An Uththama Dalada by Serendib Flour Mills

Serendib Flour Mills has remained dedicated to nourishing the nation by providing wholesome, nutritious and versatile flour products that are used in bakeries, hotels, restaurants, cafés, homes and factories across the island.

Recently they took it upon themselves to make an honest attempt to bring back the trust and unity among the different communities through their Vesak video, which showed the importance of staying united and how unity can bring about a wonderful light within the society.

Popularly known as the grandest religious and cultural celebration in the country, the Esela Perahara attracts both local and foreign devotees who visit with the hopes of obtaining the blessings of the sacred tooth relic, or to simply enjoy the festival. The Esala Perahara is of immense importance to the Sri Lankan culture and its citizens regardless of their ethnicity or religion. This is because the festival honors the Sacred Tooth Relic as well as the four guardian Gods: Natha, Vishnu, Kataragama and Pattini. However, the demographic that doesn’t usually get the opportunity to witness the glory of this festivity is the one that deserves the most: The senior generation.
7 Star saw the Esala Perahara as another opportunity to give back to the society and do further good. Therefore, 7 Star decided to grant this opportunity to citizens that are considered to be the backbone of the country, who were living their golden years: The generation that dedicated their youth for this country, and that which nourished the nation and created the society we live in. These seniors were from elders homes island-wide and have long desired to witness this grand celebration but were unable to go about it on their own, on account of both physical and financial reasons.
They are often overlooked and under-appreciated in modern society and this was one of the main reasons as to why the Serendib Flour Mills decided to give them this wonderful opportunity. Their goal was to nourish the elderly with the love and care that they deserve at this stage in their lives.
The festival commenced on the 7th of August and a group of 100 senior citizens were granted the privilege of visiting the ancient kingdom and religious grounds of Kandy at the busiest and the most colourful time of the year. They were given a comfortable & loving treatment, everything down to the buses they rode in. They were also gifted brand new clothes, fed with delicious food and protected at all times.
The excited seniors were first taken to the Holy Temple of the Tooth Relic, to give them the rare chance of worshiping the sacred tooth relic and asking for blessings. It was a sight to see as they walked on by with warm smiles, pious hearts, and lotus flowers in hand.
The elders were provided with comfortable sitting arrangements and refreshments for them to enjoy the perahara to its fullest without any difficulties or inconveniences. The 7 Star team were dedicated to ensure that the elders were well taken care of. The joy they experienced was evident through the glimmer in their eyes and the nostalgic tone in their voices, which were captured in a video which was published on digital platforms. The video not only showcased the generosity of the act, and the purity of the smiles of the elders, but also melted the hearts of all those that watched it.
Mr. Kalinga Wijesekara, 7 Star’s Head of Marketing & Communications had this to say on the success of their initiative.
“Our purpose of business is not only to sell flour but a broader one where we strive to improve the quality of life of all Sri Lankans and thereby nourish the nation. We have undertaken many initiatives in this sphere and this particular one where we were able to give something back to the senior citizens was very special. Senior citizens are sometimes the forgotten generation and hence this becomes very important. We shall continue in such projects in the future so that it gives a true meaning to our mission of Nourishing the Nation”

The seniors were utterly grateful for this opportunity and took the liberty to state that they wish nothing but the best for all those who made it possible for their dreams to come true. It is this pure happiness that Serendib Flour Mills wanted to provide, and by doing so, the elders were filled with hope, excitement and inner peace that they were seeking for a long time. It is initiatives like this that make 7 Star claim its status as the principle nourishment provider for they supply more than just food.