FT
Saturday Nov 02, 2024
Saturday, 24 September 2022 01:09 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Coinciding with the International Book Fair held in Colombo, Sinhala Wedakam, Siddha and Ayurveda based products as well as immunity boosting food items will be featured in an exhibition and sale at the first event of its kind from 23 to 25 September, organised by a network of traditional physicians of Sri Lanka connected to indigenous medicine and food promoting organisations.
The event is held under the patronage of the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress (ACBC) and connected networks which has provided its premises, adjacent to the BMICH for the event which will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. till Sunday, 25 September.
Taking part in the event are physicians connected with the Sinhala Weda Uruma Baraya run Sinhala wedakam hospital in Kelaniya, Hela Suwaya and village based groups which are part of its food and health sustainability initiatives initiated linked to Dharmic govithena.
A very wide range of indigenous medicine related food and medicine including packeted soups, teas, traditional rice (that introducers the consumer to the ancient Sinhala tradition of 100% non-chemical paddy cultivation) and the hundreds of the rice varieties of this nation.
Also sold at the event are hair oils, oils for many illnesses made in the Sinhala Wedakam as well as Siddha traditions relevant to the North and South of Sri Lanka, sourced from indigenous food and medicine entrepreneurs who keep alive the rich health based intangible heritage knowledge of the country.
The existing range of traditional medicine, food and products sold at the Palawela vegan restaurant and sale outlet at the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress (ACBC) premises will be made available and a special highlight would be an educative session on Sinhala Wedakama (Deshiya Chikitsa) facilitated by a physician affiliated to the Sinhala Weda Uruma Baraya run hospital in Kelaniya and Palawela Restaurant Founder Arjuna Podi Wedamahattaya.
A special highlight is the presence of several indigenous medicine and food entrepreneurs from Mullaitivu, Killinochchi and Jaffna.
The North-South indigenous medicine and food entrepreneurship link for national unity is facilitated by Frances Bulathsinghala and the village food and medicine product coordination is handled by Dr. Kumudu Dahanayake, the initiator of using the Dharmic non-violent indigenous agriculture and national resource based entrepreneurship promotion model in Sri Lanka for national unity and wellbeing. Among the key organisers of the event is Weda Nona Dulari Mathararachchi, the Director of the Sinhala Weda Uruma Baraya run pioneering Sinhala Wedakam hospital in Kelaniya, initiated by Harsha Sooriyarachchi, initially for COVID-19 and pandemic related treatments. Senarath Wijeysinghe who was instrumental in assisting in a pioneering insurance scheme for traditional medicine providing hospitals is one of the key inspirations behind the event. The event was launched yesterday and a detailed coverage of the entrepreneurs, their products and their lives will be covered in this page next week.