Dinesha Dilrukshi

                       A RELIGIOUS FESTIVAL.                     There are several religious festivals in Sri Lanka. Among them Wesak is regarded as the most important religious festival. It is held in the month of may every year. It marks three important events in the life of Lord Buddha. They are the Birth, the Enlightenment and the passing away of Lord Buddha.                                     Most of the people observe "Sil" on this day. They engage in various religious activities too. They listen to sermons and other religious talks. All these acts purify their thoughts. Houses are decorated with Wesak  lanterns and other decorations. They are also illuminated with coloured bulbs.                          ...

             BEGGAR PROBLEM IN SRI LANKA.               Hundreds of beggars, both young and old, can be seen in our populous cities like Colombo, Kandy and Kurunegala. Thousands of other beggars go from house to house in rural areas.                    They have taken to begging as they do not have any means of living and also as they do not have homes of their own. This situation has been arisen due to various factors prevailing in our society. Poverty, parental death and illness, loss of parental love and affection and loss of love and affection of their children are some of them. The number of beggars is increasing day by day.                                  Most of the beggars are not disabled. Most of them are able bodied. They can earn money by doing some sort of work. But they ...

                           DRUG MENACE.          Drug menace has become a burning problem in Sri Lanka today. The number of drug addicts is increasing day by day.                 As described by the  psychologists, drug addition is a state of indiscriminate use of  herbs and herbal preparations, which enslaves the user to them. This is not something new in human society. What is new and alarming is the indiscriminate use of drugs on an unimaginably large scale which may be attributed to breakdown of spiritual and religious value systems that kept man integrated as person and with his family and society.                 Some of these drugs are cannibis, heroin, brown sugar, cocaine, LSD and marijuana. It appears that the most widely used drug is heroin. Drug addition is fast spreading in urban ar...