The betel leaf
The importance of the betel leaf
A sheaf of betel is associated almost with every important event and milestone of our lives. It is used in welcoming, showing reverence, communication good and bad news and demonstrating social give and take in the rural society even today. A visitor to the house in made welcome by offering betel leaves cuts across all social distinction. It gives One equality. In ancient times it was found in every household – rich or poor.
It is also a sign of affection. One many prepare a chew for a relation or a friend as a token of companionship. The betel is offered by the young to the elders as a symbol of respect. A person would offer it with the stem away from one’s self. Sometimes he may go down on his knees, once the sheaf is accepted. On the Sinhala and Tamil New Year’s day. it is customary for the young to offer a sheaf of betel to the elders and worship them.
The chief guest for a cultural function would be invited with a sheaf of betel. At a funeral house the betel is arranged upside down on the betel tray. A student on his first day in school and after the New Year would offer a sheaf of betel and worship his or her teacher. Betel is significant in the performance of the Sinhala marriage customs. Relative are invited for wedding with the betel leaf, like an incitation card. A family will get as many leaves as the numbers invited.
At ceremonies when money is exchanged the money would be on a betel leaf or wrapped in it. In the past, Buddhist priest and Ayurvedic physicians were never offered money.
The comb of bananas
The comb of bananas too is Culturaly important like the sheaf
of betel. The comb of bananas is favoured as a gift. It occupies
A significant place in the traditional table laid along with other
Sweet meats like KEVUM(oil cakes), KOKIS, and milkrice. The
Comb of bananas too cuts across social distinctions. A poor man
Could offer a comb of bananas from his crop to the richest man
And no distinctions are made.
The comb of bananas occupies a significant place in the
‘POOJA’ tray at the hindu kovil. The banana is one kind of fruit

Festivals
Sinhala and Tamil New Year
The Sinhala and Tamil New Year ("Aluth Avurudhu" in Sinhala, "Puthiyathandu" in Tamil) is a very large cultural event on the island. The festival falls in April (also known as the month of bak) when the sun moves from the Meena Rashiya (House of Pisces) to the Mesha Rashiya (House of Aries). Unusually, both the end of one year and the beginning of the next occur not at midnight but at separate times determined by astrologers with a period of some hours between (the "nona gathe" or neutral period) being a time where one is expected to refrain from all types of work and instead engage solely in relaxing religious activities and traditional games. During the New Year, festivities both children and adults will often don traditional outfits. But the clothes must be washed and very clean because it should be southam (pure).
Religion
A Hindu temple in Colombo

Handicraft culture
Sri Lanka has a heritage of handicrafts. All crafts are made by hand. These handicrafts include weaving cloth, making baskets, leather items, pottery, Jewellery, wood work, Brass work and masks etc. our handicrafts are an important part of the crafts traditional of our country. We must protect and maintain the flower of our heritage so that they don’t disappear with time.
Oil lamp
Ealier these crafts were a part of our day to day life. Even today they play a role. For Example – we light the oil lamp when we start some new venture. The lamp has niches for nine wicks. These are meant to be for the ‘NAVAGRAHA’. The traditional lamp had a rooster at the top. This is now sometimes replaced with other symbols. So tradition is continued with change
Wood carving in the Kandyan Rerion was originally associated with architecture. Wooden pillars, roofs, doors, windows, door-bolts and even wooden bridges were all decorated with finely Carvad desighns. Modern art a facts are produced without prejudice to the traditional styles of carving. The creations of the present generation include many beautiful objects of art such as trays, wall plaques and figurines both secular
Pottery

Most of the pottery is made on a rotating disk that the potter keeps turning. It’s called a potter’s wheel. It is a fast turning wheel. A lump of clay is placed on this wheel and then the potter forms a pot by turning the lump of clay. Decoration to the pot is done by incising patterns of stamping with dyes while the Clay is still wet. Most pots are fired in a primitive kiln built of bricks or stones. It is covered with a wattle and daub roof.
Pottery is now used mostly for decoration. Saucepans have replaced the clay pot in most homes.
Dumbara mats

Mat - weavers of Henawela in the Kandy District practice a singular style of mat weaving using A locally grown hemp known as "Hana". The fiber extracted from the leaf of this plant is processed and dyed to enable the weaving of colorful mats and wall hangings. These are gaily decorated with stylized floral, animal and geometrical patterns preserved through generations of craftsmen. The new generation of craftsmen also produce cushion covers, hand bags, shopping bags, letter holders, fans, screens etc to meet the demands of the contemporary society mostly using the same traditional designs and motifs.
Brass, Silver and Mixed Metal Work

Kandyan Jewellery
