Arts
KohoKoho heralds all you need to know about Avurudu
It’s two minutes to an auspicious time (nekatha) and you are dashing from the TV room to the kitchen, trying to time everything correctly according to the TV countdown. This is a scene often enacted in many Sri Lankan homes during the Avurudu season. KohoKoho developed by SurfEdge is an app that can save you much hassle and has the potential to modernise how we celebrate Avurudu.
Unlike other Avurudu apps you find in Play Store, Kohokoho does not just list out nekath times, rather it has a countdown to it. It connects Sri Lankans around the globe in celebrating Avurudu as one unified community, and that is what makes it truly unique.
“Most youths don’t know about nekath times and Avurudu as a whole, so this app plays an important part in reaffirming traditions among today’s youth. Also the reason behind the nekath is also given briefly, so anyone who doesn’t know about our traditions can learn about it,” says Chamath Palihawadana, one of the developers of KohoKoho app.
Chamath, along with Adhisha Gammanpila and Janith Gamage form the core team behind the app. In 2014, just after leaving school they launched SurfEdge, a tech company with the motto ‘Making Life Smarter’. In addition, Rivisha Siriwardana assisted in preparing the detailed content and Chamodi Waidyathilaka in creating artwork and graphics for the app. The social media promotion on the app was handled by Youtubers Banu Athuraliya and Chanux Bro.
When we think about Avurudu, the Asian koel (Koha) is one of the first symbols that comes to mind. Its loud calls can be heard throughout the Avurudu season. KohoKoho got its name from the Koha, which is a staple in the app, with the main logo being a Koha, curiously coloured red. The illustration of the red Koha is present in every graphic. “During Avurudu the sound of the Koha is the natural signature of the event,” says Adhisha. When the app is opened or a nekatha approaches, they are indicated by the call of the koha,” adds Chamath.
KohoKoho app is partnered with PickMe, CIB, Bear Appeal, 99x Technology and ShoutOUT. One thing that makes this app special is that none of the partner advertisements is heavily pushed on the app. Users don’t have to skip videos or get put off by the ads. Instead SurfEdge works with the brands personally and incorporates ads into the graphics itself. For example, the PickMe logo on an auto rickshaw appears in one of the graphics.
The trio behind the app: (From left to right): Adhisha, Chamath and Janith. Pic by Priyanka Samaraweera
Last year with the updated features of Smart Compass and Trilingual Support, the app received more than 10,000 downloads, a big improvement from 2017 where it was just 200 downloads of the app which then only had basic functions. The Smart Compass helps you to find the correct direction for each nekatha. The app is available in all three languages-Sinhala, Tamil and English.
The developing team also has been receiving a positive response from the Sri Lankan Diaspora in the UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand and Middle East during the Avurudu season. The KohoKoho app tops the charts in the App Store around Avurudu time as the app most downloaded and was awarded Second Place under the Sri Lankan Android App of the Year at the Google IO Extended Sri Lanka 2018.
User friendliness, stability and the speed of the app are key aspects that the developers have paid close attention to and prioritised.
The KohoKoho app can be downloaded from Google Play Store and App Store. The app is fully responsive with devices in a wide range, including smartphones and smartwatches.
Visit the http://www.sundaytimes.lk/190407/ to learn more about Kohokoho or download it in the App or Google Play Store.
