Thames New Year Festival & Cultural Show 2014

Thames Buddhist Vihara celebrated Sinhala and Tamil New Year in style last weekend, with their New Year Festival 2014. This year saw the 18th annual event, which took place with tremendous flair.

The traditional New Year rituals began on Saturday morning, with Buddha puja, by Ven. Kohukumbure Siridhamma. Beetle leaves were then offered to the Maha Sangha and to parents by children. Oil anointing was also performed. Aurudu Ganudenu, sponsored by Bank of Ceylon, was also done in accordance with tradition.

Following traditional songs and speeches, by the children of the Dhamma School, everyone headed outside to participate in the games. These included favourites such as Kotta pora, feeding curd, coconut scraping and the tug of war. The ongoing Food Fair provided traditional New Year treats.

The arrival of The Worshipful Mayor of Croydon, Cllr Yvette Hopley, heralded the start of the cultural programme, which began with the distinguished guests entering Archbishop Lanfranc School’s premises to the fanfare of The Thames Buddhist Vihara Band, the UK’s leading Eastern band. The flags were hoisted by His Excellency Dr Chris Nonis, High Commisioner for Sri Lanka, Ven. Eheliyagoda Dhammapala Thero, Acting Head of Thames Buddhist Vihara and Cllr Yvette Hopley, Worshipful Mayor of Croydon.

The traditional oil lamp was then lit by distinguished guests, including Cllr Steve O’Connel (Conservative London Assembly member for Croydon), Cllr Vidhi Mohan (Conservative Member for Fairfield Ward), Cllr Simon Hoar (Conservative member for Waddon Ward), Cllr Jim Knight (Mid Sussex District Council), Cllr Sujan Wickremaaratchi (West Sussex County Council), Shiraz Mirza (Assistant Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey), Sarjan Saleem (Allied UK Consultant-sports sponsor), Dr Herath Kularatne (President of Thames Meditation Society), Jagath Jayathillake (Cultural Music Director), Neetha Rohini Wijewikrama (Cultural Dancing Director) and Walter Methananda (President of Thames Cultural and Welfare Foundation and main organiser).

What followed subsequently was a colourful melange of the very best of traditional Sri Lankan dance and drama, all directed by Neetha Rohini Wijewikrema, interspersed by songs and music by Jagath Jayathillake. Even the tiny tots had the opportunity to participate in a fancy dress parade. The annual musical show with Exceed rounded off the day perfectly.