SLAOC Celebrated the New Year Festival

The Regimental Headquarters of Sri Lanka Army Ordnance Corps along with the Sri Lanka Army Ordnance Corps - Seva Vanitha Branch (SLAOC- SVB) held a traditional New Year festival to mark the Sinhala and Tamil New Year on 27 April 2024 at the SLAOC Rugger ground with the participation of a large crowd of senior members of the SLAOC- SVB, Senior Officers, Officers, Other Ranks and civil staff members and their families. The specially all the invitees were welcomed respectfully as per the Sinhalese tradition by 'Arachchi' and family with offering a sheaf of beetle.

Major General E M M Fernando Hdmc Lsc AATO, the Logistics Command (Jaffna) and the Colonel Commandant of SLAOC together with Mrs. Iresha Fernando, the Chairperson of SLAOC - SVB graced the occasion as the chief guest.

The hoisting of the National flag by the Logistics Command (Jaffna) and the Colonel Commandant of SLAOC respectively signalled the official commencement of the event after lighting the traditional oil lamps.

The festival featured traditional aesthetic events and various games including eye-placing on the elephant, lime balancing, bun-eating, obstacle race, pillow fights, breaking the pot, tug of war, fancy dress parade, selection of the Prince and princess of the New Year ‘Awurudu Kumara and Aurudu Kumariya’ and more. All the invitees visited the village house ‘gemi gedara’, ' kada mandiya', ' ra mandiya', ' weda gedara', 'kamatha', and other special places in the premises.

At the end of the festival, Major General E M M Fernando Hdmc Lsc AATO and Mrs. Iresha Fernando, the logistics Command (East), the DOS, the Conmdt BOD, the Centre Comdt, the Comdt Sch of Ord, the Comdt CAAD,the Comdt AOI,the Comdt ACD, the CO 1 SLAOC and their spouces gave away gifts and trophies along with their spouces to winners in different competitions.