Deyata Kirula: First Batch
Dropped by Deyata Kirula to check out the scene. Kinda like an amusement park without the rides. Most of the exhibitions are a bit amateurish, but the some of the government ones are very good propaganda. Content aside, however, the most powerful thing is the sheer size of the crowds. I heard estimates of 400,000 in a day and 2 million overall. The thing is so popular that they’ve extended it for another day (tomorrow, poya). It’s largely a (Treasury department funded) show and tell for the government and Mahinda’s party, and they take full advantage. There was Mahinda’s smiling face everywhere, him handing out stuff and standing with various people, and an entire loop and exhibit documenting the sins of the LTTE. Totally agree with the sins of the LTTE bit, when you hear a list of the horrors they’ve done it’s like ‘wow, those guys really suck.’ The party propaganda scares me a bit though.
I’ll write something more detailed later. I had Rs. 200 in my pocket and spent it on 1) two crustified rolls 2) bottle of water 3) flower to throw down some chute which I think goes to the soldiers. So I am mad hungry and I have to go forage for some food. I’m uploading the video to youtube.com/samarajiva and the video to flickr.com/photos/indi as we speak. Have embedded one YouTube above and some photos below. The gallery will get bigger, it’s uploading now.
You have an innate talent for journalism, and an ability to say a thousand words in twenty. Get into print some day, somehow. Speak to the masses.