Security forces celebrate Wesak

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
A Wesak lantern competition began last night at Batticaloa's Weber Stadium with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), Sri Lanka AirForce (SLAF) and the Sri Lankan police participating, said sources in Batticaloa.

Mr. A Pathmanathan, Government Agent, Batticaloa, will be among those who will judge the winners of competition.

The competition included sophisticated lanterns and pandals, some of them rotating and resplendently lit, said sources.

The events are sponsored by some local businessmen who have made donations towards the celebrations.

Wesak celebrations also led to the relaxation of the curfew which being imposed only around 12:00 midnight, not at 6:30 p.m as is customary.

There was activity on the roads with people seen till around 9:00 p.m. yesterday evening. The festivities go on today as well.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are not expected to launch an attack on Wesak, a day signifying peace for the Buddhists, said sources.

Wesak is a festival of lights celebrated by Buddhists to mark the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha. Erecting pandals, colourfully lit billboards symbolising the life of the Buddha and lanterns, are parts of the traditional festivities associated with the event.