Traditionally decorated crib

Traditionally decorated crib at American-Ceylon Mission Church in Kiran, Batticaloa district, Eastern Sri Lanka

Traditionally decorated crib at St. Paul and St.Peter's Church in Vanthaarumoolai, Batticaloa district, Eastern Sri Lanka

Anbendra Mazhaiyile - With Lyrics and Sri Lanka East Nativity Scenes

Friday special

Chappaththi and mixed vegetable Kuruma. Chappaththi is made out of Atta flour. It's a healthy meal which can be consumed either for breakfast or dinner

Melts in the mouth

Kozhukkattai, it's a soft sweet savoury

Vazhai Thandu

Vazhai Thandu (Banana Stem) curry

Lattu

Lattu is a sweet served for auspicious occasions by Tamils.

Murukku

Murukku is a savoury snack which is popular among the South Asians. It's made out of black lentil flour, and deep fried, which makes the snack crispy. Murukku is served for auspicious occasions by the Tamils.

Payaththam Paniyaaram

Payaththam Paniyaaram is a sweet served for auspicious occasions by the Tamils. It's made out of green gram, coconut milk and sugar, and fried in oil

Kumbam

Kumbam is set in the shrine room during the Saraswathy Pooja

Fruits are offered

Fruits are offered to the Goddess Saraswathy during Saraswathy pooja

Coconut oil lamp

Coconut oil lamp is lit in a shrine room during the Saraswathy pooja

Offerings

Offerings to the Goddess Saraswathy during Saraswathy pooja

Saraswathy Pooja

Offerings to the Goddess Saraswathy during Saraswathy pooja
Vellai Thamarai Poovil - By Subramaniya Bharathiyar, Rendered by K.J. Yesudas-pictures by Duashiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai

Mothagam

Mothagam is offered to the Goddess Saraswathy during the Saraswathy Pooja

Saraswathy Pooja

Saraswathy pooja is being celebrated at a Hindu house in Bambalapitty
Bharathiyaar Song - Enniya Mudithal Vendum - Rendered by D.K. Pattammal

Cadjan

Nallamani Nallaraakku weaves cadjan in Dutch canal, Udappu, North West Sri Lanka

Kozhukkattai

Kozhukkattai-traditional sweet made on the first day of the Tamil month Aadi

Karunaikizhangu

Karunaikizhangu curry

Botanical name, Amorphophallus
Chenna-Malayalam, Suran-Hindi/Marathi & Karrapendalam - Telugu

Ammi

A flat grinding stone called Ammi and Kuzhavi in a house in Bamabalapitty.It is made of granite.Ammi and Kuzhavi is a common kitchen gadget of every Tamil household in Sri Lanka. It's used to grind sambols, chutneys and curry pastes.

Ammi plays an impoartant role in the rituals of a Hindu marriage, which is known as Ammi Mithiththal. The bride and bridegroom go around the sacred fire seven times known as Sapthapathi, after tying the Thaali. Then the bridegroom takes hold of the right foot of the bride and makes her take seven consecutive steps, and places the foot of the bride on the Ammi, and wears a silver ring called Minji on her second toe. The same steps are followed to wear a Minji on the left foot of the bride.It indicates she be as strong and steadfast as the stone in the face of adversity. Afterwards the couple looks at the twin star Arunthathy which represents the ideal of a married life or Thampaththya Uravu.

Boiled Manioc

Boiled Manioc (yuca), red chillie and onion sambol. It's a light meal consumed for breakfast in Sri Lanka