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Thank
You !
Sri Lanka Arts Society New Jersey (SLAS-NJ), wishes to thank you for the participation at the Sri Lankan New Year celebrations last Saturday, at the Spruce Run Park. The many happy smiles on our children's faces showed that the main objective of the event - passing the Avurudu spirit to our Sri Lankan American kids - was well accomplished.
This ordinary event was made extraordinary by the support and dedication of many volunteer members. It was a true team effort right from the beginning.
Nalaka and Manouri Dias, and Lasitha and Amila Abeysekara worked the reception booth. They warmly welcomed everyone from all corners of the Garden State and beyond who had followed Kanishka Elleperuma's beautiful flyer.
The kids' games ran flawlessly by the untiring organizing and coordination of Geetha Ranasinghe, Thushara Wickramasinghe, Ranjani Athalage and Gamini Karunaratne. The Athalage brothers, Shantha and Lucky reinforced the victories of all the winners with prizes. It was the kids' turn to amuse us when they strolled past in the fancy dress parade, fancifully decorating the day. Thank you kids! Thank you Shyama Athalage, Devinda Molligoda, and Lasitha Abeysekara for facilitating it. The judges Varuni Moragoda and
Lilantha Tennekoon couldn't resist awarding 10 out of 10 to all the participants!
The sumptuous food offered throughout the day was contributed by all of you. The committee – Darshi Thambugala, Asanka Dharmakeerthi, Chintha Ranasinghe and Anoji Seneviratne enlisted and coordinated the Kiribath Brunch, the cookout, and the "Thea Pan Sangrahaya".
We saw from tiny hands to mighty hands, hauling against the opponents in the tug o'war organized by Anura Perera. It was a sight to see when the-kid-in-you was brought about at the pillow fight, "Kotta Pora" - thanks to Dr.Sunil Wimalawansa. Thanks to Arjuna Ranasinghe for being not-any-more Sangawunu Amuttha.
Amidst everything, the music was running throughout, powered by an innovative generator. Lakmal Boteju, Sonal Fernando, Asoka Ranasinghe, Nirosh and Anoja Warusawithana, Priyantha Ratnayake, Upul Gunasekara, Shantha Rohana Mudalige and Kanchana Mudalige did a fantastic job at keeping the Avurudu spirit alive musically. The renowned Visharadas Shalika de Silva and Dharani Bandara raised the bar higher. Many talented musicians within our community took part, not forgetting the promising artists, our kids! The seating arrangements were facilitated by Anura Rupasinghe.
Everyone did their part very well in bringing it together. We, the organizing committee, didn't do anything in particular; well, other than organizing of course. This year, our theme was kid-friendly, kid-appropriate and kid-worthy – no kidding!
Please visit http://slasnj.org/events/20080426-NewYear-photos.html to see some of the Avurudu photographs. We will be updating the website with more photographs shortly.
Thank you all! See you next year.
- Organizing committee
(Nirosh Warusawithana, Rajeeva Thambugala, Lasitha Abeysekera, Thushara Wickramasinghe, Lucky Athalage, Manouri Dias, Gamini Karunarahna)
Footnote:
Sri Lanka Arts Society New Jersey, founded in year 2004, by the Sri Lankan community residing in New Jersey, to promote Sri Lankan Arts among the community, especially among kids. One of its main events is the Sri Lankan New Year festival.
Sri Lankan New Year, or Avurudu, is the most celebrated cultural festival in Sri Lanka. Whether it's Astrological basis: entering the first zodiac season of the year, Mesha, from the last, Meena is of real significance or not; it's a very joyful centuries-old tradition. Avurudu has absolutely no bearing to any religion, or any historical violence. It is a purely harmless, peaceful and multi-cultural event. The whole country starts to cook, eat, and play games, etc. exactly at the same; to the very second of the auspicious time. You realize the significance of Avurudu when you try to think of a similar event in the western world. Definitely a spirit worthy maintained for generations to come.
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