Dalada Maligawa with the Youth Front

We paid homage to the casket containing the Sacred Tooth Relic at the Dalada Maligawa on Friday evening. There were crowds gathered at the Temple that time.

There were about 15 of the NYF who came with us and were allowed into the inner sanctum. The young lads and one lass were infused with the strength of this visit to carry on their allotted duties in growing and spreading the arms of the organization nationwide.

A visit to Kandy to obtain blessings for a Empowering Campaign

I was in Kandy, as part of the new campaign by the National Youth Front to energize and empower our youth, both male and female out of the current climate in Sri Lanka and to provide them with an alternative that takes cognizance of their individual and personal needs and the manner in which they will be able to meet their goals, providing them with some real hope and not broken promises.

There were about 20 Active members of the Organization accompanying us to meet with the Malwatte Mahanayake Thera who we visited for two different reasons. First was that he had asked for Dudley Senanayake’s photo, as it was the only photo of our national leaders he did not have in the temple. It was the task of his grand nephew to deliver one to the Mahanayaka Thera personally.

The second was to ask for blessings for the program of the NYF for the year, which will see us travelling the length and breadth of this country presenting our case to the youth to join hands with us in living by way of example and showing the powers that rule us that there is an alternative, better than the status quo.

It is not an easy task, but as is customary when a new project of this nature is undertaken, the blessings from such a position holds the dedicated in a good frame of mind to fearlessly carry out their responsibilities believing that the task at hand is right and just, in battling an unjust and unfair rule.

We had also arranged to visit the Asgiriya Chapter, but later we were told it was not possible to see the Mahanayake. We do not know the real reason, but suspect that he did not wish to be questioned on the result of the UNHRC resolution that had just been passed and be put on the spot by an opposition politician when he is a quite partial to the government having been just given a massive Rs700M as a donation during the 700^th anniversary of this chapter, to do as they please. We have already been made aware of some contracts being granted to government Ministers for the work to be carried out. In any case it was never to put him on the spot!!!Signing the visitors book

We paid our respects to the older Anunayaka Thera as well and were offered the traditional plain tea with juggery. I think the tea is probably from the many estates owned by the temple, one of the largest landowners in the country.

Of course the Boss had a long one on one private discussion on matters of state, as the state of the nation is of natural concern to the Mahanayaka Thera. The current state is nothing to be proud of with daily litany of killings, even of priests, and robberies and other nefarious activities which are on the rise.

Anunayaka Thera

High Tea or is it now really a case of pastries and spaghetti and porkies?

I was recently invited to High Tea for a family celebration, where my cousin who is currently in Switzerland was in town with her twin daughters and we had an early first birthday for them, as the real one was to be April 2^nd being one with Hans Christian Anderson of fairy tale fame. So the cake shown here was an exquisite tea pot. Don’t they make fabulous cakes in Sri Lanka? I have never seen more amazing creations anywhere else.

High Tea at the Galle Face of all places must include the traditional British finger sandwiches as well as scons, jams and clotted cream but it could not be further. It was of course a full meal if anyone cared to eat that much at 4pm, but I was most disappointed with the tea as it was make yourself a teabag job. That for high tea is just a no no. I have had this at the Ritz and the Dorchester and the tea proper was part of the big deal.

They should just serve a real pot of tea and give three flavors. Using spring water, proper service, and tea leaves. I guess it is all too much for the Galle Face, faced with a severe shortage of experienced servers, who really understand service, so they have to rely on yet another buffet style help yourself operation. It seems to be their way of maximizing the bottom line and minimizing the experience!

The high light of course was the family gathering, the fellowship and meeting some after a long while. One photo above shows my friend and the hostesses friend, Morgan from France with one of the twins, whilst their mother is carrying Edgar, Morgan’s third son whose birthday happened to fall on the day of the event, so he also had a jolly first birthday with many strangers for company!!

The other photos comprise a gaggle of nieces including the twins, the rest are now all sorry the twins have left our shores. Their Dad is from Japan, where they will return in about a year once he finishes his studies in Switzerland.

I used to take photos in days gone by, and now it is all on digital format. We rarely see real photos anymore, and that is only when we take the trouble to get some prints of the favorite digital photos. I presume people will have fewer photo albums excluding the electronic ones, and fewer photos adorning their homes. I have in the meantime decided to dispose of most of my photos to the people who are on the photos, as they are most likely to appreciate them more, and I will be relieved to part with shoe boxes of photos, I have not even looked at in a long while. In a way we now have blogs to share some of our photos with strangers and I am therefore sharing a little of my world with you.

In Commemoration - appreciation of those who helped us in life

I attended a small function today off the 34km post of the Kandy Road, in Gampaha. It was arranged by an elderly couple Mr& Mrs Sepala Akikari, in their 80s in their small home in commemoration of the Senanayake family, and DS, Dudley, Robert and his son Ranjit in particular remembering and giving thanks to them (particularly Robert) who helped him with his first job and gave him a kick start in his life's path over 70 years ago.

We were reminded of how rare it is today, to actually remember and give a dana for and on behalf of people who have truly helped us get to where we are today.

The event was merely for the neighborhood people who belong to the local Community Center, who attended the 70minutes of Bana from a young priest at a local Temple that had been helped by the Senanayakes followed by some light refreshments.

Then there was a welcome speech as shown in the photo by the host reminding people of the contribution that DS whose 60th death anniversary was on the 22nd of March, and the contribution and he and his Dudley made to this country lest we forget.

One of Mr Adikari's daughters is and has been in the service of the family for 24 years.

Two of Robert Senanayake's grandsons, Sujan and Ruwan Wijewardene were on hand to grace the occasion along with their father Ranjit, and distribute various gifts to the local people including school books to the school going children.