Happy New Year Sri Lanka Tourism – A tourism queen was crowned

A tourism queen was crowned in Sri Lanka.
Tourists in Negombo, a resort north of Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo have participated in a traditional New Year festival getting a taste of seasonal games and rituals, the tourism promotion office said.

The event held in Negombo beach showcased Sri Lankan cultural practices and rituals found in the ‘Avurudu’ or traditional Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations.

Yevegenia Kotenko from Russia was selected ‘Avudu Kumari’ or New Year Princess and Shota Kiladze from Russia the New Year Prince.

Visitors also got a chance to take part in bicycles races, pillow fighting, tug of war, bursting of balloons, climbing the grease pole and marking the ‘eye of the elephant’ while blindfolded.

“All the foreign visitors to the event were warmly welcomed according to the Sinhalese rituals and they were entertained with cultural performances and the beat of the ‘Rabana’,” the Tourist Promotion Bureau said.

A Rabana is a large drum which is beaten by group of women sitting around it.

“They have also been provided a chance to see how the ‘ Kevum’ or oil cakes are cooked and to taste such freshly cooked oil cakes.”

The event was organized by the tourism office, Negombo Hoteliers Association and the Sri Lanka Travel Journalists Association, the statement said.

Nimal Lanza, tourism minister of the Western Provincial Council, managing director of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Rumy Jauffer and Chairman of the Western Province tourism office Mervin Fernandopulle were guests at the event.