The grand celebrations, featuring multiple recreational activities, music and dance by artists flown in from Sri Lanka, attracted more than 10,000 people. The event was organised by the Sri Lankan Coordinating Committee (SLCC), under the patronage of Sri Lankan embassy in Qatar.
Actress Lanka Kariyawasam and other artistes were flown from Sri Lanka for the event.
Bak Maha Ulela is reckoned to bring prosperity and growth. People believe withdrawing money on this day would bring them luck. They also do charity on this day and then get together with family and friends to celebrate the day.
“On a specific time reckoned to be lucky on this day, everyone in Sri Lanka rushes to banks to withdraw money as they believe it would bring them riches in the coming year. Then they go to temples before dressing up in new clothes and holding parties for family and friends,” Tenisan De Silva, the President of SLCC tells Community.
INAUGURATION: Sri Lankan ambassador Prof Dr WM Karunadasa lighting the traditional lamp to kick start the celebrations.
The Sri Lankan community in Qatar gathered at Al Sadd Sports Club. The festivities started early in the morning at 7am with the chief guest, Sri Lankan ambassador Prof Dr WM Karunadasa lighting the traditional lamp.
As per the tradition, the programme began with children, dressed in traditional attire, welcoming the chief guest followed by the hoisting of the national flags of Qatar and Sri Lanka, with national anthems of the two countries playing in the background.
The entry was free for everyone and the SLCC had made arrangements to serve all the participants with traditional Sri Lankan breakfast at the opening of the event.
Ambassador Karunadasa in his speech wished a happy new year to all Sri Lankans in Qatar. Praising their attitude and behaviour, the ambassador further urged the Sri Lankan community members to properly follow the law and regulations of Qatar, their second home.
Following the oil lamp lighting, the drummers dressed in traditional attire amused the audience with their music.
The organising committee had lined up many traditional and sport events for the participation of community members for which they arrived early to register. The event was hosted on stage by compere Mahesh Abeypala.
Dozens of men, women and children participated in games including pillow fight, volleyball, tug-o-fwar, 100-metre-race, breaking the pot, fancy dress, fancy dress (children), jana kavi, raban, pol gahama (female), digama kondey (female), elephant eye, bursting the balloon (children), singithi avurudu kumari (children) and avurudu kumariya (18-30 years).
This year the ladies had a new event, Aurudu Kumariya. The women dressed up in Osariya Sarees (a traditional Sri Lankan dress) to compete in the beauty contest. The winner walked away with a grand prize.
Popular actresses Umayangana Wickramasinghe, Muthu Tharanga, Lanka Kariyawasam, and award-winning comedian Sando Haris, flown in from Sri Lanka, entertained the participants at the day-long event.
“People usually see these stars and famous people only on TV and cinema screens. So this was their chance to meet them and take pictures with their favourite stars,” says the SLCC president.
Umayangana primarily appears in films and television series. She began her career as a news presenter for Derana TV. Her first appearance as an actress was in the television drama Katu Imbula.
She went on to appear in many Sri Lankan television series, including Sundarai Premaya and Ithin Ita Passe. In 2010, she won the Most Popular Tele Drama Actress award at the Sumathi Award ceremony.
Sando Harris was a particular attraction with his jokes and skits. Harris entered the Sinhala Cinema with the movie Jayashakthi. In his artistic life, he also became popular as a fight director and gave new breath to villainous roles.
The Doha-based Sri Lankan band Shayara also performed at the celebrations, while the sound system was provided by the Black Cat Music Group, Qatar. Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation recorded the event to be telecast in Sri Lanka at a later date.
The Sri Lankan Community Benevolent Fund (SLCBF) operated a food stall at the venue, the proceeds from which would go towards helping the needy in the community. Traditional breakfast sponsored by hotels in Doha was served by Lanka Lions.
SLCC president Tenisan De Silva thanked all the sponsors and event co-ordinating organisations including Sri Lanka Quantity Surveyors Association, Lanka Lions Qatar, Sri Lanka Friends Club, Sri Lions Doha, Qatar Old Boys Associations of St. Silvester College and Ananda College of Sri Lanka and all the distinguish invitees and attendees.
He particularly thanked Bandula Rathnayake and Al Sabah Contracting Team for the construction of the main stage, Nuwan Samarakoon for lighting and power arrangements, and Black Cat Music Group for the sound arrangements.
The SLCC president extended his gratitude to the Sri Lankan ambassador and the embassy staff members for their efforts. “Our ambassador deserved credit as he has been actively involved in all the arrangements for this event and we really thank him for his efforts,” says Tenisan.
He appreciated the assistance received from the Sri Lanka Coordinating Committee, the Sri Lanka Benevolent Fund, and the Sri Lanka Business Council Qatar.
The main sponsors of the programme were Vodafone and National Savings Bank. The airline sponsor was Srilankan Airlines. The co-sponsors were Trico International, Readymix Qatar and Al Bateel Securicor, with Lankadeepa as the media sponsor.
Sri Lanka Quantity Surveyors Qatar, Sri Lankan Sports Club Doha, Sri Lankan Friends Club, Sri Lions Doha, Lanka Lions Doha, St. Sylvester’s College Kandy OBA Qatar, Old Anandians in Doha and National Savings Bank, Sri Lanka helped with the co-ordination of the event.
