153-Year-Old Giant Tortoise Chosen for New Year Oil-Anointing Ceremony

 

A giant tortoise, approximately 153 years old and a main attraction at the Dehiwala National Zoological Gardens, has been chosen to take part in the traditional Sinhala and Tamil New Year oil-anointing ceremony on April 16. The event will begin at 9:04 AM, and visitors to the zoo will be able to witness the ceremony.

Zoo Operations Director Anoma Priyadarshani revealed that this special celebration is part of the zoo’s New Year festivities. Along with the tortoise, several other animals such as elephants, zebras, hippopotamuses, a lion cub named Simba, deer, and birds have also been selected to participate in the ritual.

Weighing over 400 kilograms, the ancient tortoise is considered one of the zoo's most iconic and beloved creatures. It was originally kept in the National Museum Gardens before being gifted to the Dehiwala Zoo in 1930, making it an animal of great historical value.

Zoo authorities stated that this traditional oil-anointing ceremony is intended to preserve Sri Lankan cultural heritage and introduce these customs to the younger generation. Visitors are warmly invited to attend and witness this unique  New Year celebration.