AARAMBAYAK 2021

The word “Arambayak” reveals birth or beginning in Sinhala. Just as the word signifies, Project Arambayak undoubtedly marks a new start for RACUOCFMF each year. Every year, the club organizes this project as a Community Service initiative to signify the beginning of the new Rotaract year and obtains blessings from all religions for a successful year ahead. Owing to the traditions of FMF, this year also project Arambayak was planned to carry out as the first project of the Rotaract year 2021-22, and was organized for the 5^th consecutive year.

The project took place in four different locations representing the four main religions in the country. They were Vajira Pillayar Kovil Bambalapitiya, St. Lawrence’s Church Wellawatte, Dawatagaha Jumma Masjid Maradana and Mahabodhi Viharaya Maradana. This year the project was carried out with the participation of few members representing the entire club due to the prevailing pandemic and also with adherence to all safety guidelines issued by health authorities.

On the day of the project (11^th of July 2021), we got together at Vajira Pillayar Kovil, Bambalapitiya at around 8 in the morning and thereafter offered the ‘Pooja’ to the sacred Hindu Gods while wishing for strength and courage to conduct more impactful initiatives through the club in the upcoming year. The Swami also chanted blessings to the members, and we ensured that all health & safety guidelines were followed by us.

புதிய ஆரம்பத்திற்காய் காலை 8 மணியளவில் நாம் பம்பலப்பிட்டி வஜிரா பிள்ளையார் ஆலயத்தில் ஒன்று கூடினோம். இவ் ஆண்டு முழுவதும் கழகத்தின் மூலம் வினைத்திறனான செயற்திட்டங்கள் செய்வதற்காய் பலமும், தைரியமும் வேண்டி இந்துக் கடவுள்களுக்கு பூஜை செய்து ஆசிர்வாதம் பெற்றுக் கொண்டதுடன் ஆலய அர்ச்சகரிடமிருந்தும் ஆசிர்வாதங்களைப் பெற்றுக்கொண்டோம். அனைத்து சுகாதார நடைமுறைகளையும் பின்பற்றி ஒன்று கூடியதுடன் அர்த்தமிகு புதிய வருடம் எம் அபிலாஷைகளுடனும், ஆசிர்வாதங்களுடனும் தொடங்கியது.

Following the conclusion of proceedings at the Kovil, we made our way to the St. Lawrence’s Church in Wellawatte. At the church, the father blessed us for a successful and fruitful year ahead. We also lit candles and sang prayers while admiring the grandeur of the church.

Thereafter we headed to the Dawatagaha Jumma Masjid in Maradana. For most of us, it was our first time inside a mosque. The Moulawis conducted a sermon and gave us advice on how to make a valuable impact on society through our activities in a meaningful way. We were also served dates and drinks there.

Finally, we made our way to the ultimate location, Mahabodhi Viharaya in Maradana. We offered flowers, incense sticks and lighted oil lamps and afterwards, the head monk blessed us by chanting ‘Pirith’. Finally, yet importantly, we also offered ‘Pirikara’ to the temple.

මෙම ප්‍රයත්නයේ කොටසක් වශයෙන්, ආගමික ස්ථාන වලින් වන්දනාමාන කර ආශිර්වාද ලබා ගැනීමට අමතරව, නිවාස අහිමි වූවන්ට දිවා ආහාර ඇසුරුම් ද අපි බෙදා දුන්නෙමු. දිවා ආහාර පැකට් සමාජිකයින් විසින් ස්වේච්ඡාවෙන් ගෙන ආ අතර ආගමික ස්ථාන අතර ගමන් කරන විට අපි ඒවා බෙදා දුන්නෙමු. ව්‍යාපෘතිය පුරාවටම අපි සියළුම සෞඛ්‍ය හා ආරක්‍ෂිත මාර්ගෝපදේශ අනුගමනය කිරීමට ද වග බලා ගත්තෙමු.

As a part of the endeavour, we also distributed lunch packets to the homeless in addition to worshipping and obtaining blessings from religious places. The lunch packets were voluntarily brought by club members and we distributed them while travelling between the religious sites. We also ensured that we followed all health & safety guidelines throughout the project.

Afterwards, as the first project of the Rotaract year 2021-22, project Arambayak was concluded successfully. All four religions made us understand that we are all born with a ground to give back to society. Accomplishing our dream work is quite easy with teamwork and unity! The indelible moments we had in Arambayak 2021 will dwell in our hearts forever.