9 years and below
My hobbies
There are many things that I like to do. I like reading, making different things with Lego, playing with cars and also learning about space and science.
I love reading books. I read mischievous and adventurous stories. These days I’m reading ‘Merry Mister Meddle’ by Enid Blyton.
As I like to learn about space and science, my dad brings me different books when he goes to conferences. In the night I love watching the dark sky to look at the moon, stars and planets.
Playing with different cars and trucks has been my hobby ever since I was a baby. I love to play racing car games too. With my Lego I make different things like robots, vehicles and dinosaurs.
During the holidays due to COVID-19, my dad got me a cricket bat and ball. Now I have a liking for cricket and it is becoming one of my favourite sports. When my dad is at home, he teaches me different cricket rules. I love batting the most but my mom hates it because I bang the ball into my next door neighbours’ garden!
I love all my hobbies.
Umar Rushdie (7 years)
D. S. Senanayake College, Colombo
10 – 12 years
A perahera I have seen
I was centered on the people who had arrived from all four directions of the country to watch the Kandy Esala Perahera. I was thinking of what time the perahera would start. At twilight, Kandy was filled with police. They pushed back the thickening, excited crowd, clearing out the perahera route. As the sound of beating drums amplified, devotees shouted ‘Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu…’
Then the perahera started parading. The whip crackers announced the commencement of the perahera. They strategically cracked their coir whips on to the ground to create a spark and notify the crowd about the beginning of the perahera. Flag bearers carrying the Buddhist flag and provincial flags followed.
The most exciting experience was to watch the performance of the drummers and elephants who wore dazzling dresses. Drumming is Sri Lanka is a unique culture that dates back to years ago. Every special Buddhist occasion consists of drummers to respect and remember the proud culture. There were ten types of drummers and they were accompanied by energetic dancers. We saw coconut flower dancers who carried a coconut flower which is a symbol of prosperity according to traditional Sri Lankan beliefs. Since the purpose of the Esala perahera is to wish prosperity to the country, these coconut flower dancers perform denoting that purpose.
Next a large team of traditional Kandyan dancers dressed in the elegant Kandyan costumes, danced to the music of the drums. Their leaps and moves were fabulous and fantastic.
Then the most awaited tusker of the perahera arrived on ‘pavada’ and under a canopy. It was the Maligawa Tusker, decorated in illuminated clothes, walking majestically in supreme grace and pride. It carried the golden casket called the ‘Karanduwa’. All the devotees stood in honour of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha contained in the golden casket.
After the tusker, two lines of Kandyan dancers made the path for the Diyawadana Nilame, the custodian of the Temple of the Tooth Relic. This marked the end of the Maligawa Perahera.
Then followed the perahera of each ‘devalaya’. First came the perahera of god Natha consisting of the Basnayake Nilame. Next the perahera of god Vishnu, the protector of Buddhism started parading. Subsequently we saw the perahera of god Katharagama. In this perahera ‘kavadi’ dancers can be seen. The final parade is dedicated to the goddess Paththini, where female dancers appeared.
The Esala Perahera is great evidence to prove that Sri Lanka is a cultural country. I felt that this perahera was like a movie. It is an eye-catching view for Buddhists and non-Buddhists. And it is an attraction for tourists to learn about our country.
Dananga Karunarathne (12 years)
Lakdasa De Mel College, Kurunegala
13 – 15 years
Global Warming is a threat to Mother Earth
Global warming is attacking Mother Earth day by day. It is the long-term rise of overall temperature of our planet due to the increase of green house gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. These gases cool the planet in the night by storing the sun’s radiation. These gases are indispensable. If they didn’t exist there may be global cooling but when they exist over the limit they lead to global warming.
This has become a modern problem. Anything over the limit is dangerous. Presently these gases are released immensely thereby forming a threat. When the amount of green house gases increase, then the heat that they store also increase. When our Mother Earth is faced with an over warming situation, her ice glaciers on the North and South Poles start melting and with time may cause the flooding of small islands. This may also lead to more dangers such as natural disasters and climatic change.
There are popular figures in the world who are encouraging people to change. Greta Thunberg is such a figure. She is a 16 year old Swedish activist and she is playing an active role in the fight against climate change. She rarely flies and explains that the gases released from aeroplanes also lead to global warming.
A famous quote by Greta Thunberg her is,
“I don’t want you to be hopeful
I want you to panic.
I want you to act like your house is on fire,
Because it is…”
There are many reasons for global warming. Deforestation, releasing excess smoke from factories, burning of fossil fuels, are some of them. It is clear that mainly human activities cause this threat.
If we stand together and change then we all together will be able to help our Mother Earth. If we can’t get rid of this threat completely at least we must try to reduce it. Then I’m sure Mother Earth will be happy and proud about her children.
Chanithma Joseph (13 years)
Taxila Central College, Horana
