Gallery
Dancing and delicacies to ring in the Sri Lankan New Year in Woodford Green
Children wore traditional outfits to the celebration - Credit: Archant
More than 400 people celebrated the Sri Lankan New Year at an event this week.
The festivities, hosted by the Redbridge Buddhist Centre, was held at Woodbridge High School, St Barnabas Road, Woodford Green.
Head monk Reverend Hemarana Pethigamuwe said the Sri Lankan New Year is always celebrated in April and usually on the 13th or 14th day of the month, and unlike Gregorian New Year, it marks the end of harvest.
“It was a very well organised event and everybody had a good time – MP (for Ilford North) Wes Streeting and Cllr Ross Hatful said it was one of the best events they had been to,” he said.
“There were lots of things going on including traditional Sri Lankan dancing, games and singing.”
You may also want to watch:
There was also celebration treats and delicacies native to South Asia on offer.
The guests could sample kevum – a deep-fried sweet pastry made from rice flour and kithul treacle and kokis – a deep-fried crispy sweet made from rice flour and coconut milk.
Most Read
- 1 95pc of children get place at first or second choice primary school
- 2 Have you seen Chantel, 15, missing from Ilford?
- 3 Fire damages Ilford flats
- 4 Two men assaulted with pole after car driven into them
- 5 Ricardo Fuller death: Man charged with murder
- 6 Tributes to police officer killed in Ilford on 26th anniversary of death
- 7 Two men arrested after kidnapping in broad daylight in South Woodford
- 8 Pedestrian suffers 'life-threatening head injury' in Redbridge collision
- 9 Fairlop Waters, numbers, NHS and child exploitation
- 10 Hainault teen lands coveted slot on dance touring company
A special effort was made to decorate the room and volunteers spent time adorning the space with colours chosen to ring in the New Year.
“The children were given a present for the celebration and the older ones also got a certificate,” added Reverend Pethigamuwe.
“There were lots of Sunday school children, parents and members of the Sri Lankan community – it was great.”
