By Ama Kalpani
Trees with blossoming “Erabadu”, melodious calls of the cuckoo bird, smell of delicious sweet meats, whitewashed houses, and crowded cities with people rushing here and there signified Sinhalese and Tamils were getting ready to celebrate one of the most fascinating festivals in their culture.
So why should not we, Gaveliers?
We also got together to celebrate “Gavel Avurudu” along with all the present and past Gaveliers highlighting the unity and the spirit of the “Gavel family” once again.
With the greatest efforts of many personalities behind the screen, we could mark another remarkable milestone in the Gavel history. Being the project chairpersons, Samadhi Poornima and Supun Madushan had put their maximum effort to make this special event one glamorous and a memorable day in the hearts of all Gaveliers.
It was 1.30pm on Sunday the 19thof April….. All the young gentlemen in traditional sarong and shirt and the beautiful ladies in colorful frocks and lungis were about to feel the enjoyment of Avurudu. The hut and the swing in the background which symbolized the folk art and the culture and the whole atmosphere could make us feel the exact sense and the smell of Avurudu at the village. Marking the incipient moment of the day by lighting the hearth, Gavel Avurudu commenced with the hope of a peaceful, prosperous and a happy new year ahead.
Undoubtedly the melodious Avurudu songs mingled with the bewitching compering throughout, enriched the event. And many games were organized to fill this day with more colors such as sack race, pillow fight, bun eating race, blind pot break, spoon and lime race, filling the bottle, mark elephant’s eye, Avurudu Kumara and Kumariya, hat passing and many more! Those were not merely games but a blend of immortal memories, fun and traditions. It was truly a great platform to enhance the bond we share between the Gaveliers and to make it stronger and stronger. And also throughout the celebration, Avurudu sweets like kavum, kokis, asmee were served all around to give us the real taste of Avurudu.
Seconds of joy, minutes of fun and hours of laughter…. half of a day’s time passed leaving thousands of lovely memories in all our hearts and there came the 241st Gavel meeting soon after the Gavel Avurudu Festival.
It was undoubtedly a special meeting for all of us because of many reasons. Presence of our Alumni members in the meeting, place being shifted to the pavilion due to the presence of the rain god, conducting the meeting with only 3 role players gave us a whole different experience making it more than a typical gavel meeting. Then the proceedings of the 241st Gavel meeting commenced. Starting with the national anthem lead by Merl Chandana, President introduced the Toastmaster for the day who was none other than one of the leading personalities in the Gavel Avurudu Festival, project chair person, Supun Madushan.
Then it was high time to hear the voice of our own Gaveliers and their own experience on the Gavel Avurudu celebrations. Round robin session started with the topic “The moment of the day” and it was a delightful session which carried us back to each and every moment of the event with everyone describing them in their own words.
After a successful round robin session, the Toastmaster introduced the table topics master for the day, Samadhi Poornima, the other project chair person who rendered her immense contribution towards the upturn of the event. There were a set of mind blowing topics in the session mainly focusing the new year and the bondage among Gaveliers and what Gavel is for every single person. Throughout the meeting a prominent place was given to the past Gaveliers who joined with us despite all their tedious schedules. It was a great pleasure to have them with us and to share their experience and memories they had when they were highly active in the club. And for us as present Gaveliers, each and every word of them was like a golden treasure. Apart from the past members, our own present members too shared their ideas and thoughts during the table topics session. And so, an excellent session of table topics marked its end.
There after the control was handed over to the Toastmaster and then to the President as there were no evaluators appointed in the meeting to evaluate the heart-felt words of the speakers and thus the 241stGavel meeting was adjourned.
After a great success beyond expectations, Gavel Avurudu Festival and the 241stGavel meeing – Avurudu meeting came to an end strengthening the affinity, brotherhood and the unity among the Gavel family leaving millions of charming, joyful and precious memories in our hearts.
Role players for the day:-
Toastmaster: Supun Madushan
Table Topics Master: Samadhi Poornima
Timer: Rochelle Silva