Hon. President Ranil Wickremesinghe graced the Sinhala and Tamil New Year festival (Bakmaha Ulela) organized by the Defence Ministry at the Defence Headquarters Complex premises in Sri Jayawardenepura, Kotte today (19).
The traditional Sinhala and Tamil New Year, the biggest celebration in Sri Lanka that features a load of rituals and customs, the ‘Bakmaha Ulela’, organized under the patronage of Ministry’s Welfare Division, inclusive of an array of traditional games, saw the cheerful participation of all the Ministry staffers today.
Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the President on National Security Sagala Rathnayake, Defence Secretary Gen. Kamal Gunaratne and Chairperson of the MoD Seva Vanitha Unit Chithrani Gunaratne were also present at the event.
Since there are no specific age categories for the traditional Sinhala and Tamil New Year games, enthusiastic participation of all Ministry staffers in games and also organizing, coordinating and refereeing were also highlighted during the session.
Cultural dancing sessions and musical displays were also conducted during the glamorous event.
The highlight of the day was the selection of ‘Avurudu Kumaraya’ and Avurudu Kumari’ which saw an eager participation by the young staffers who presented themselves smartly clad in traditional attire.
Culminating the day’s proceedings, valuable prizes were presented to the winners by the President Wickremesinghe and defence top brass.
