'Bankara Kurutu Gee' New Edition Pays Tribute to Unsung War Heroes
May 20, 2019The new edition of the post-war literature, 'Bankara Kurutu Gee' (Graffiti in Bunkers) was released this afternoon (18) during a ceremony at Thunmulla Sri Sambuddhathwa Jayanthi auditorium, attended by a large gathering of tri-service, Police and Civil Security Department senior Officers, invitees and members of the Maha Sangha.
The compendium of Sinhala graffiti collected from bunkers, sentry points and other duty locations which were found written by soldiers on ground while the country was suffering from a 30 year-long brutal war period before May 2009, was said to be the world's only Sinhala book of this nature.
Governor for Northern Province Dr Suren Raghavan, Secretary Defence General (Retd) Shantha Kottegoda, Commander of the Air Force Air Marshal Kapila Jayampathy, Chief of Staff of the Army Major General Shavendra Silva, representing the Commander of the Army, senior Navy and Police Officers and artistes were among those distinguished attendees.
First copies of the 'Bankara Kurutu Gee' were presented to Mrs Lali Kobbekaduwa, spouse of late General Denzil Kobbekaduwa, Governor for Northern Province, Secretary Defence, Commander of the Air Force, Chief of Staff of the Army and a few senior Officers during the same ceremony, symbolizing its release.
The book launch coincided with 10th anniversary milestone of the culmination of the war for peace (Dasawarshabhishekaya) on 18 May and was organized by the ARRYA Foundation, chaired by the author, Charith Kiriella, a veteran journalist cum the author of several other books.
The inauguration of the ceremony added a new feature at the outset by holding the 'Pen Wedeema' ritual performed by members of the Maha Sangha with the participation of Mrs Lali Kobbekaduwa, together with a few service Officers with the objective of transferring merits to the memory of all fallen War Heroes.
Courtesy: www.army.lk