Wild flowers, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

Clay figures of a threshing site, Buthpitiya, Sri Lanka.

On the road from Wathurugama to Gampaha, I saw these life-like clay figures of a threshing floor, in the centre of a paddy field.

Monkeys at a plant nursery, Meepe, Sri Lanka.

'Chedil Kaavady' (Fish-hook Kaavady), Avissawala, Sri Lanka.

In this type of 'Kaavady' fish hooks are inserted to the skin of the back and held together by a strong rope. The ;Kaavady' dancer carried a decorated 'Kaavady' - 'Kaavu+Thady' T - and danced his way on the streets preceding the 'Ther', in a 'Ther' festival.

Sights on the pavement during the 'Ther' festival, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

'Hot Ulundhu and Masaala vadai' for sale on the pavement.

Brass-ware for sale on the pavement.

'Angappradadshanai' - rolling on the ground following a 'Ther', Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

Another act of 'Nerthikkadan' T ('fulfilling a vow to the Diety'}. Here the 'Saiva' devotting is following the 'Ther' procession, rolling on the ground. Acts of self-inflicted torture are part of the tradition of almost all the great religions of the world. Vow of 'Silence', going hungry are the mildest of these acts.

'Thookku kaavadi', Avissawella Sri Lanka.

'Nerthikkadan' in Tamil means 'redeeming a promise made to a Diety'. A devotee would take a vow and promise to a Deity of his ('Ishta theivam') that he would do a certain act of penence if the Deity fulfills a wish made to the Deity. The act of penance can be a simple act like offering a 'poosai' at the temple of the Deity. It ranges from carrying a pot of milk on the head, carrying a decorated pot of milk on the head and dancing ('Karakam'), and carrying a 'Kaavadi' ('Kaavu, Thadhy' - carrying stick) It can take extreme forms like rolling on the ground following a 'Ther' called 'Angappradashanai'. One of the extreme forms is to get fish hooks piercing the skin of the back of the chest and being hung up on  a pole following a procession. This act is called a 'Thookku kaavadi' or 'Paravaikkaavadi'. I took the above two pictures at a 'Ther' festival at the 'Muthumari Amman' temple in Kudagama road, Avissawella.

Click on link below to see video:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoYWuqheOQY&feature=share&list=UU1dqepitfAJwrQWLD-gZ3NA

Scenes from a 'Ther' festival, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

Taking home the returned half of the offering.

The 'Poosary' (the one who does the 'pooja') is given a tray with various types of fruits, a coconut and betel leaves with some coins ( nowadays it is notes). The 'Poosary' breaks the coconut in half and cuts some of the fruits. He then offers it to the consecrated image of the  Diety chanting the appropriate manthras. He then returns the remaining parts of the offering to the devotee who takes it home and shares it with family and friends.

The 'Ther' with the 'light machine' producing current to light up the 'Ther' following it.

'Ther' festival, 'Muthu Mari Amman' temple, Kudagama road, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

The 'Thiruvilaa' ( 'Thiru'+'Ulaa' meaning 'the sacred perambulation' in Tamil) of the resident diety of a Hindu temple, takes place once an year. The image of the diety is placed on a wooden wheeled carved wooden chariot and is drawn on the main roads in the village. The 'Muththu Mari Amman' temple at Kudagama road, Avissawella, had this function a few days back. In the above two photos you see the female devotees arriving for the festival,  and in the lower photo waiting to give their offerings to the diety.

Home garden, Gampaha, Sri Lanka.

Old photos, Ceylon.

Old Fort Railway station. See the profusion of British steel used in the construction. Those were the dayus of British Empire.

Steam engine with attached large coal tender for a long haul. Each of these engines had the name of a distinguished  Britisher, emblazoned in large letters on a steel plate, riveted in a prominent place.

A steam-locomotive on the narrow-gauge 'Kelani Valley line', starting at Colombo Fort and ending at Opanayake about 150 Km away.

Roses, Gampaha, Sri Lanka.

Pet rabbit in a home garden, Gampaha, Sri Lanka.

Blooming 'Kadapul mal', Home garden, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

At 5pm

At 5pm

9pm

9pm

The 'Kadapul mal' as called in Sinhalese, blloms in the early night and spreads an alluring scent. Alas by morning it is faded.

Monkeys at play, Meepe, Sri Lanka.

They play havoc with plantations. Coconut young nuts, rambuttan fruits are targets for pillaging by these wild denizens.

Laughing lassies, Gampaha, Sri Lanka.

I took this picture on a sunny day in a paddy field at Gampaha.

Flowers in our garden, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

Grand-son watching TV, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

My Grand-son needs two arm-chairs to watch TV.

'Gaduguda' and 'Arecanut, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

'Gaduguda' fruit fleshy and sour relished by the yougsters.

Flowers of the 'Arecanut' tree.

Welcome to the new Principal - Ms.Mercy Galagama, Ferguson High School, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

The old 'Assembly Hall where the welcome by the Old Girls Association was held.

Mercy in her school days - leading the School Band - Photo by Ms. S.R.Veerasingam.

Assembly Hall, Ferguson High School, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

The front entrance of the 'Assembly Hall'. This hall was there in 1946 when I was a boarder in the males hostel in this school. It still stands proud.

The rear entrance of the 'Assembly Hall'

Inside the 'Assembly Hall'.

 

The corner of the 'Assembly Hall' where the 2nd standard had its classes in 1946. I was in this class and there might have been ten students in the class at that time.

The world's first female Prime Minister Madam Sirimavo Bandaranaike, who hailed from Balangoda, attended this School. Her daughter Madam Chandrika Bandaranaike who was a President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, unveiled a plaque near the entrance to the assembly hall.