Today 4th February is Sri Lanka Independence Day. Celebrating the country’s political independence from Britain in 1948. It is a national holiday and celebrations include flag hoisting ceremonies, military parades, dances. Sri Lankan flags are for sale everywhere and gaily festoon vehicles, buildings and roadsides.
An all night Pirith Chanting ceremony was held. This is the chanting of the words of Buddha. Today the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa gave his speech to the nation paying tribute to the past and setting out his plans for the future.
Located in the heart of Colombo is Independence Square. Prince Henry The Duke of Gloucester formerly opened the first parliament here on this day in 1948.
The “Father of the Nation” first Prime Minister of the country the Rt Hon Don Stephen Senanayake commissioned the Independence Memorial Hall to be built in the centre of the square. His statue is at the front of the monument
Inspired by the Magul Maduwa (Royal Audience Hall) in the Temple of the Tooth, Kandy and designed by a group of Sri Lankan architects led by Tom Neville Wynne-Jones the building is filled with symbols of the island’s rich history and political freedom.
It has 48 pillars commemorating the year 1948. Four menacing stone lions copied from statues of the 13th century Yapahuwa kingdom guard each corner. The basement houses the museum of the island’s history.
The hall was the ceremonial assembly hall for the Senate of Ceylon and the House of Representatives of Ceylon until Parliament moved to the new complex in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.
The square and Hall are a pleasant quiet oasis in the middle of bustling Colombo. There is car parking and no admission charge.
Janet's Journal 
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