Mouth watering Sri Lankan cuisine and right ambience makes London Buddhist Vihara fund raising dinner a resounding success!

Mouth watering Sri Lankan cuisine and right ambience makes
London Buddhist Vihara fund raising dinner a resounding success!

Report by Pandula Ranatunga

Organised by the parents and teachers of London Buddhist Vihara Dhamma School, their recent fund-raising dinner broke new ground for the temple by being the institution’s best attended event to date and raising record breaking funds for the Vihara. On December 3^rd a varied selection of enchanting Sri Lankan dishes enticed not only the Temple’s usual congregation but also its Chiswick neighbours, who clamoured in their droves to form long queues in anticipation of tasting the culinary delights and experiencing the special ambience that had been organised. Careful preparation and meticulous planning certainly seemed to have helped the cause, with no stone being left unturned to help create a welcoming atmosphere for everyone. From the menu to the decoration there was painstaking attention paid to give attendees a flavour not only of Sri Lankan food but also a taste of the country’s rich culture, religious heritage and scenic beauty. So it was that on a crisp and cold winter’s evening, Chiswick’s genteel multicultural folk gathered inside a warm international Buddhist temple to taste authentic Sri Lankan cuisine and be transported to some of the sights, smells and sounds of a tropical island far away in the Indian Ocean. Inside the Temple hall, the walls were adorned with picturesque posters and wall hangings capturing the beauty of Sri Lanka and its renowned splendour while the centrepieces on the tables were decorated with cinnamon scented candles and White Araliya flowers (Temple tree) not to mention some cascading down from ornate pots (Punkalas). To add a touch of glamour not normally associated with a usual mundane charity dinners, the Temple Tree flowers were mounted on ebony plates and set against Midnight Blue table covers. Even the Temple entrance was not neglected by the organisers’ magic touch as it was decorated with white cherry bulbs and a pathway of hurricane lanterns added a sense of drama and celebration which contrasted with the wintery gloomy weather outside.

The organisers who planned and created this event came from numerous LBV Dhamma School well-wishers comprising parents, volunteer teachers and children of all ages who showed great calmness and team spirit by rallying together to help the cause of raising funds for the school. These helpers were themselves part of the Sri Lankan visual theme that ran throughout the event, draped in their traditional Sri Lankan attires from brightly coloured saris to sarongs to cloth and jackets, which helped create an aura of Eastern authenticity and charm. In addition, television projection screens adorned the ends of each hall and with their speakers, the sounds and images of Buddhist art, culture and rituals including the Kandy Perahera unfolded as a fitting background to those experiencing the gourmet cuisine. People were captivated by insightful documentaries on Buddhist Sculptures and Art, including The Seven Wonders of the Buddhist World, Buddhism: Art of Faith and a 1934 award-winning short documentary, named “Song of Ceylon”, chronicling the cultural life and religious customs of the Sinhalese which at the time was still under British colonial rule with a commentary based on Robert Knox’s 1680 writings. Everyone agreed that it certainly was a memorable event to meet old and new acquaintances, absorb the stimulating atmosphere and tuck in to authentic Sri Lankan cuisine as well as other delicacies that were sold on the day. There were feelings of unrestrained joy and gratitude shown on the faces of all those who worked dedicatedly behind the scenes including the parents, children and teachers when the total amount of the fund raising on the day was finally announced. It was all praises for those who organised and worked hard behind the scene which had certainly given them an encouragement to organise in future similar event in this same well-thought out manner.