A FIRE.

“Fire! Fire!! Fire!!!” That was the cry that came from a hundred mouths early morning on 25th May 1983.

Several Cadman houses had caught fire from a lighted cigarette thrown away by a careless drunkard. Fortunately, it had rained that night and the Cadman being wet, the fires did not spread fast. Fortunately again, someone had telephoned the fire brigade in the nick of time. And then came the fire engines with all speed. Within a few moments, the pumps were fixed to the fire points on the road and water was battling the fast rising flames which were helped by a strong morning breeze. The roofs were gutted, but the house stood on their supporting iron frames. A few items of furniture were burnt, but no heavy damage was done. First aid was rendered to three persons suffering from suffocation. Otherwise, it was a storm in a tea cup or a flicker of flame in a frying pan.

Te hundred mouths were now silent and so were the flames that licked the Cadman’s with forked tongues.

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THE PLANTAI TREE

The plantain tree is commonly found in hot wet regions. Lt grows well in Africa, India and Sri Lanka. The trunk of the tree is made up of fibrous tissues and has plenty of water in it. Lt is soft and delicate. There are about twelve to eighteen branches or leaves which remain green for a very long period.

Lt puts forth just one flower from which comes the fruits. There are various kinds of plantains, of many shapes, colors, tastes and sizes. Some are about four inches in length, with a girth of two to three inches; others are about six inches long with a girth of about there to four inches, red or green in color.

A bunch of plantains has between twenty to forty combs and each comb has between twenty to forty plantains. It can be taken as a dessert or can go along with meals, like dread, rice, rotti, pittu etc.

Some kinds of plantains as plantains are cooked. Lt is a must fro a table at a wedding or almsgiving. Lt is a poor mans gift to the sick or rich. Hindus use the leaves instead of plates. Thousands live by the sale of plantains and leaves.

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THE VALUE OF JAK TREE.

Jak is a giant tree. Grown in many parts of Sri Lanka. It is regarded as one of the important and useful trees. It provides delicious fruits and valuable timber.

Jak fruit is used as a substitute for rice. The fruit is prepared into various tasty dishes depending on its degree of maturity and these dishes are known as different names such as “Polos Embula,” “Polos Melluma” and “kiri Kos”.

There are various kinds of jak trees. Some trees bear very large fruits while some other trees bear small fruits. Jak tree is also called “Bath Gasa” or “Kap Ruka”. It is said that the malnutrition among the children could be eradicated by giving them food related to Jak fruit.

We should realize the value of this tree as a food supplier. A special project was launched for the first time in the Sri Lankan history by Mr. Arthur V. Dias to promote the cultivation of Jak trees in an organized manner. He is also called “Kos Mama”.

A special project has been launched by the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited to plant hundred thousand jak fruit Saplings Island wide. It is a timely action. The Jak tree is considered so precious that the government has banned felling it without a valid permit.

The Ministry of Education has taken steps to make the school children aware of the value of Jak tree. This is done through awareness programmers. Experimenting and promoting different kinds of food and beverages out of Jak fruit is a special project in some schools within the Colombo city.

Jak fruit dehydration Projects have been launched in some rural areas by a number of non – governmental organizations. The main objective of these projects is to develop the use of Jak fruit as a sustainable food resource.

It is the bounden duty of every citizen to preserve this valuable tree.

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VAUE OF HOBBLES.

Everyone, young and old, should have a hobby of some sort for his leisure hours for it adds greatly to the pleasure of life. Hobbies have a recreational and educational value. Hobbies help us to spend our leisure in a useful manner.

There are various kinds of hobbies. Many hobbies take the form of collecting in some form. Collecting stamps is a very popular hobby in our country. Some make collections of picture post cards, wild flowers, sea shells and feathers. Other hobbies are photography, gardening, rearing of pets, reading, swimming, carpentry and painting. A hobby should be quite different from one’s daily work.

Through collecting stamps we can learn about cultures and history of other countries. It is regarded as a source of income too. Some used old stamps fetch very high process. There are stamps, the face value of which is less than ten or fifteen cents, which can now be sold for thousands of rupees. Stamps auctions and exhibitions are held in most of the countries. Gardening too is a printable hobby. The person who is engaged in this hobby can eat fresh and vegetables. In the meantime he can earn some money by selling them.

Those who are engaged in the hobby of reading can improve their knowledge.

There are other hobbies that take the form of games and sports. Some of them are playing cricket, football and volleyball.

Hobbies make our leisure hours pleasant and profitable and also provide us with a deep interest in life.

It is said that the idler’s brain is just like the devil’s workshop. Anyone can engage in some sort of hobby without wasting his or her valuable leisure hours.

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TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN SRI LANKA.

Sri Lanka is famous throughout the world as a tourist paradise. There are many tourist attractions in this island. Most of the tourists come to Sri Lanka for holidaying or for sight seeing.

Sri Lanka has attractions of various sorts to satisfy the varying interests of foreigners. Some of them are ancient ruins, waterfalls, sanctuaries, botanical and sandy beaches. Our country has a proud history. The tourists who are interested in ruined cities, arts and crafts, sculpture and painting can visit our historical cities like Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla and Kandy. We have religious festivals and processions. The Kandy Esala Perahera is world famous. Thousands of foreign tourists visit this perahera which is held in the month of July every year. The fire walking ceremony at Kataragama too attracts thousands of tourists.

There are three main sanctuaries in Sri Lanka. They are Yala, Kumana and Wilpattu. Yala is famous for deer. Wilpattu is famous for wild animals in their natural habitat. The Botanical gardens at Gampaha, Peradeniya and Haggala have become very popular with tourists. Dunhinda is the most beautiful waterfall in Sri Lanka. The other attractive waterfalls are Diyaluma, Bambarakanda and Bopath Ella. Our beaches along the southern coast have become very popular. With tourists, particularly, the beaches at Bentota and Hikkaduwa. In these beaches there are facilities for tourists for sun – bathing and swimming. Another attractive place is the Coral Gardens at Hikkaduwa.

Thousands of tourists visit the world famous Sigiriya. It is famous for its frescoes. Sigiriya is considered the eighth wonder of the world.

A large number of tourist hotels with modern facilities has been set up by the Ceylon Tourist Board throughout the island. Even the private sector companies have put up many tourist hotels.

Nuwara – Eliya has a salubrious climate and this city has become a popular tourist resort today.

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WILD ELEPHANTS IN SRI LANKA.

Giant animals like elephants can be regarded as an asset to a country. But there is a limited number of elephants in our forest reserves today. Wild elephants are faced with the dangerous threat of extinction. This situation has been arisen due to several reasons.

During the past few decades a large forest cover was cleared for development purposes, farming and human settlement. Under this situation elephants lost their natural habitat. As a result of this elephants resorted to raiding plantations for food, sometimes causing human deaths. According to the statistics of the Wild Life conservation department, nearly 75 – 100 elephants are killed in our country every year. Also nearly 25 – 35 people are killed by elephants every year. This is a very sad state of affairs.

The government should find ways and means to solve this man – elephant conflict. Particularly, during the drought season elephants rampage in village in search of water. Sometimes they damage house too. When the cultivations and houses are damaged by wild elephants, farmers compel to kill elephants. Some people kill elephants for their valuable tusks. Even their hair and skin are used to produce various items.

The wild life department alone cannot rescue elephants from danger. All the voluntary organizations should extend their co – operation towards the department to make their effort a success. Although the government has passed laws to stop hunters from killing wild elephants, they do not seen to have been effective.

When we go through the newspapers, we can see reports on killing of wild elephants in somewhere in Sri Lanka almost everyday. It is a heart rending scene to see the pictures of dead elephants published in them.

What can we do to stop this destruction? The government should take steps to prevent people from encroaching into areas where elephants live in large numbers. These areas have to be protected and stern should be taken against those who hunt elephants. As citizens of Sri Lanka we too should assist the government in this connection. Re – a forestation schemes should be introduced to ensure that they have enough foot and water. More elephant orphanages should be set up in such reserves to enable the elephants to live in security. Another way to preserve elephants in the country is to create more public awareness of their fate through the print and Electronic media.

Most of the tourists, both local and foreign are attracted by our sanctuaries where there are herds of wild elephants. It is the bounden duty of everyone to protect these animals.

Statistics of the Department of wild life reveal that the total number of wild elephants in Sri Lanka today is between 3 000 and 3 500. Statistics also reveal that the elephant extinct rate per week is three together with one human demise. Let’s protect our wild elephants.  

My web blog      :- http://.Jayanath.wordpress.com
Home page         :- www.oasisdamahana.org / Student
E-mail                  :- lasanthajp@yahoo.com  
                                 lasanthalaayanath@esrilanka.lk

ADVERTISEMENTS.

Advertisements are a common sight today. Wherever we go we can see various kinds of advertisements displayed in various ways. If we turn the pages of a newspaper or a magazine we come across many advertisements with attractive multi – colored pictures. In addition to advertisements appearing in handbills, posters, newspapers and magazines, there are other more effective kind of advertisements on the cinema, radio and the television.

It is really advertisements that make newspapers possible. Great journals draw the greatest part of their profits from advertisements. Advertisements not only provide income to the newspaper, but also add color and brighten the paper. These attractive advertisements and designed by advertising firms.

There is great competition in the business world today. Manufacturers have realized that they are able to sell their products only by giving publicity to them through advertisements. The producer informs his customers of his products through advertisements. The advertisement provides the customer an opportunity to choose between several brands of goods.

The main objective of every producer today is to maximize his profits by increasing the sale of his products.

It is said that certain advertisements lure a customer into buying a product that he does not really need. Because of the gullibility most of the customers compel to buy such products.

There are various kinds of advertisements in newspapers. Some of them are employment advertisements, obituaries, matrimonial advertisements and classifieds. But some standard newspapers do not hesitate to refuse advertisements that are false and do not come up to what the buyers have been led to expect.

If customer is careful and intelligent, he or she will never compel to buy unnecessary things highlighted in advertisements.

My web blog      :- http://.Jayanath.wordpress.com
Home page         :- www.oasisdamahana.org / Student
E-mail                  :- lasanthajp@yahoo.com  
                                 lasanthalaayanath@esrilanka.lk

A PLACE OF RELIGLOUS IMPORTANCE.

There are several places of religious importance in Sri Lanka. Among them, Sri Pada is regarded as the most important religions place.

Sri Pada is a sacred mountain situated in the Sabaragamuwa province. The distance from Colombo to this place is 101 km. The height of this mountain is 7362 ft.

The chief significance of Sri Pada is that it is held sacred by people belonging to all the four major religions.

Buddhists believe that the sacred foot print at Sri Pada is that of Lord Buddha while Hindus believe the foot prints of Adam. So they called it Adam’s Peak. Christians believe it to be the foot print of Christ’s disciple Thomas. Accordingly, Sri Pada has become a sacred place of all religions. 

Devotees go on pilgrimage to this sacred mountain every year. The Pilgrimage season begins in December and ends in May. Thousands of devotees can be seen climbing this mountain during this period. They usually go as groups. The leader of the group is called “Nade Gura”. They recite devotional verses while climbing the mountain. People in all walks of like climb it. The young ones help old people to climb. They climb the mountain as members of a same family. They stop at resting places and have their meals. They share their meals among themselves. They don’t feel tired as their minds are filled with religious thoughts. Some people wear warm clothes as it is cold on the top of the mountain.

It is said that this sacred mountain is protected by God Saman. That is why it is called “Samanala Kanda”.

In ancient times people have been to this sacred place from various parts of the country on foot, as there were no transport facilities then.

It is the bounden duty of everybody to behave in decent manner in this sacred place, where the Lord Buddha has set foot thousand years ago.

My web blog      :- http://.Jayanath.wordpress.com
Home page         :- www.oasisdamahana.org / Student
E-mail                 :- lasanthajp@yahoo.com  
                               lasanthalaayanath@esrilanka.lk

A FOLK TALE.

A folk tale is a story originating among the people and handed down by them. There are many folk tales in Sri Lanka. Here is one of them. This story is about the weaver bird.

Long ago, there was a skilled basket weaver. He was able to weave beautiful cane baskets. One day one of his friends came to his house and admired the beautiful baskets. Then he asked the weaver whether he could teacher this craft to his son. Then the weaver gave the following reply.

“I can teach him how to weave, but he will have to help me in my work.” He agreed to that condition and after one week his son came to the weaver’s house and began to work with him. Everyday, the boy had to go to the jungle and bring back some cane. It was a very difficult task. But he did everything happily. Within a short time the boy learnt to weave beautiful baskets. He could work faster than the weaver.

The weaver was jealous of the boy. One night, the weaver killed the boy. God Sacra saw it. He was very angry. He disguised himself as an old man and came to the weaver’s house.

“Why did you kill that innocent boy?” he asked. The weaver thought for a while and decided to tell the truth.

“I was jealous of the boy. So I killed him” he said.

“You told me the truth. You will be able to weave beautifully, but I am going to change you into a bird” said God Sacra, The old weaver looked sad.

“You killed your friend’s son. Your enemies will try to harm your young ones. You will have to work hard to protect them” God Sacra said. At once, the weaver vanished. In his place there was a little brown bird. That bird is the weaver bird. It has to work hard to make its nest safe for its young ones. The entrance to the nest is at the bottom, so snakes cannot get into the nest. The weaver bird is able to protect its young ones.

My web blog      :- http://.Jayanath.wordpress.com
Home page         :- www.oasisdamahana.org / Student
E-mail                  :- lasanthajp@yahoo.com  
                                 lasanthalaayanath@esrilanka.lk