Dinesha Dilrukshi

                  THE TELEVISION - ITS GOOD                                  AND BAD EFFECTS.         Television is regarded as one of the miracles of the modern science. There are many sources of getting information in the world today. Radio, television, telex, fax, E-mail and internet are some of them. Out of all these sources television has become the most powerful source of getting information. A television has two fold benefits. We can see and also listen to the important incidents that are taken place in different parts of the world.           Mankind is indebted to Baird, a famous scientist who invented the television. Television plays an important role in the modern society. Several programmes are telecast with the help of satellites. The introduction of colour T.V. has made this medium very popular an...

                      KINDNESS TO ANIMALS.            As civilised people we should show kindness to animals. They are weak and they depend on us. We should treat them with kindness and sympathy.          Poets have written a large number of poems against cruelty to animals. They have appealed to the people not to torture animals. Man has several domestic animals like horse, dog, cat, rabbit, cow and bull. These animals are useful and faithful creatures. We should look after these animals well. The dog is regarded as the most faithful animals to man. Elephants and horses are trained by man for various purposes.        We should never forget that animals are an integral part of our environment. They too have a right to live on the earth. Killing animals is a sinful deed. Though Sri Lanka is a Buddhist country thousands of animals like cattle, goats and pigs ar...

                OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE.              The people of Sri Lanka have inherited a great culture and a civilization. Archaeological evidence exists to prove that Sri Lanka has been populated for over 3000 years. There is also confirmed archaeological evidence to say that in about 800 B.C. the Sinhalese had settled down in the citadel area in Anuradhapura with  highly developed culture.            There are many places of historical and cultural importance. Lot of ruins can be seen at these places. Some of these places are Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla, Sigiriya, Yapahuwa and Panduwasnuwara. We should protect the remains of these ruined cities because they are the monuments that symbolize the great past of our country. We can imagine the skills and talents of our ancestors through these buildings, structures, and images. We should preserve them for our future gene...

       A PLACE OF RELIGIOUS IMPORTANCE.              There are several places of religious importance in Sri Lanka. Among them, Sri Pada is regarded as the most important religious place. Sri Pada is a sacred mountain situated in the Sabaragamuwa province. The distance from Colombo to this place is 101 km. The height of this mountain is 7362 ft. The chief significance of Sri Pada is that it is held sacred by people belonging to all the four major religions.            Buddhists believe that the sacred foot print at Sri Pada is that of Lord Buddha while Hindus believe the foot print is of God Siva and they called it Silvan Adi Padham. Ismamic devotees believe that it is the foot print of Adam. So they called it Adam's peak. Christians believe it to be the foot print of Christ's disciple Thomas. Accordingly, Sri Pada has become a sacred place of all religions.      Devotees go on pilgr...

                        WILD ELEPHANTS IN SRI LANKA.                      Giant animals like elephants can be regarded as an asset to a country. But there is a limited number of elephants in our forest reserves today. Wild elephants are faced with the dangerous threat of extinction. This situation has been arisen due to several reasons.            During the past few decades a large forest cover was cleared for development purposes, farming and human settlement. Under this situation elephants lost their natural habitat. As a result of this elephants resorted to raiding plantations for food, sometimes causing human deaths. According to the statistics of the Wild Life conservation department, nearly 75-100 elephants are killed in our country every year. Also nearly 25-35 people are killed by elephants every year. This is a very sad stat...

                                              VALUE OF TREES.         Trees are an integral part of our environment. Both man and the animals cannot survive without trees. We get food, medicine, wood and shelter from trees. Trees beautify the environment. We get the most needed rain because of the trees. Trees have a great influence upon climate. Trees preserve moisture. The leaves of a tree are always giving off moisture and this constant evaporation cools the surrounding atmosphere. Trees on hill sides stop the soil erosion and prevent destructive earthslips. The soil becomes fertile because of the trees.           We know that plants existed on earth before human beings. This fact proves that trees do not need man for their existence. But man cannot exist without trees.                ...