Golden Sri Lanka Travel Blog

Among the many other festivals Sinhala & Tamil New Year is the most important and unique festival for Sinhalese Buddhists and the Tamil Hindu’s living all around the world. This falls on the 13th or 14th of April every year. Sinhala & Tamil New Year begins when the sun moves from the “House of Pisces” (Meena Rashiya) to the “House of Aries” (Mesha Rashiya). This makes the end of the harvesting season. The New Year marks the begining of a new cycle of the sun according to the astrology. The beginning of the New Year is determined by astrological signs. The ending of the old year and the begining of the New Year occur several hours’ part one another. This time period is called neutral period or in Sinhala terms “nona gathe”. During this time sri lankans do not engage any activity other than religious activities, playing “rabana” and traditional games.

 
The cultural rituals begins after the begining of the new year. The first one will be lighting the fire to make milk rice “kiri bath”. Then having kiribath to the auspicious time and doing first business transaction (”Ganudenu”). All these auspicious times are determined by astrological calculations. Once these activities are finish people visit friends and relations with and worshipping elders with beetle leaves is also makes an important tradition during new year.

Sir Arthur C. Clarke famous science- fiction writer, best known for the novel “2001: A Space Odyssey” has died in Sri Lanka in the age of 90. Clarke was living in Sri Lanka since 1956 and holds the citizenship for both the UK and Sri Lanka. For the past two decades he was suffering from “post polio syndrome”.

The first boat show of Sri Lanka (Boat Show 2008) will be held on the month of June. It will be starting on the 8th June 2008  to 10th June 2008 and the venue will be BMICH .

Maha Sivarathri is a Hindu festival which is celebrated during the end of February or early march. This important religious festival is for Hindu’s in honoring of Siva. On this day poojas are held in the temples hindu’s spend the full night in temples singing bajans and prayers

Sri Lanka will be celebrating the 60th  Independence Day on 04th of February. Along with this celebration an exhibition called “Deyata Kirula” will be open to public. The idea behind this exhibition is to educate the young generation and the public regarding the great history of Sri Lanka, present and where the country is heading. This will be open to public from the 4th of February to 10th.

Sri Lanka will be Celebrating the 60th Independence Day on February 04. In the year of 1948 Sri Lanka won the , after ruling Sri Lanka from 1815 to 1948. Irrespective of the security threats from the LTTE it is believed that their will be a grand Independence Day Celebration this year. Government has increased the security around Colombo before the 60th Independence Celebration.

For the Independence Celebration Government has invited the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh as the chief guest. But India has said that the Prime Minister will not be attending to the event.

Navam Perahera is held at Gangaramaya Temple, Colombo on the Navam full moon poya day of every year. The Perahera was first started in the year of 1979. This year the Perahera will be held on the 20th of February and it is treated as one of the spectacular pageants apart from the Kandy and Kelaniya. This is one of the Prestigious Buddhist religious and cultural even held in Sri Lanka.

Thousands of people come to see this magnificent grand procession every year, among them lot of tourists make the opportunity to view this grand event . Seating arrangements are available for tourists as well as Sri Lankans.

More than 100 colorfully dressed elephants, drummers, traditional Kandyan dancers, fire-dances, whip-dances and Flags and Decorations will be displayed in the Navam Maha Perahera of Sri Lanka.

Contact us today for view this magnificent Colorful, Cultural Pageant.

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has increased the fuel prices on the 13th. As for the latest prices hike , petrol price has increased from 10 rupees, diesel by 5 rupees and kerosene prices by two rupees. The new prices for petrol and diesel will be 127 and 80 per litre respectively

ITB the world’s largest travel and tourism exhibition will be held from March 5th to 9th in Berlin, Germany.  This exhibition is treated as one of the largest travel exhibition in the world. There will be more than 10,000 companies from 184 countries will be present for this exhibition.  More than 50 travel companies will be expected to participate in this event with there latest innovative products and services from the travel industry.

The annual Sri Pada Pilgrim season started on the 23 December 2007 (on Unduwap Full Moon Poya Day). Thousands of People of many religions will walk to homage the sacred foot print. The season started with the ritual caring of the stature and sacred ornaments of god Sumana Saman.
There are two paths to reach the top of the Sri Pada Mountain. One is from Hatton and Maskeliya passing “Seetha gangula” which is known as the easer path and the second one is from Kuruwita (which is a small town closer to Ratnapura)