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by Edwin Ariyadasa

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will declare open "Sri Dhammananda Senior Citizens' Home, affiliated with Hunupitiya Gangarama on February 15 at the auspicious hour of 11.30 a.m.

The Senior Citizens' Home, located at Gonapola, Horana, is named after Ven. Dr. Kirinde Sri Dhammananda, Nayaka Maha Thera, Chief Prelate Malaysia - Singapore. Ven. Dr. Kirinde Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Maha Thera, who possesses a globe-girdling reputation for learning, erudite sermons and an impressive array of popular publications, is a distinguished son of Sri Lanka.

The concept and the detailed building activities of this senior citizens' home, have all been inspired by Ven. Weragoda Sarada Maha Thera, Chief Monk, Singapore Buddhist Meditation Centre, Ven. Weragoda Sarada Maha Thera, a modern missionary monk, who has published more than 200 books on various aspects of Buddhism. Over and above this, he has been responsible for the production of a series of CDs on Buddhist themes.

Deciding that the field of social welfare should receive his dedicated attention, he formulated the idea, that gave rise to the 'Kirinde Sri Dhammandana Senior Citizens' Home' affiliated with Gangarama, Hunupitiya. Ven. Galaboda Gnanissara Maha Thera, Chief Incumbent, Gangarama, Hunupitiya, has been associated with Ven. Weragoda Sarada Maha Thera, in all aspects of this senior citizens' home.

Forty selected individuals, who have been active in various areas of the public and private sectors, will become the pioneering inmates of this senior citizen's home. As the senior citizens' home expands, it will accommodate one hundred persons.

The special feature of this senior citizens' home, is the availability of all the facilities needed for the inmates to make the evening of their life fruitful and active.

The rooms of this home are equipped with state-of-the-art appurtenances, ensuring the highest comfort of the inmates. Responsible persons will guide the senior citizens in their religious, academic and spiritual activities.

The care that is lavished on the spiritual well-being of the senior citizens, is the distinguishing aspect of the home.

In terms of a plan formulated jointly by Ven. Galaboda Gnanissara Maha Thera and Ven. Weragoda Sarada Maha Thera, all the senior citizens will undergo a process of spiritual training for a period of six months. After the completion of this phase, the senior citizens will be ordained Buddhist monks.

The children of these senior citizens will experience a profound religious joy, that their elders have entered the Order.

Since this is the projected way of life for the senior citizens of this home, only those elders who have the personal qualities to fit into this scheme, will be qualified to become inmates of this institution.Ven. Weragoda Sarada Maha Thera, received extensive support of his devotees in Singapore, Malayasia and Taiwan for the establishment of this senior citizen's home. Ven. Sarada, did not raise funds in Sri Lanka for this project.

But the generous public of Sri Lanka can acquire merit and blessings by contributing towards the maintenance of this Home.

Sri Lankans who possess a noble tradition of chants, generosity and munificence, can undertake to promote alms and other requisites to these senior citizens.

Ven. Weragoda Sarada Maha Thera, intends to produce vegetables, greens and paddy in the lands that belong to the home, to achieve self-sufficiency at least in a few essential items.

Kirinde Sri Dhammananda Senior Citizens' Home, affiliated with Gangarama Hunupitiya, receives the personal patronage and the blessings of the Prime Minister, who is fully aware of the national need to look after the welfare of senior citizens, who gave the best they had to the country in their youthful years.

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