News
Good riddance to a nightmare year haunted by a new, deadly virus
The dawn of 2021, was not a usual one.
It was an end to an extremely exhausting, miserable year to many. This clearly was portrayed by the unusually loud firecrackers at long intervals lighted by those thrilled to end the year of the coronavirus pandemic and pain to welcome a year of hope.
A deadly new coronavirus was reported in Wuhan in Hubei province of China on December 31 afternoon and spread rapidly to engulf the whole world within days. Sri Lanka was not spared.
Tired of a year of death and destruction visited on them from afar, some Sri Lankans decided in the late hours to express their hopes for better days.
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- City hotels on New year’s eve
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- Galle Face deserted. Pix by Indika Handuwala and M.A. Pushpa Kumara and
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- Christmas decorations in Pelawatte
In some areas of Colombo, firecracker bursts lasted close to half an hour.
Even vendors were taken by surprise when sales picked up in the last few hours of 2020.
“We did not expect sales to go up, and in fact, all manufacturers were complaining of possible losses. The evening rainy weather on the 31st also hurt our expectations. Then, suddenly, we were getting calls telling us that sales are picking up and by 10:00 p.m. almost 75 percent of our stocks were over,” said B.M.P.K. Fernando, owner of Tharakaloka Prasanna Fireworks, Negombo.
He suspects that those who were confined to their homes just wanted to celebrate the ending of a miserable year.
“More fireworks at the dawn of the New Year were definitely a way to welcome a year of hope, especially for the youth,” said Sandeepa de Silva from Moratuwa.
There were no lavish New Year’s Eve gala dinners, big displays of fireworks, live music as people bid adieu to 2020 and welcomed the New Year with dinner and drinks in the company of family and friends in their homes, or at hotels.
The president of Colombo City Hoteliers Association and Vice President of Hotels Association of Sri Lanka, M. Shanthikumar, said hotels in Colombo, known for well-organized New Year Eve’s galas had no opportunity to do so this year.
“Even the usual dinner service saw fewer people. It was very low key. The year ended with a bad note for hotels,” he said.
With over four decades of experience in the tourism and hospitality industry, Mr. Shanthi Kumar said this was the most severely impacted year-end celebration.
“Even during the [terrorist] conflict, people were attracted to New Year celebrations. But this is a pandemic and there was a clear risk for those with [underlying] health conditions,” he said.
Even places of worship drew few people and many elderly stayed home.
Mask clad parents with young children either wearing masks or face shields, were seen in temples offering flowers and lighting oil lamps.
Only a few patronised popular dining spots in Colombo.
An owner of a leading liquor store in Colombo, said there was less demand for spirits and profit margins dropped.
There were no celebrations at the Galle Face Green — no musical shows and no fireworks spectacles.