event.
Some traditional games, fervently participated by youth, remained the highlight of the show. ‘Kota Pora’, a traditional game that forms part of the rural culture, attracted most spectators. It is a sort of duel where two opponents challenge each other for a show of strength.
‘Kaba addilla’, a form of tug-of-war, was played and appreciated with the same zest.
Al Bateel Band along with Rataviruwo Talent Star Winner, Milan Sures and 4th Place, S Sudagaran also performed on the occasion. The Rataviruwo competition is held among Sri Lankan expatriates — or Rataviru as they are known —from across the Gulf countries.
“Rataviru is synonymous with all those who make immense contributions towards the prosperity and well-being of the motherland by working hard abroad, earning remittance for the country,” Lalith Jayasekara, the President of Sri Lankan Community Benevolent Fund (SLCBF) Qatar, a sister organisation of SLCC Qatar, told Community.
It is his organisation which is responsible for raising funds for all such community activities besides pooling in money for community welfare programmes, including financial and medical assistance to the needy community members.
All the prizes and gifts were arranged and managed by Mahesh Abhayapala, the country manager of Trico International, Doha. “We are thankful to our main sponsors, Ooredoo and Qatar’s Ministry of Interior, this year,” said Jayasekara.
Sri Lankan Airlines, New White Oceanic Restaurants and SLCC also sponsored the prizes. A raffle for air ticket and refrigerator was held at the end of the programme.
The SLCBF ran a food stall at the venue. Traditional breakfast was served by Lanka Lions.
Sri Lanka’s premier television station, Rupavahini Corporation, covered the event which will be telecast back home at a later date.
Soon after the breakfast, people turned towards games. Besides conventional games, families and children preferred fun games such as competitions that saw bursting of balloons, eating a bun in quickest time, elephant-eye, longest hair competition for females (digamma konday), feeding yoghurt (male and female), coconut scraping (female) and mystery man.
Sri Lankan Sports Club (SSC) Wakrah, Lanka Lions, Black Cats, Sri Lankan Friends, St. Sylvester’s College Kandy, OBA Qatar and community members handled the registration and execution of sports events and cultural games.
The President SLCC George Bandula and other executive committee members supervised the arrangements. In conclusion, people were given the opportunity to have photographs taken with their favourite artistes.
BELOW:
1) ON SONG: Popular TV actress Anjali Himaya Bandara regaling the audience.
2) FOR LAUGHS: Wilson Gunaratne, a famous comedian from Sri Lanka (left) performing a skit alongside his son.
3) CAUGHT IN THE ACT: Contestants engage in a pillow fight.
4) ENJOYMENT: Members of the Sri Lankan community being entertained by traditional music.
