BEGGAR PROBLEM IN SRI LANKA.

Hundreds of beggars, both young and old, can be seen in our populous cities like Colombo, kandy and kurunegala. Thousands of other beggars go from house to house in rural areas.

They have taken to begging as they do not have homes any means of living and also as they do not have homes of their own. This situation has been arisen due to various factors prevailing in our society. Poverty, parental death and illness, loss of parental love and affection and loss of love and affection of their children are some of them. The number of beggars is increasing day by day.

Most of the beggars are not disabled. Most of them are able bodied. They can earn money by doing some sort of work. But they beg because they are lazy. They think that begging is the easiest way of living.

Sometimes, beggars become a nuisance to tourists. They drag after the tourists grumbling until they are given something.

Beggars wear ragged clothes. Even children in the age group of
5 – 10 years can be seen begging. This is a very sad state of affairs. Most of these children have lost their parental love and affection. According to the Police, most of these children become criminals at the end.

During the past few years several camps were established by the government for beggars. But they do nit like to live in these camps. So most of them have escaped from these camps.

They walk under the scorching sun. they get wet in the rain. But these things do not affect their health.

It is the bounden duty of the government to look into this burning problem and take steps to wipe out beggary. This can be done by setting up special homes for beggars. The government alone cannot solve this problem. All the social service associations and other voluntary organizations should extend their co – operation towards the government in this connection. Children who are engaged in begging should be schooled and taught a trade or vocation. The able bodied must be provided with some sort of employment. Laws should be passed to ban begging.

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

FISH KEEPING.

Fish keeping or rearing is a great hobby among teenagers and even adults in Sri Lanka, and elsewhere. Some do it on small scale, others on a big scale. But nearly every home has just a few fish in a bowl inside the house.

Young boys, especially school boys have taken to this hobby with a lot of interest and at great expense. In some houses, there are aquariums of various sizes, shapes, and colors. There are adults and even companies which deal in fish and fly them across the seas.

Fish keeping is a very good hobby because it keeps young boys engaged in their leisure hours and come to know about life in a big way.

How delightful it is to know the habits of multi – colored fish like the ‘angels’, georamas’, ‘Siamese fighters’, ‘zebras’, ‘sword tails’, ‘jewel fish’, ‘horse fish’ and scores of other fish that swim so beautifully in the glass – cages and live safely in these concrete – glass ‘prisons’. They seem so happy and contented.

As in any other business or industry, there is the sale of fish and bartering. These readers also learn the art of inter – breeding fish and so getting hybrids. It is a wonderful experience to talk to some of these teenagers and see how much of knowledge they have gained from this paying and entertaining hobby.

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

THE LOCAL FISHIHG INDUSTRY.

Our fishing industry is as old as when time began. Of course, it was not so high in standard, as today. Long before fishermen caught fish in the Indian Ocean, our men caught fresh water fish in the Mahaweli Ganga, Kalu Ganga, Kelani Ganga and in the many water holes scattered throughout the island. Fist in those places contained a lot of blood and vitamins, unlike the salt water fish of the sea.

The tasty loola, magura, weligowwa, theliya, koraliya and the kanaya enriched the blood of the Sinhala race that produced the engineering wonders of the ruined cities and tanks.

Today, Sri Lanka’s population has risen by leaps and bounds to 18 million and the rivers and water holes and streams cannot supply the fish to feed these millions. So, sea – fishing on a big scale has been launched. With foreign aid, especially from Norway, trawlers, mechanized boats with nylon nets, rods and other fishing gear set out morning and evening to reap the harvest of the Sri Lanka seas and come in with their catches of seer, shark, cod, rock fish, sprats, crabs, prawns, lobsters and a variety of other fish. There are collecting stations in several coastal towns that are engaged in fishing as Negombo, Kalpitiya, Galle, Matara, Batticaloa, Jaffna and Kankasanthurai. They bring in plenty of fish, but often beyond the purse of the common man, because of the purchases made by the Tourist Hotels at fantastic prices.

Home page     :- www.oasisdamahana.org / Student
E-mail              :- lasanthajp@yahoo.com
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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.

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

DRUG MENACE

Drug menace has become a burning in Sri Lanka. The number of drug addicts is increasing day by day.

As described the Psychologists, drug addiction is a state of indiscriminate of herbs and herbal preparations, which enslaves the user to them. This is not something new in human society. What is new and alarming is the indiscriminate use of drugs on an unimaginably large scale which may be attributed to spiritual and religious value systems that kept man integrated as person and with his family and society.

Some of these drugs are Cannabis, heroin, brown sugar, cocaine, LSD and marijuana. It appears that the most widely used drug is heroin. Drug addiction is fast spreading in urban areas of our country. According to the Police reports 50% of all crimes in Sri Lanka are drug related. Dope peddlers earn a large sum of money through this business.

The drug addicts think only of their temporary satisfaction. They never realize its harmful effects. When a person takes drugs he abruptly becomes insane. He does not know who he is and what he is doing. He cannot identify even his own brothers and sisters. It is said that even school children are addicted to drugs. This is a very sad state of affairs. At present Counseling centers have been set up in several government hospitals to give free advice and treatment for drug addicts. Special programmers must be implemented throughout the country in order to make all keenly aware of the harmful effects of the drugs.

The government alone cannot solve this problem. All the social services organizations and voluntary organizations must extend their co-operation towards the government to eradicate the drug menace.

Smoking is also a baneful habit. It has been revealed that smoking is increasing in developing countries such as Sri Lanka, India and Malaysia. Despite the anti-tobacco campaign worldwide, global consumption of tobacco grows rapidly. Rate of smoking among the youth too has been increased. The World Health Organization says that tobacco use is a communicated disease, communicated through advertising and sponsorship of mainly sports. Tobacco advertising directly or means of sports helps persuade non-smokers to start smoking and helps dissuade smoker from quitting. Tobacco companies spend hundreds of millions of dollar every year into sponsoring sports events worldwide. Many athletes, sports fans and spectators of sporting events are young people and it is those young whom the tobacco companies are targeting through sponsorship and advertising. This is a very sad state of affairs.

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

NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

Today nuclear weapons are threatening the world with total destruction. If the leaders of the big powers like America, Russia, France, Germany and the NATO do not come to a settlement the whole world is doomed to destruction.

A nuclear war, unlike the previous wars we have seen and read in history, will not be for years, months, days or hours. It will begin and like a flash of lightning, in a few seconds.

While the U.S. was busy with its very expensive space programmers, Russia began a huge military nuclear build – up. The Russians failed in the space in several ways and the United States won the distinction of being the first country to land a man on the moon. So in shame and jealousy, the Russian nuclear machine has been strengthened beyond the U.S. nuclear warheads and if a war were to take place presently, the Russians can be dangerous. No doubt, the NATO powers, along with the U.B., have their nuclear missiles aimed constantly at Moscow, but no one knows what diabolical things the Russians have behind their “iron curtain”.

Today only a button has to be pressed and the nuclear warheads will hit their targets with steady precision and the world will end in heaps of ash and clouds of smoke. He who strikes first has the better winning chance.

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

A NATLONAL FESTIVAL

There are several National Festivals in Sri Lanka. Among them the Sinhala and Hindu New Year is regarded as the most important National Festival.

The New Year festival is held in the month of April every year. It does not fall on a fixed day every year. The date is fixed by the astrologers. In most of the years it falls on the 13th of April, This is a festival of cultural, social and national importance. All the activities connected with this festival are done according to auspicious times under traditional customs. There is an almanac in every house. All the auspicious times are mentioned in it.

Before this great day people do so many things. They color their houses and prepare sweet meats. They go shopping and buy new clothes in lucky colors. They buy gifts too.

The period between the old year and the new year is called “Nonagathe time” which is regarded as an unlucky time. During this period people engage in religious activities. They go to temple and offer flowers. Children set off crackers. They also play on the swings.

First of all the hearth is lit at the auspicious time and the traditional milk rice is cooked. Then they partake the first meal of milk rice. After partaking the first meal they engage in other activities. They wear new clothes and exchange money with others. The children offer sheaf’s of betel and worship their elders.

Anointing oil too is done at an auspicious time. This is usually done at the village temple. The first bath and setting out to work are also done at an auspicious time.

New year competitions are held on village level. There are lot of traditional games. Some of them are Panchi, Porapol and Ang-kelli. Olinda and Raban are the popular games among women. The other games that can be seen are pillow fight, cadjan weaving and coconut scraping.

The sweet song of “koha” and the throb of the rabana are heard everywhere. People in all walks of life spend the New Year Joyfully.

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

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 COMICAL CHARACTER.

The world is full of all types of people as the crooks, the criminals, the cowards, the lazy, the active, the morose, the comic and several other characters. In my opinion, the comic character is a pleasant one, as he bears no ill – will to anyone, but is a source of happiness and laughter to others.

Kings of old had in their courts, clownish and comic characters to make them happy in their dull moments. In English literature, there are clowns like Fester, who amused the rich and in our own Lanka there were men like André, who made all laugh by their antics.

Such a man has l seen in Colombo. He is Mr. Silva. He wears a ragged black coat, torn slacks and an old pair of shoes of different kinds. He normally stands near the crowded stations or bus halts and lectures on the evils done by some of the politicians and says that he would be the next Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. Then he says that he would catch every politician now in power by the scuff of his neck and throw them out, everything would be given free and no Army, Navy or Air Foci is needed for him to rule Sri Lanka. People ask him to what party he belongs. He says “Pus Party.”

Then boys start hooting and pelting him with banana skins and what not and he like the Christ makes a quick get away from the crowd.

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

A LONG JOURNEY BY VAN.

It was the 15th of August 1982, when I made my longest journey by bus to Point Pedro from Galle. The distance was over 250 miles from one end of Sri Lanka to the other end from the southernmost point to the northernmost point, almost.

Twenty of my class mates had decided before we got our August holidays to do this trip by van and after two weeks of our holidays we began this memorable journey. Really, we were a jolly band of musicians, jokers and holiday revelers, who made the journey so very enjoyable.

We began the journey in the very early hours of Saturday morning, at 4.00 a.m. to be exact. The driver of the van was a smart fellow and knew the roads like the lines of the palm of his hand. Miles flew like arrows and in half a day we were in Anuradhapura, viewing the ancient glories of the Sri Lanka’s past. Our cooks provided excellent succulent dishes of venison and wild boar which were sold on the roads.

It being a 6 day trip, we slept in churches, temple and under the moonlight in safe tents.

As we journeyed from Anuradhapura to the arid wastes of Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Jaffna, we saw the beauty of Sri Lanka, it’s flora, fauna, terrain river ponds and a thousand of other scenes that words fail me to describe them in detail with all their grandeur.

We returned after this six day tour tired, but happy.

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