(Colombo, Lankapuvath) - Folk music and dancing are wonderful expressions of a country's rich tradition and diverse culture although very rarely would one pay attention to them. Many folk musicians across the country struggle to keep their traditions alive in the face of falling numbers and due to lack of incentives and recognition from the society, modern day folk musicians have to engage in preserving these arts while struggling for their own survival.

With the objective of bringing these unique Sri Lankan folk and traditional music and dance forms into the limelight, Sewalanka Foundation together with Concerts Norway and Norwegian Embassy will present Jaffna Music Festival, a folk themed event from the 25 – 27 March 2011 in the city of Jaffna.  The Festival unfolds in a folk-village camp setting, where different artists, both local and international will lead simultaneous performances on 3-4 stages from Friday to Sunday 10am to 3pm followed by a main stage performance 4 pm – 10 pm daily.

The Festival will bring together an assortment of traditional folk music and dance performances from across the island, with groups representing all ethnic groups. With a combination of folk, fusion folk and traditional music, the festival will present an exciting line up of 23 Sri Lankan and five international folk groups from India, Nepal, Palestine, South Africa and Norway. Some of which are;

Nishantha Rampitiye Troupe: Kohomba Kankariya
In Kandy, where Kohomba Kankariya evolved, Nishan Rampitiye family line has been performing this art for generations. Well known for Kohomba Kankariya and Bali, the group has around 50 performing artists. It takes nearly five years or more to arrange a full Kohomba Kankariya performance - the most difficult point is to scour the professional dancers who know the procedures well and the Kankariya itself.

The Khohomba Kankariya contains a number of episodes around an incident. Kohomba Kankariya ritual is performed to ensure freedom from diseases, invoke blessings and for the people to live in prosperity. The blessings are expected to manifest only in the location that Kohomba Kankariya is enacted, so that if any others want such blessings, they too are compelled to enact Kohomba Kankariya in their own areas, thereby ensuring more people would make offerings to please the 'Yakka' (devil) separately for their well-being!

The academy is very proud to win national and international level awards and the Presidential Award for “Skillfull Wes Natum Artist of 2009 – 2010”.

Tradition and Culture of Muslim Inducing Association (TACOMIA): Kali Kambattam
    
The members of TACOMIA live in Akkareipattu, in the Eastern coast of Sri Lanka. The group is well known among the Muslim community for their distinctive style of performing music with sticks. This style is known as ‘Kali Kambattam’, which refers to ‘beat and play’. The knowledge and art of performing the play are handed down in traditional families to the present generation.

The roots of their play style can be traced back to about 300 years ago. This tradition is very popular in every Muslim community.  The band over the years has played more than 30 shows to wide and varied audiences around the country.

The group performs a wide variety of folk tales in form of singing and dancing with sticks. The folk group’s play, singing and dancing style is Saudi Arabian in origin. This scenario forms the base and all surrounding sequences are acted in various manner using diverse symbols, costumes accompanied by rhythmic singing and drumming with sticks.

According to M.H Musamil, leader of the group, the younger generation in the Eastern coast shows a big interest in joining the group and learning this unique tradition.  

Papurabah Koothu-Chulipuram

This is one of the Koothu practiced amongst Tamils in the Chulipuram area. It is now going to be performed again after nearly twenty year. The story of Papurabaha is connected to the legend Mahabharata.

Papravaham goes on to tell the story of the great fight between father and son, Arjuna the great archer in the epic Mahabharath and Papravahan, who captured a horse his father released during a Yaga (offering to the gods).  Paravahan wins the battle killing his father, but ultimately due to the intervention of the gods Arjuna is revived back to life.  

The men perform to the sound of the thalam ringing with an annaviyar singing, backed by sallari and mathalam. The performance usually takes place in a circular space in the kovil compound. The audience is seated on the three sides of the performing space. The performers do not use modern facilities such as loudspeaker. This koothu is performed only during the temple periods.

Almost a century ago, it was said that real horses and elephants were brought in during the performance to add grandeur to the performance.

Indian Group

The Manganiar Group is known for their traditional Indian folk music, and seen as some of the most sophisticated musicians of the Western Rajasthan. The folk music group come from the district of Barmer in Rajastan, also called the land of kings, and famous for their folk music, and generations of professional musicians. They are seen as the descendants of the Rajputs – the Kings of Rajasthan, in the way that their songs are passed on from generation to generation, making them effectively keepers of the history of the desert. Their songs are about all parts of life; love, weddings, birth, or any family festivity. Amongst the instruments they play, is the remarkable bowed instrument the 'kamayacha', with its big, circular resonator, giving out an impressive deep, booming sound.
 
The Manganiar Group is:
Nehru Khan (vocal), Gazi Khan (harmonium),  Bhugra Kahn (khartal),  Bhuta Kahn (dholak) and Deen Mohammad (kamayacha).

(Colombo Lankapuvath)The clock ticks fast, the days come by and its less than a week for the most awaited sporting event- grand World Cup the Gentlemen’s game, to be hosted by the Asian Sub Continent.

As the rolling stones gather no moss, eyes may twist from time to time when their great players are in action on the field. All look for the best. But Sri Lanka look to be the better than the best.

14 countries are waiting to grab the World Cup, and walk a proud nation and who will walk away with it? Among the 14 nations vying for grand prize, there are top cricketing teams such as the mighty Aussies who are the Defending Champions, Sri Lanka the runners up, pioneers of the game England, West Indies, hosts India, South Africa and also New Zealand are in the lineup.

In an article which appeared recently stated that Sri Lanka had a good chance of keeping the trophy this year as they were among one of the most favourites of the tournament. However the Asian to have the benefit of playing on their own grounds and it is obvious that the ground conditions and weather would be in favour of the Asian teams.

Sri Lanka has a strong side going ahead of the tournament, a well balanced team compromising of bowlers, a strong batting order and also fielding.  Wining of the latest One Day International Series against the Windies gave a good boost to the cricketers which also shed a little light in our prospective in winning the trophy.

West Indies had the honours of taking away the very first World Cup trophy after defeating the Australians in 1979. In 1983, the trophy was brought to the Asian Sub continent as the our neighbors, India grabbed the title by defeating two time winners West Indies which was indefinitely a huge blow at the Windies. However this was only occasion where India marked a victory in the tournament but it is important to mention that they did enter the finals in 2003. Australia wins the 1987 tournament and then onwards, Pakistan (1992) Sri Lanka (1996), Australia (1999, 2003 and in 2007).

Sri Lanka were the defending champions during the previous tournament (2007) where weather became a barricade, to Sri Lanka’s win but the Lankans showed their might. 1996, was a glorious year for the Lankans as the team led by the then Captain, Anjuna Ranathunga flew back to the island carrying the valuable trophy with the greatest effort of the team.

Skipper Sangakkara once mentioned that he is greatly inspired by the 1996 World Cup squad. “The 1996 side was very experienced in batting. When you take their one-day experience, it was probably the most experienced outfit in the World at that time, in 2007.

“In this particular tournament to start off, we don’t have that kind of experience or that kind of legendary names in the side, but still we do have Murali, Mahela and the newer performers like Dilshan and Angelo Mathews”. So the sides are different and the aim is the same and the performances will be hopefully equal,” said the Sri Lankan captain.

Mahela, the 2007 Captain, is yet another experienced captain is also confident about the tournament and said the first challenge that lies ahead is to get through to the quarter finals of the tournament and Skipper Sangakkara was of the same view.

Well as for Sangakkara, he said that none of the teams should be underestimated but that all teams have their own unique talents and abilities. He was also of the view that it is better being the underdogs of the tournament just as in the earlier tournaments.

Sri Lanka did lose the chance of practicing in the newly constructed International Stadiums, but the team members strongly believe that all players are able to adjust to any ground situation whether it be a bowler, batsmen or fielder for that matter. It was important to get through to the Semifinals and then the next step ultimately is to appear in Mumbai.
 
Pakistani Skipper Shaid Afridi, said it was not about winning the tournament but facing India in and defeating them would be a good chance.

With the conclusion of the above mentioned tournament which was a dressing room rehearsal for both teams, Windies opening batsman Adrian Barath said that Lasith Malinga was a “world class bowler” and named him as a player to watch out for at the World Cup. “He is on spot at the moment and any player on spot is a force to be reckoned.

Dilshan is also looked upon with much hope by many Sri Lanka cricket fans and other parties interested and involved in the field of cricketing. Dilshan can be called one very uncertain batsman and with his fielding tactics he poses a great threat to the other teams.   Skipper Kumar Sangakkara, Vice-captain Mahela Jayawardena, Murali and the rest of the team including mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis are the much looked upon players along with Angelo Matthews, Opening batsman Upul Tharanga, Thisera Perara, Rangana Herath, etc..   

Nevertheless, there is only one Cup and only one Captain would have the honours of taking it home, with pride. 14 nations eyeing the cup which among are 04 time winners Australia and two time winners Windies, India and Sri Lanka also Pakistan are possible teams of winning the game along with the pioneers of the game England.

It is only a matter of time, 6 days from today, and the Champions will be decided on April 02 in Mumbai. It could be the White men or the tanned Asian or even the dark men of the far West that lay their hands on the trophy.

With a little Jumbo dancing in the stadium (the mascot of the tourney) lets have are eyes and ears fixed to the TV and radio, to hear, see and witness the glory of cricket after four years, or the talents of the Lankans with a hope of 14 years. To see ‘Sling Malinga’ with his sling balls, Murali with his ‘Doosra’, and Ajantha with a mysterious spin’ that may cause damage to many batmen and to see Kumar, Upul and Mahela swinging the bat for boundaries and sixes, while Dilshan sweeps across with his unique ‘Dislscoop’. So let us wait till February 19 and fingers crossed till April 2, and move from Hambantota to Colombo to Pallakele and then from there to Mumbai and Dhaka back and forth.  

(Shanika Pitigala)

(Colombo-Lankapuvath) Children are wonderful and innocent. They make the world a beautiful place. But with the escalating numbers of child abuse cases reported, it is felt that as a nation our attention towards children has been neglected.

(Colombo Lankapuvath) If music is a language of threads and chords, it is also a therapy that gives relief to all human species.  Also if love is made through speech, emotions can be conveyed through music. Musical expressions are close to human life be it grief, joy, love and hatred.

Music is also a communication process involved in sports. Music has a culture and style but no religion or race. However it has its own identity from nation to nation.

(Colombo-Lankapuvath) Parents and students are in doubt when selecting a proper course or degree from mushrooming private education institutions in the country. On one hand there are lots of criticisms against private education institutions saying that they are becoming threat to the national university system.

(Colombo-Lankapuvath) The social fabric has changed dramatically. Social groups and relationships have also changed due to the influence of the technology.

(Colombo Lankapuvath) In childhood rain was a source of pleasure. Floods I only heard but not seen. Whenever there was heavy rain I used to say “Rain rain go away come again another day”. Experiencing floods is a tragedy, I now know.

(Colombo, Lankapuvath) – Sri Lanka though a small island nation much endowed by nature with ever green fauna/flora, warm sea all round the island, misty and hilly slopes in the centre and a hospitable human force, has been the focus and interest of many ‘mighty’ nations that emerged and dwindled from time to time over centuries.

Sri Lanka too underwent political constitutional changes from its own monarchy, provincial government, to one influenced by Portuguese, Dutch, French (influence) and British rulers, leaving certain lasting impressions to the surprise or awe of present generations.