Duruthu Full Moon Poya Day:
First visit of the Buddha
With much piety and reverence, the Sri Lankan
Buddhists look forward to celebrate the Duruthu Full Moon Poya day
which falls on January 22nd. The first poya day for the year,
Duruthu Poya bears a special significance to Sri Lankans as it was
on such a day that the Buddha's first visit to Sri Lanka had taken
place, over 2595 years ago, nine months after his Enlightenment.
Nesting secrets of the cuckoos
However, in 1982 the Ceylon Bird Club placed on
record authentic evidence that proved, once and for all, that the
Black-headed Oriole is the local fosterer of this cuckoo. The best
known of all resident cuckoos is the Indian Koel (Eudynamys
scolopacea), which is parasitic on the two local crows, i.e. House
crow and the Black crow. The koel's egg is described as
grayish-green, spotted with reddish brown.
Food for thought
They provide a clue to the real physical
appearance of the people who lived in this country 20-30 years ago.
Other than a few, many of them have thin figures. And if you compare
them with today's, you would see a vast difference. Plump figures
with heavy stomachs that must contain gallons of fat could be seen
walking on the streets. This is my personal study, which some might
not agree with, but still, consider this as 'food for thought'. Fast
food outlets all over the island are also responsible.