This meetup was organised to commemorate the Vesak, a religious and cultural event in Sri Lanka. If you want to learn more about the Vesak, please read this article on Vesak on Local Guides Connect. The Vesak is also a festival of lights.
The Original Idea
The original idea was to gather some local guides and kids and lit some sky lanterns for fun and after the event have some snacks, but my kids and wife changed it by adding floating water lanterns to this and kids invited some of their friends to participate this event. They made the floating water lanterns. My elder daughter was so excited, enthusiastic and engaged in making floating lanterns. While she was doing it my wife offered her a glass of fresh passion fruit juice she unconsciously put a pencil into her drink, she was that focused on her work.
How my daughter visualise the event a few days before
My elder daughter was very excited, and she drew a sketch of the event few days before it. See how beautiful it was.
The decision maker, which logo to use…
I wanted to paste the local guides star logo on sky lanterns; my daughters were very straight, they said they want the pin, I told them it is official, I was helpless. If you have daughters you may know, they will decide everything, you have to listen to them, there is no option. Was it like that @TraciC , when you are young? Hope @TraciC , you will understand my situation.
Packing and going…
Finally, around 7.00 pm they were ready, and we packed everything into the boot and went to the Calido beach.
The First Sky Lantern was up, and I got Miss Calls and SMSs from Wajira
We lit the first lantern, and it was on its way to the sky, I did not hear anything, suddenly Wajira showed up and said didn’t you hear my calls, I also sent an SMS. I asked why he said he saw the lantern and he wanted us to wait for him. @SumuduH , can you identify the person with the green t-shirt, who is holding the sky lantern?
The professional opinion was turned down
There were engineers among the participants, and they said we should not lit lanterns in a crowded place as it would hurt some kids. The professional opinion was turned down by the ladies, and they wanted to lit them in crowded area. It paid, a lot of people gathered around including kids and everyone enjoyed it.
It was an awesome experience, especially when strangers joined and enjoyed it.
Addition to Meetup, floating water lanterns…
Then we lit floating water lanterns, and they were floated in the Kalu Ganga. There were lots of kids, and everyone enjoyed it. Few kids thanked us for allowing them to float water lanterns.
Finally, we had some snacks and kids, Local Guides and other participants were really happy, and they enjoyed the event.
Watch the following recap video; it was filmed with available light.
If you want to see more photos of the event, please visit this Google Photos Album.
If you want to see more Vesak related photos, please visit this album.
@IlankovanT @LucioV @NalinK @UpulW enjoy this. Wajira, thank you for participating after the Sil.
It hasn’t happened yet, so we shall see, haha!
