Pahan Tharuwa: More than just a musical show

“Pahan Tharuwa”, is a charity programme organised by the Medical Faculty Students’ Union of University of Peradeniya, aiming to support the underprivileged undergraduates of the faculty in their educational aspirations by providing scholarships and to uplift the lives of the community near the university. 
It is mostly recognised for the traditionally classical musical show organised under its name. This year the show will feature Amarasiri Peiris, Edward Jayakody, Charitha Priyadarshani and Pradeepa Dharmadasa and will be held on May 08. “However, this musical show is only a front and functions as a fundraiser, for the Pahan Tharuwa outreach programme which makes a real difference in society,” a medical undergraduate commented.

Pahan Tharuwa outreach programme takes on two main forms: an Ordinary Level Seminar series and a health camp. For the past three years, the Ordinary Level seminar series has been held continuously at the Doluwa Maha Vidyalaya. The programme is conducted over a seven-week period with an emphasis on the subjects English, Mathematics and Science. The seminars are conducted not as a replacement for normal primary education, but as an adjunct to it to prepare students for the examination. The Doluwa Maha Vidyalaya is a school situated barely a kilometre away from the Doluwa town which houses many students from less affluent families. The administrators of the school explained that, while the academic performance of the school was nothing to boast about, there was a significant upward trend in their Ordinary Level examination results since the beginning of the seminar series. 
Pahan Tharuwa 2024 health camp was held at the Sri Pragnarathana Central College, Gelioya, aiming to serve the residents of the area of Gelioya. Surgical and medical consultations were provided and any pharmaceutical prescriptions, obtained via the health camp, were also fulfilled, completely free of charge, using a stock of both donated and purchased pharmaceutical drugs.

“While Pahan Tharuwa”, may come across as simply a musical show, featuring popular classical artists of Sri Lanka, in reality, it is much more. The smiles that are seen on the students faces, the relief and gratefulness that is palpable during the health camp, all contribute to making every effort worthwhile,” one of the organisers of the outreach programme commented. The organisers said that they sincerely wish to expand this programme, but that could only be done through the contributions and support that these hardworking students and what they receive from their own faculty and the community. “As undergraduates of one of the most prestigious universities in South Asia and as representatives of free health care, we wish to repay the debt we owe to the community and that is what Pahan Tharuwa is all about” said the undergraduate.