The Ceylon Times

Monday, August 5, 2019

SLPP has introduced e-canvassing

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) 03.08.2019 launched was its island-wide pre-election campaign aimed at the presidential election.

‘V-CAN’ app

SLPP has introduced e-canvassing in the country for the first time through their election campaign. Using a mobile app called ‘V-CAN’, the SLPP promoted the party ahead of the upcoming election by visiting numerous houses across the country.
They visited the door steps of registered voters and distributed leaflets while sending information and response of voters to their questions to a main operations center in Colombo using a mobile app.

The e-canvassing campaign of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna was continued for the second consecutive day. However, party representatives had charged that someone had launched a cyber attack on the ‘V-CAN’ app.

Sunday, August 4, 2019

Vijayaba Kollaya

Vijayaba Kollaya is a 2019 Sinhala-language historical and romance film directed by Sunil Ariyaratne and produced by H. D. Premasiri under the banner of Sarasavi Cines with co-production by Kumuduni Dias Haputhanthri, Chandu Haputhanthri and Chandil Haputhanthri. The film stars Hemal Ranasinghe, Senali Fonseka and Ashan Dias in lead roles. Rohana Weerasinghe will compose the film's soundtrack. The film's screenplay was written by Tissa Abeysekara, the last before his death.

Prof. Sunil Ariyaratne

Directed by:- Prof. Sunil Ariyaratne

Produced by:- H. D. Premasiri

Written by:- W. A. Silva

Screenplay by:- Tissa Abeysekara

Starring:-

Hemal Ranasinghe

Senali Fonseka

Ashan Dias

Music by:- Rohana Weerasinghe

Cinematography:- Channa Deshapriya

Edited by:- Boodee Keerthisena

Production company:-

Sarasavi Cineru

Distributed by :- E.A.P Circuit

Release date :- 1 August 2019

Running time :- 130 minutes

Country :- Sri Lanka

Language :- Sinhala

Cast

Hemal Ranasinghe as Nayananada
Senali Fonseka as Neelamani
Ashan Dias as Asanga
Preethi Randeniya
Buddhika Jayaratne
Erdley Wedamuni
Chulakshi Ranatunga
Ariyaratne Kalurachchi
Hans Billmoria
Ryan van Rooyen
Gavin Ludwyk
Gayan Sudarshani

Set in the 16th century Sri Lanka, the story revolves around a triangle love among Neelamani, Nayanananda and Hasanga, the fictional characters created by W. A. Silva. The film story takes place at the time when there was a battle between the Kings of Kotte Kingdom and Portuguese.

“First published in 1938, ‘W. A. Silva has beautifully combined the history and the fiction in his most successful novel ‘Vijayaba Kollaya’.

However though ‘Vijayaba Kollaya’ was the most successful novel written by W. A. Silva, it was never made to a film earlier. Speaking on this Proffessor says, “It is big challenge to do a film based on this particular novel. Firstly it requires a massive budget and spent over Rs 70 million for this production.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Polhena Beach

District:- Matara
Typical Weather:- Warm & Sunny
Best time to visit:- March to October
Distance From Airport :- 192 Km (4.45 hour drive)
Distance From Colombo :- 162 Km (4 hour drive)

Polhena beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in Sri Lanka. Naturally, grown coral reef softens the peak waves so that it is safe to swim in this area throughout the year. There is great thing about it is that any person can easily swim through the area as the sea water is fenced with the corals. A hotspot for colorful fishes around the reef. Located just about 2 Km away from the city center of Matara.

Polhena Beach in Matara is also a great honeymoon location as there are many amazing areas and places to visit that are very romantic due to their classic look and feel. Another great feature is that the Nilwala River flows through the city and directly then falls into the sea at the place of Totamuna.

There is another beautiful island named as the Crow Island that is directly in front of the Polhena Beach in Matara. It also adds to the aesthetic appeal of the place as it is beautifully located and gives a spectacular look to the visitors who are fantasized by the beauty of this place. The greenery and beautiful trees enhance and overall appeal of the area.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Moon Landing 50th Anniversary

50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 Moon Landing

Mission type:- Crewed lunar landing
Mission duration:- 8 days, 3 hours, 18 minutes, 35 seconds
Operator:- NASA

We are proudly celebrating Apollo 11's 50th anniversary.....

(Left to right: Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, Buzz Aldrin)

50 years ago, the first humans stepped on the moon.
Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin and Michael Collins blasted away from Earth on a Saturn V rocket on July 16, 1969. On July 20, Armstrong and Aldrin set foot on the moon, the first humans to do so. The three returned to Earth on July 24.

(Documenting the small steps of Apollo 11 astronauts, Buzz Aldrin took these photographs of his boot print. )

(The Apollo 17 Command Module America, which carried the last human crew to the moon, is on display at Space Center Houston in Houston. It will celebrate the Apollo program July 16-24.(Space Center Houston)

Celebrations of the 50th anniversary are planned throughout the West, many spanning July 16-24. Whether you remember that day or have experienced it only through videos and stories, it truly was “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Fifty years ago astronauts walked on the moon for the first time. Apollo 11’s success just 66 years after the Wright brothers’ first flight showcased humankind’s moxie and ingenuity.

50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 Moon Landing

Thursday, July 11, 2019

World Population day

Date:- July 11
Frequency:- annual

World Population day is an annual event, observed on July 11 every year, which seeks to raise awareness of global population issues. The event was established by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989.

World Population Day, which seeks to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues, was established by the then-Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989, an outgrowth of the interest generated by the Day of Five Billion, which was observed on 11 July 1987.

At the time of the first World Population Day, about 5.25 billion people trod the Earth. Now, about 7.7 billion of us share the globe, and the number is expected to increase to 8.5 billion by 2030. By 2100, it is projected that the population will be above 11 billion, more than double the population on the first World Population Day 30 years ago.

This year's World Population Day calls for global attention to the unfinished business of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development. Twenty-five years have passed since that landmark conference, where 179 governments recognized that reproductive health and gender equality are essential for achieving sustainable development.

To identify the countries with the fastest growing populations, 24/7 Tempo reviewed the 2018 World Population Data Sheet produced by the Population Reference Bureau (PRB).

Today’s largest countries in population – China, India, and the United States – are expected to remain among the most populous, though their growth rates are not among the fastest. According to data recently released by the population data-gathering organization Population Reference Bureau, that distinction belongs to 20 countries in Africa and Asia, where populations have surged in recent years. The rapid population growth is expected to continue into 2050, fueled by increased life expectancy and declining mortality and high fertility rates associated with a largely youthful – and booming – population.

See Also

List of countries by population

Saturday, July 6, 2019

Esala Festival in Sri Lanka

Importance of the Esala Festival in Sri Lanka

The noteworthy events connected with this day include the night in which the bodhisattva was conceived in the womb of his mother Queen Maha Maya and later she gave birth to Prince Siddhartha who went on to attain Enlightenment and become the Buddha.

Suddhodana Shakya King’s, wife Queen Mahamaya the womb to conceive Gautama Buddha

It was on a esala Full Moon day that Prince Siddhartha, at the age of 29, renounced his royal title along with his luxurious lifestyle and left his father's palace seeking truth and searching for a means to end universal suffering.

Prince Siddhartha left from the palace.

It is the day that Prince Siddhartha renounced lay life in search of 'truth' and also the birth of Prince Rahula. After Englightnment, the Buddha preached his first sermon, the Dhammachakkappavattana Sutta, to the five ascetics at the 'Deer Park' near Benares on such a day.

Conducting the first sermon after enlightenment by the Gautama Buddha.

The other factors of the Esala Full Moon Poya Day.

Conducting the twin miracle, tree root at Gandamba, to control Theerthaka.
Went to the Thawthisa heaven and conducting Wijam Bana to Maathru god.
Three months after the Buddha’s death, conducting a first Dharma Sangayana at Rajagahanuwara Wehara rock mountain, with contribution of Ajasath king, By Mahakashyapa arahath and 500 of arahath monks.
In BC 847 at Kithsiri Mewan Kings period, early first ceremony held to display tooth relic of buddha, brought from Kalinga country by Hemamala princes and Dantha prince.
By King Kirti Sri Rajasinghe, get Upali thera and other monks from Siam country, held a higher ordination in Sri Lanka first time.
Kataragama, Devinuwara, Kandy, Ratnapura, Ambekke, Alutnuwara Bellanwila, holding processions.

Esala Poya also signals the commencement of the 'Vas' retreat for monks.

Sri Lanka is normally held in the month of July/August. During this time many religious festivals and celebrations are held in different parts of the island. Specifically for the Esala Festival, colorful processions are taken out for several nights in Kandy, Kataragama, Kotte, Ratnapura, Ambekke, Alutnuwara, Bellanwila and Devinuvara.

The finest and most famous is the Esala Perahera, held at Kandy over the 10 days leading up to the Esala Poya day (late July or early August). The sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha carried at the head of an enormous procession which winds its way round and round the city by night.

The perahera becomes gradually longer and more lavish over the 10 days of the festival, until by the final night it has swollen to include a cast of hundreds of elephants and thousands of dancers, drummers, fire-eaters, acrobats and many others.