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The Journey


11 November 2004

Deepavali or the Festivities of Lights
While today on the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour the official Carnival season begins in Germany and other German speaking countries in Europe, in another part of the globe, a more reflective celebration is under way: Deepavali  or the Festivities of Lights. The Hindus celebrate this festivity today all over the world. Deepavali stands for the triumph  of the light of peace, unity and understanding among men over the dramatic defeat of evil. It also signifies the emergence of the soul from the darkness of Avidya to the light of Vidya. The awakening of knowledge in an ignorant mankind indicates light being brought into the lives of silently suffering people, immersed in utter misery and gloom. The idea of peace, unity, freedom and compassion is crystallized in the Indian spiritual hymn the Rig Veda: “Let your aim be one and single, let your heart be joined in one, the mind at rest, in unison at peace with all, so may be. Hatred will never cease by hatred, but will cease only by love alone.”

As a prelude of Deepavali the young and old get up early and have the traditional bath. It is believed water used for bathing in the early hours before sunrise is equal to merit obtained by bathing in the holy river Ganges. With this belief people get up early in the morning, anoint their heads with ginger oil, medicinal herbs and bathe. Ginger seeds, a favorable seed of the planet Saturn, bestowing merits. Purity and serenity, are the hallmark of the occasion and therefore people put on new clothes after the bath and engage in religious worship.

The entrance to all homes are lit up and decorated. This is also an occasion for the people to visit their relatives and friends and exchange candies and other gifts. Deepavali means many things to many people. To the children it means delicious food, sweets, new clothes, and crackers. To the women it means sarees and jewels. The newlyweds celebrate it on a grand scale and they receive new clothes and other gifts. Hindus invite friends from other communities and entertain them. In the evening the people entertain themselves by playing various games. Various sports festivals are organized to mark Deepavali. The bullock cart race, which was popular in Jaffna at one time, is taken over by the bicycle race. Many other cultural events also take place.

The feast of lamps appears to be especially dedicated to fire. Fire worship has an old history among the Indo-Aryans. It also  was a very important element of early Indo-Aryan religion. The same can also be said about the Indo-Europeans, especially the Germanic tribes. In later Hinduism the sacrificial fire became a major constituent of most rituals.

All in all, the Festival of Lights on Deepavali day symbolizes the victory of man over evil and the re-establishment of righteousness and peace. 

Sights of Colombo and Negombo

Colombo
Colombo is Sri Lanka’s capital with a population of 1.2 million people. Colombo’s history can be traced back to the 5th century when it was a way station for sea trade between Asia and the West. During the 8th century Arab traders settled near the harbor. In 1505 the Portuguese arrived. By the mid-17th century the Dutch had taken over. They grew cinnamon in the area now called Cinnamon Gardens. Colombo became a city when the British took over. In 1815 Colombo became the capital of Ceylon.

Let’s start with some places of worship: there are Buddhist temples, Hindu temples, Mosques and Christian churches.

Buddhism is the dominant religion of the largest ethnic group.  The Sinhalese are 70% of the population. Buddhism  plays an important role spiritually and culturally. It has largely influenced literature, art and architecture. About 15% of the population is Hindu, mainly Tamils. Than there are approximately 8% Muslims and 7% Christians.

Aukena: A statue of Buddha
Aukena is a  Sinhalese word for the oldest statue of Buddha here in Colombo. The statue is a replica; the original is in  Kandy. This unique statue dates back to 200 B.C.

Hindu Temple:
One of several in Colombo. It is a shrine for Hindus, depicting the multitude of gods and goddesses, a manifestation of the formless phenomenon, one to pick and choose from.

Colombo Harbor:
Currently the harbor is handling almost 4000 ships a year. Of course it cannot be compared with Long Beach Harbor. In anticipation of establishing ferry links with India and the Maldives, the Sri Lankan Ports Authority is planning a new container terminal, the South Port, with 12 new berths and a new breakwater. The intention is to attract mega container vessels and double the capacity. The digital photo (see Photo Tour) was taken from the Harbor Restaurant at the Grand Oriental  Hotel. The Grand Oriental Hotel was the first port of call for all travelers arriving by steamship.

Lying immediately south of the harbor is the Fort Area, a curious blend of old and new. This area houses the prime minister, therefore it is off-limits. Heading south from the Fort past the Ceylon Continental Hotel and the Old Parliament, you reach the Galle Face Green, a place at the beach, where Sri Lankans come to relax. 

Independence Hall
In this gigantic hall, memorials, anniversaries and funerals of high officials are celebrated.  The other day a ceremony was held here to mark President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s tenth anniversary as President. It turned out to be a non-event.  The Daily Mirorr, a private newspaper reported: “Rain, rain for 10-year reign”. The live coverage of state television and radio came to a halt with the Gampaha venue going under water and the President forced to skip her speech. The private media personnel who were accompanied by the Presidential Security Division were later asked to leave the place, as the President had only wanted state media to cover the event. What else is new? Does that ring a bell?

Negombo:
Sri Lanka’s first beach resort, strongly influenced by the Catholic Church. Please refer to Photo Tour.
The Dutch captured the town from the Portuguese in 1640.  The British  in turn captured it in 1796. Negombo was one of the most important sources of cinnamon during the Dutch area.

Some of the interesting events, in and around Negombo captured in  the“Photo Tour”  are: a goat roaming the street, fishermen drying their fish, called “Karvalla in Sinhala, a favorite food in the Sri Lankan community and a man made canal with a harbor where the fishermen have “prawn farms”.  One other very interesting piece of information: all fishermen in the South, Southwest and Southeast are catholic.

Best regards, Herta M. Keilbach,Ph.D.