THE NEW YEAR FESTIVAL:“ SOORYA MANGALYA 2019”

The Cavalry family celebrated the traditional Sinhala and Hindu New Year festival “Soorya Mangalya 2019” at Home of Armour on 11 April 2019 with grandeur. The Commander - Security Force Headquarters (West)/Colonel Commandant Sri Lanka Armoured Corps Major General S D T Liyanage WWV RWP USP ndc psc along with Mrs Shiromi Liyanage graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.

The event was ceremonially declared open with the hoisting of the National flag and lighting of the traditional oil lamp. The Colonel Commandant’s New Year Message which was delivered, stressed the importance of fully supporting the concepts of His Excellency the President, namely the anti-illicit drugs campaign and the action against deforestation in this New year. Thereafter, the Colonel Commandant distributed Jack plants to all Regiments signifying the tree plantation project that would be initiated in all SLAC establishments.

Focusing on the Sri Lankan culture and reconciliation of the nation, a “Village Headman’s House” (Arachchi Niwasa), a folks’ house (Gemi Gedara) and a traditional Tamil house erected at the venue and they attracted the guests. There was an array of traditional games (both Sinhala and Tamil) and entertainment programmes to provide joy and to promote the unity among the Cavalrymen and their families.

A significant feature of the event was that the relatives of a SLAC tamil soldier all the way from Kopai, Jaffna attending the festival and the ‘Tamil traditional house’ and games being organised by them.

Also 20 selected school children were gifted with “Sathara” book packs as a project of the Armour Ladies Club. The event was organized by the staff of Armoured Brigade, Regimental Centre, 1 SLAC and members of the Armour Ladies Club.