සූර්ය රශ්මි – சூரிய ராஷ்- Soorya Rashmi

The Sinhala and Tamil New Year festival, “Soorya Rashmi”, was organized as a joint Club Service project by Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa and Rotaract Club of Alumni of University of Moratuwa. The celebrations were successfully concluded on the 28th of April 2018, with the participation of Rotaractors from Rotaract Club of Nallur, who came all the way from Jaffna and the members of Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa & Rotaract Club of Alumni of University of Moratuwa.

The main objective of this event was to perform the traditional New Year rituals, customs and games in a way that participants get the opportunity to see how they are being conducted in two different cultures. As per the customs, lighting the hearth and boiling milk was done by the President of Rotaract Club of Nallur, Rtr. Mathi Priyan, President of Rotaract Mora, Rtr. Rashan Wickramarathne, Incoming President of the Rotaract Mora, Rtr. Paveen Perera and President of Rotaract Alumni Mora, Rtr. Himantha Alahakoon. After that, trees were planted to mark ‘commencement of work’.

Then the traditional new year games began with Lime and Spoon race. Kotta Pora, Best Laugh, and Kana Muttiya were some of the traditional games which provided an utmost enjoyment to the gathering. Games which enhanced the team spirit and mutual understanding, such as Water Balloon Catching and Sack Race were also held for the participants to enjoy.  Games like Pani Bambaraya and Finding the Coin in a Pot of Flour managed to grab the attraction of everyone. The final item for the day was Avurudu Kumaraya & Kumariya, which made the Lagaan ecstatic with laughter.

During the day, everyone enjoyed the event to the maximum and at the conclusion, gift packs were awarded to the winners by the organizing committee. It was truly an event of fellowship and a bridge to blend two cultures.

By Rtr. Lovindu Wijesinghe