The National Kite Festival  which was postponed due to the inclement weather conditions has been rescheduled for the 10th and 11th of October 2015. The event will be held at Galle Face Green and the same agenda will be followed.

The kite competition will be open for both children (under 14) and open groups under the categories of the Most Creative Kite, The Kite of National Heredity, spreading the message of “A Drug Free Country” kite and an open category named The Best Fighting Kite

The festival will also include special kite making workshops, face painting, art workshops, film festivals, magic shows and other fun activities for the entire family. Organized by Kite Sri Lanka, in collaboration with the Presidential Task Force on Drug Prevention and Sri Lanka Tourism.

 Kite Sri Lanka Organization, the most prominent Kite Association of the country committed to bringing forth peace and harmony within and beyond the island through the means of a kite will create a space for the inherited kite culture and traditions practiced by different ethnic groups during the festival. The organizers have focused specially on eco – friendly materials over the polythene usage in kite making. It will be an ideal platform for creative local kite makers to show their talents while strengthening the Sri Lankan kite industry over the flow of imported kites.

 The involvement of the Presidential Task Force on Drug Prevention will make a meaningful difference to the National Kite Festival  is spreading the message of “A Drug Free Country”. Different kite competitions, awareness programs under the theme will be featured during the festival fueling the national movement on drug prevention.

 The festival will be magnified with the participation of a number of international kite observers and delegates from several countries. Kite Sri Lanka Organization after participating in a number of international kite festivals during the recent past, have created strong ties with international kite fliers and kite organizations who have been invited to the National Kite Festival 2015. Each participating country will have a separate slot in representing their own kite traditions to share experiences of the international kite industry with local kite lovers.

With all these special features, Kite Sri Lanka Organization is ready to host the National Kite Festival: . The organizers invite all kite lovers across the country to join hands with the mega kite festival of the year while enjoying kite making, watching and flying during 10th and 11th of October at Gall Face Green.

The Flamingos are back to Sri Lanka.

Slowly and surely the migratory Flamingos are flocking to north Sri Lanka, although they are shunning the south.
There are about 750 Greater Flamingos in Mannar, about 150 in Jaffna and about 100 on Kayts island this season, says the Joint Secretary of the Ceylon Bird Club, Kithsiri Gunawardena, who has made many a trip up north recently.Although not swelling to the 5,000-6,000 Flamingos recorded in 2003-04, he is happy that the numbers which dropped to about 200 in Mannar between 2007 and 2009 are now on the increase.

The south of Sri Lanka particularly Bundala which used to be colourfully adorned by the beauty of 1,500-2,000 Greater Flamingos.

Going into the intricacies of the sensitivity of the eco-system, in which the balance may be tilted by even mild changes, this avid bird-watcher explains that seven to eight years ago Bundala saw large flocks of Greater Flamingos as the lure was the tiny insect-larvae they preyed on. These larvae thrived in the brackish water-bodies of Bundala but when fresh water got mixed with the brackish water due to the Lunugamvehera project, the salinity dropped and the insect-larvae were not able to survive.No food meant there would be no Greater Flamingos, is the obvious conclusion, and if only environmental experts were called in to minimise the effects, Sri Lanka’s south would still attract these beautiful birds, it is understood.

Lamenting that Flamingos which make their way from the Rann of Kutch in Pakistan where they breed and then migrate south during the winter, have one less habitat now with the loss of Bundala, he urges the protection of what is left – Mannar, Jaffna and Chundikulam.It is a lesson on the exotic birds, both migrant and resident, that Mr. Gunawardena gives when the Sunday Times asks about speculation that the migrants have not come in their usual numbers to Sri Lanka this season.

Sri Lanka has 453 species of birds of which 237 species are resident birds which means that they breed here. The balance 216 bird species are migrants among whom 72 species are considered “vagrants” coming on and off unlike the others which are regulars. Sri Lanka which is at the tip of India shares 89% of all bird species with India but 11% of the resident birds here are endemic.This has come about due to different climates and elevations within our tiny country.. The endemism is due to montane and low-land forests.

Referring to speculation that migrant-bird numbers have dropped, he points out that climate change and the recent floods which have inundated large tracts of land have scattered the ducks and waders. It will only be the Water Fowl Census which is carried out in February that would indicate whether the numbers have dropped or there are fluctuations.Climate change, according to him, which has far-reaching effects has also had an impact on the migratory patterns. Usually, the migrant-season in Sri Lanka is from end-September (2012) to end-March 2013, but the severe winter in the Arctic had brought in its wake, the migrants here as early as March 2012.

Unfortunately, March to August is when the resident-birds breed, but due to the migrants coming in early, the residents have had to face food issues. Some of the waders which arrived in June-July instead of September-October are Black-tailed Godwits and Whimbrels.Getting back to the statistics, that of the 237 resident species, 33 species are endemic and for 90% of these the only home is the low-land forests mainly Sinharaja, Samanala kanda and Knuckles.

This is why there needs to be stringent protection. It is vital to safeguard this endemism by prevention of encroachment into their habitat.The same solution is relevant with regard to migrants – the challenge is to preserve the pristine environment that flagship species such as Flamingos and rare birds such as the Pintail, the Wigeon, the Shovellers and even the Common Teal have made their second home for six months of the year.

Ecology is such a sensitive thing and many factors are inter-connected, he says, comparing it to a car. If one or two nuts and bolts are removed, the car may run for a short while but would ultimately stall and come to a standstill.There are only a few spots in the world like Vidathalthiv, between Pooneryn and Mannar where we can see as many as a million birds at the same time, he says, adding that it is our bounden duty to protect such spots.The greater Flamingos are back to Sri Lanka.

Kandy Perahera.

There are many number of perahara festivals in Sri Lanka. Almost all perahera festivals are based on the religion, especially Buddhism. The Esala Perahera in Kandy is one of the oldest and grandest of all Buddhist pageants in Sri Lanka. Even though it is a Buddhist event, other religions devotees also take part here. The Esala Perahera in Kandy parades along the streets to honor the sacred Tooth Relic and the four ‘guardian’ Gods: Natha, Vishnu, Kataragama and Goddess Pattini.The Kandy Esala Perahera is held annually in July and August on days fixed by the Diyawadana Nilame of the Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic). The Sacred Tooth Relic was brought to Ceylon in the reign of King Kirthisiri Meghawanna who ruled at Anuradhapura from 303 – 331 AD.

On the following new moon in July an Esala tree or at the present time, usually a Jak tree or Rukkattana tree is cut and ‘Kap’ planted in Natha, Maha Vishnu, Kataragama and Pattini dewalas vowing that the perahera will be held. For the next four days the ‘dewala perahera’ is conducted within the dewala premises.
Following this first stage, the perahera goes in procession for ten days in succession over a prescribed route along the main streets of Kandy. On each of these days, the peraheras of dewalas proceed to the entrance to the Dalada Maligawa, where they join the Maligawa perahera and the combined procession goes winding along the prescribed route.
The first six days of the perahera is called the Kumbal Perahera, and the second phase of the perahera, the Randoli Perahera, from the randoli or the gilded palanquins of the four dewalas, which are a feature of the processions the next five nights and the last night is the grandest of all. The main perahera procession consists of five separate peraheras which are Dalada Maligawa Perahera, Natha dewala perahera, Maha Vishnu dewala perahera, Katharagama dewala perahera and Pattini dewala perahera.
All pereharas are comprised with religious and cultural items. Whip crackers lead the way and announce the approach of the perahera by cracking their whips. Whip crackers come into picture only at the commencement of the Randoli Perahera. They do not take part in the kumbal perahera. The flag bearers walk next in single file on either side of the road. After that Peramune rala rides on the first elephant.Next comes the drummers playing Hevisi or martial music on a variety of drums such as dawula, tammettam and bera and blowing horanawa.
The Gajanayaka Nilame comes next. He rides on elephant and carries a silver goad (Ankusa) which is the symbol of his authority. After that Kariyakorale, who is, next to the Diyawadana Nilame. Now comes Maaligawe tusker to carry the perahera karanduwa (golden casket) containing the sacred relics. A canopy is held over the tusker, and pavada. Those who have the privilege of going up to the octagon and watching the formation of the perahera from there still get chance of seeing the Diyawadana Nilame comes into the courtyard of the temple accompanied by drummers and dancers walking on pavada and carrying aloft the golden casket.
The Natha dewala perahera, maha Vishnu dewala perahera, Katharagama  dewala perahera, pattini dewala perahera follows the Maligawa perahera respectively. The long procession ends with the Randolis borne by the tenants of the Dalada Maligawa. The Diyawadana Nilame may, if he desires, invites the Adikarams and Dissawes to walk with him in the Perahera. Furthermore, if for any reason he is unable to officiate in the procession, he may ask one of the Basnayake Nilames to take his place.
Incidentally, the best time to see Esala Perahera is on the last two nights. This festival is a sacred festival to all of us. We have to give our respect as much as we can. As the Sri Lankans we should reserve a time to watch this colorful event lively.

x