humanityashore.com

by Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai

The “Aadi Poora Mahotsavam” of the Sri Mayurapathy Paththirakaali temple is currently being held for the 22nd time. The annual chariot festival of the Sri Mayurapathy Paththirakaali temple was held on July 26th 2009.

The streets of Bambalapitty and Wellwatte looked colourful and cheerful today, as the five chariots moved slowly on a cloudy and humid day. Thousands of devotees dressed elegantly and thronged the Sri Mayurapathy Paththirakaali Amma temple at dawn. [Read & see more]

by Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai

“Aadi Pooram” is a special day which is dedicated to the Goddess. It is also known as “Aadi Poora Mahotsavam”. Hindus in Sri Lanka celebrated the day in the morning of July 25th 2009.

The female devotees carried a pot of pure milk on their heads from one temple to another temple on a cloudy day. Then the Goddess idol in the temple is showered with pure milk by the priest. [Click here to See & Read more]

by Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai

Today July 17th, is Aadi Pirappu. Kozhukkattai-Traditional sweet is made to welcome the month of Aadi (Tamil Month of July according to Tamil Almanac).

According to the Tamil calendar, Aadi is the fourth month of the year. The first day of this month, usually falling on July 16-17, is celebrated as Aadi Pandigai or Aadi Pirappu, which is an important festival to most Tamils, especially newly-weds. The Aagamas and the Vedas ascribe no special significance to the day and so it is seen and celebrated more as a traditional festival.

Red rice flour is used to make Kozhukkattai

Small flour bowls are made

Filling is made of boiled Green Gram, scrapped coconut and powdered sugar cane candy

The edge is being designed. It’s called “Pal” (Tooth) in Tamil.

Aadi is also a sacred month. The birth of Aadi itself known as Aadi Pirappu, is important and on that day special food is prepared to herald the month – the aadi kool, a porridge which is served to all who may call on that day. Together with this, Aadi Sevvaai, the Tuesdays in the month of Aadi, Aadi Puram, the Puram asterism in the month of Aadi and Aadi Amaavaasai, the Amaavaasai day in the month of Aadi, are all important days. Despite all these important days, the month of Aadi is considered an inauspicious month for occasions like weddings, housewarming ceremonies etc.

Related: Tamil Festivals

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HumanityAshore.org ~ Email: dushi.pillai@gmail.com

Wagha Border lies between Pakistan and India

It’s known as the “Berlin Wall of Asia”. The Wagha Border is situated in the city of Lahore in Pakistan and in the city of Amritsar. Flag hoisting ceremony of both countries takes place every morning and flag lowering ceremony takes place in the evening. Sunrise adds colour to the morning ceremony, while the sunset adds beauty to the evening closing ceremony.

A large number of people gather on both sides of the border to witness the daily ceremony. People sing and cheer when the national anthems of their countries are being played. The soldiers on both sides dress up in ceremonial attire and carry out their duty.

The bus service from Amritsar to Lahore was inaugurated on January 24th 2006. Divided Punjab was linked for the first time in January 2006, after partition in 1947. The total journey from Amritsar to Lahore is 60kilometers (37 miles) long. The Pakistan bus was named “Dosti” which means friendship, while the Indian bus was named “Punj Aab, named after five rivers.

According to media reports, well-known Pakistani folk singer Reshma, who was on the bus along with her troupe, said, “I had planned to come to India by air, but I got my ticket cancelled when I learnt this is the first time in the history of India and Pakistan that a Lahore-Amritsar bus service is being started from today(January 20th 2006).”

Punjab is said to have derived its name from the five rivers that flow through this region. The Indus, the Sutlej, the Beas, the Ravi and the Ghaggar.

HumanityAshore.org ~ Email: dushi.pillai@gmail.com

By Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai

One of the transparent banners at the event

The Journalism Awards for Excellence is called “J Awards” by the journalists. It celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. The Annual Journalism Awards for Excellence 2008 was held at the Mount Lavinia Hotel n July 14th2009. The event was organized by The Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka (TEGOSL) and the Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI). It was a night of honour and celebration for the scribes. Glittering awards night was held on July 14th 2009 at Mount Lavinia Hotel. The event was attended by a large number of journalists.

The panel of judges for Journalism Awards for Excellence 2008 were Professor Tissa Kariyawasam, Amal Jayasinghe, Mrs. Vijita Fernnado, Mr.P.Balasingham, Mr.Sarath Cooray, Mr.K.S.Sivakumaran, Mrs.Annaluxmi Rajadurai, Mr.Latheef Farook, Mr.Ratnasiri Arangala, Mr.Promod de Silva, and Professor Sunanda Madduma Bandara.

Traditional drums are being played at the beginning of the ceremony to welcome the guests

The National Anthem is being played

Performance by Revelation

Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Anula de Silva, Louis Benedict, Pararajasingham Balasingham, Thalangama Jayasinha and S.Shanmugarajah. These five veteran journalists were presented with Gold medals, and honoured with fresh flower garlands and Golden shawls

Indian political and social activist Aruna Roy, graces the ceremony as the Chief Guest

Best Designed Newspaper of the Year-Sunday Times

Best Cartoonist of the Year-Vasantha Siriwardena of The Nation

Best Photographer of the Year- Dinuka Liyanawatte of the Daily Mirror receives his award from Chulawansa Srilal, the Convener of Free Media Movement

Photojournalists covering the ceremony

Best Sports Journalist of the Year-Channaka de Silva of the Daily Mirror receives his award from Chulawansa Srilal, the Convener of Free Media Movement

“Wind”- Flute performance

“Fire”- drums and guitar performance

Best Environmnetal Journalist of the Year- Nimashi Amaleeth of The Nation

Upali Wijewardena Feature Write of the Year-Sinhala- Mrs.Sanda Lalith Ranasinghe of Silumina receives here awrad from Ranjit Wijewardene, Chairman of the Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka

Guests at the “J Awards”

Upali Wijewardena Feature Write of the Year-Tamil- Niranjani Roland of Metro News receives here award from Ranjit Wijewardene, Chairman of the Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka

Another banner on display at the venue

Upali Wijewardena Feature Write of the Year-English-Randima Attygalle of The Nation receives her award from Ranjit Wijewardene, Chairman of the Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka

Subramaniam Chettiar Award for Social Responsible Reporting was awarded to K.Ponmalar of Metro News by the Co-Chairman , Joint Organising Committee of the Journalism Awards for Excellence 2008 Kumar Nadesan

Denzil Peiris Young Reporter of the Year- Isuri Kaviratne of the Sunday Times

Sirasa/MTV reporter Rashmi Maharoof was killed in October 2008, while covering an event in Anuradhapura. His wife receives D.R.Wijewardene Award for earning the appreciation of peers and public from the Chief Editor of young Asia Television Sharmini Boyle

Sepala Gunasena Award for Defending Press Freedom in Sri Lanka was awarded to Uthayan Newspaper& its staff. The newspaper is published in Jaffna. The award was presented to its Editor N. Vithyatharan by the Editor of Lakbima Jatila Wellaboda

Investigative Journalist of the year-Dr. Prasanna Cooray

Business Journalist of the year-English-Bandula Sirimanna of The Sunday Times was presented by the Co-Chairman , Joint Organising Committee of the Journalism Awards for Excellence 2008 Kumar Nadesan

B.A.Siriwardena Columnist of the year-English- Mrs.Nanda Pethiyagoda Wanasundere of the Sunday Island

B.A.Siriwardena Columnist of the year-Tamil- Balasubramaniam Kirubaharan of Thinakkural

Cultural event adds colour to the ceremony

The Chief Guest Aruna Roy presents the merit certificate to Janyitha Seneviratne of the Sunday Divaina (Sinhala Language)

Video journalists covering the event

The Chief Guest Aruna Roy presents the merit certificate to Charles Peter of Metro News (Tamil Language)

The Chief Guest Aruna Roy presents the merit certificate to Christopher Kamalendran of The Sunday Times (English Language)

A token of appreciation was presented to the Chief Guest Aruna Roy by the Co-Chairman , Joint Organising Committee of the Journalism Awards for Excellence 2008 Kumar Nadesan

Another view of guests

Swan carved in ice, which is displayed at the dessert corner of the Mount Lavinia Hotel

Winners

Lifetime Achievement Awards-Anula de Silva, Louis Benedict, Pararajasingham Balasingham, Thalangama Jayasinha and S.Shanmugarajah.

Best Designed Newspaper of the Year-Sunday Times

Merit Awards-Daily Mirror/ Ravaya

Best Cartoonist of the Year-Vasantha Siriwardena of The Nation

Best Photographer of the Year-Dinuka Liyanawatte of the Daily Mirror

Merit award-Nishan S.Priyantha

Best Sports Journalist of the Year-Channaka de Silva of the Daily Mirror

Best Environmnetal Journalist of the Year-Nimashi Amaleeth of The Nation

Upali Wijewardena Feature Writer of the Year-Sinhala-Mrs.Sanda Lalith Ranasinghe of Silumina

Upali Wijewardena Feature Writer of the Year-Tamil-Niranjani Roland of Metro News

Upali Wijewardena Feature Writer of the Year-English-Randima Attygalle of The Nation

Merit Award-Chamitha Kuruppu of Lakbimanews

Subramaniam Chettiar Award for Social Responsible Reporting was awarded to K.Ponmalar of Metro News

Merit Award-Asntha Sivumini Edirisooriya of Sunday Lankadeepa

Denzil Peiris Young Reporter of the Year-Isuri Kaviratne of the Sunday Times

D.R.Wijewardene Award for earning the appreciation of peers and public-Late Rashmi Maharoof of Sirasa TV

Sepala Gunasena Award for Defending Press Freedom in Sri Lanka was awarded to Uthayan Newspaper& its staff

Business Journalist of the year-Sinhala-Shyam Nuwan Ganewatte of Sunday Divaina

Business Journalist of the year-Tamil-Niranjani Roland of Metro News

Business Journalist of the year-English-Bandula Sirimanna of The Sunday Times

B.A.Siriwardena Columnist of the year-Sinhala-Not Awarded

B.A.Siriwardena Columnist of the year-Tamil-Balasubramaniam Kirubaharan of Thinakkural

B.A.Siriwardena Columnist of the year-English-Mrs.Nanda Pethiyagoda Wanasundere of the Sunday Island

Scoop of the year-Not Awarded

Professor K.Kailasapathy Award for Reporting under Special Circumstances-Not Awarded

Investigative Journalist of the year-Dr. Prasanna Cooray

Mervyn de Silva Journalist of the year 2008

Winner-Not Awarded

Merit Award-Janyitha Seneviratne of the Sunday Divaina (Sinhala Language)

Charles Peter of Metro News (Tamil Language)

Christopher Kamalendran of The Sunday Times (English Language)

HumanityAshore.org ~ Email: dushi.pillai@gmail.com