UAE Sokians Celebrated Sinhala and Hindu New Year 2017

Sinhala and Hindu New Year, one of the most celebrated festivals, symbolizing prosperity and ethnic harmony in the country is the time of joy and renewal for Sinhala and Tamil population in Sri Lanka. Marking this occasion, Dharmasoka College Past Pupils Group in United Arab Emirates (DCPPA – UAE), organized its first ever New Year Festival which held full day on 14 April 2017 at Zabeel Park in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. More than fifty (50+) Members of DCPPA – UAE and their families were participated to the event and Laknadha media unit cover the whole event with live telecast.

Giving prime concerns to the Sri Lankan tradition and its culture; New Year Festival was began after lighting the traditional oil lamp followed with boiling milk in a new earthen pot and allowing it to boil over symbolizing the prosperity. Traditional New Year food table was prepared by the organizing committee. Though DCPPA – UAE Members lived in thousands of miles away from the motherland, main objective of the organization committee was to unite the Sokians and get-together for the occasion of Sinhala Hindu New Year and provide the opportunity for their younger generation to observe the Sri Lankan culture and tradition thereof. The important part at the beginning of the New Year Festival was betel to parents and elders symbolizing the act of paying gratitude and the children in return receive blessings from parents. These were very novel experience for the children who attended the event.

 Colorful New Year festival is decorated with traditional new year games (i.e; කණා මුට්ටි බිදීම, හැන්ද මත දෙහි ගෙඩිය තබාගෙන යාම, අලියට ඇස තැබීම, පැපොල් ගෙඩියේ ඇට ගණන් කිරීම, බැලුම් පිපිරවීම, කකුල් තුනෙන් දිවීම, ගෝනියේ බැස දිවීම). At the end of the event 20+ winners of the participants were gifted including all the children by organizing committee. Gifts were presented by the current President of DCPPA – UAE, Mr. Indralal de Silva. The Organizing Committee is given the vote of thanks to their Gifts sponsor, Mr. Chandana Fernando.

Finally, it was appreciated the DCPPA – UAE Committee member, Mr. Dilan de Silva who has being working for the Hatton National Bank as its representative for Dubai and returning back to Motherland after completion of his service tenure, for his dedication as a committee member of DCPPA – UAE and generally for his service to the Sri Lankan community in United Arab Emirates. It Marked the conclusion of another successful event organized by DCPPA – UAE for its Members and their families, taking the responsibility of carrying forward the Sri Lankan Tradition and Culture to next generation.

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