Two events were organised by the Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi to promote Sri Lankan cuisine as part of the series of programmes to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of Sri Lanka’s Independence. 

A ten day Sri Lanka Food Festival from 17th to 26th August 2018 was held at the Capital Kitchen of the Taj Palace Hotel in New Delhi, which was a great success.  The food festival was organised by the Sri Lanka High Commission in partnership with the Taj Palace in New Delhi together with the Mount Lavinia Hotel in Sri Lanka.  Sri Lanka’s Master Chef Pabilis was the centre of attraction who turned out an array of Sri Lankan cuisine bringing out the best flavours of Sri Lankan spices.

The inauguration of the Sri Lanka Food Festival was held on 23rd of August 2018.  The Chief Guests were Hon. Wijayadasa Rajapaksha, Minister of Higher Education and Culture and Hon. Ranjith Aluwihare, State Minister of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs who graced the occasion in the sidelines of their participation at the Buddhist Conclave that took place in New Delhi simultaneously.  The selected audience included Udith Raj MP, the former Secretary Foreign Affairs of India, S Jaishankar, Sanjay Verma, Chief Of Protocol of the MEA, other officials, diplomats, personnel from the media and the tourism sectors. 

The High Commissioner for Sri Lanka, Chitranganee Wagiswara and Samrat Datta, General Manager of the Taj Palace Hotel addressed the gathering.  The High Commissioner spoke of the India Sri Lanka cultural links and in that context the cuisine which is similar, and at the same time the uniqueness of Sri Lankan cuisine.  Sri Lanka’s Master Chef was also felicitated and his latest books were on display for the invitees to purchase.  A video on tourist attractions was also shown to the audience. 

A publication on “Buddhist Heritage of Sri Lanka” was also launched at the event.  The publication was a project funded by the India Sri Lanka Foundation.  The author of the book is Mr. Binoy Bhel who is a reputed cultural historian, a film maker and a photographer who is known for his tireless and prolific output of work over the past 41 years, in particular on Sri Lanka.  He has taken over 50,000 photographs of Asian monuments and art heritage with most of the ancient buddhist monuments of Sri Lanka.  

The Sri Lanka Food Festival ended in a high note focusing on the myriad flavours and the organic and ayurvedic medicinal value that is encapsulated within its culinary culture.  

In addition, a Sri Lanka Night was held at the Foreign Correspondents Club of South Asia in New Delhi on 28th August 2018.  The event was organized jointly with the FCC, and the Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi.

At the inauguration, the President of the FCC, S. Venkat Narayan thanked the High Commissioner and the staff for organizing the event for the members of the FCC and spoke of the close relations maintained between the FCC and the High Commission.  In her remarks, High Commissioner Wagiswara refered to the important role played by the media and the multifaceted links between India and Sri Lanka.  She highlighted the different features of the Sri Lankan cuisine and referred to the increasing popularity of Sri Lanka as a tourist destination. 

All members of the FCC were invited to taste the flavours of Sri Lankan cuisine and experience the Sri Lankan culinary culture.  The dinner showcased a plethora of festive dishes such as hoppers and egg hoppers, cashew nut curry, pol sambol and different chutneys.

One attractive feature of the evening was, for the first time a group of Indian dancers performed Sri Lankan traditional dances.  The dancers were from the Alpana Nayak Dance Institute in New Delhi.  The students have learnt traditional Sri Lankan dancing during their visit to the University of Visual and Performing Arts Sri Lanka through the Exchange programmes initiated by the India Sri Lanka Foundation.   

Sri Lanka High Commission

New Delhi

31.08.2018