'Buddha Poornima' at Bangalore

by a Sai Devotee

This is to rectify the blasphemous false report on page 15 of The Sunday Leader of June 5, 2005, desecratingly under "Pot Shots", headlined "Sai Baba's Prophesy".

It is despicable that the Editor of The Sunday Leader, Lasantha Wickramatunge, had thought it fit to deliberately and intentionally publish an inaccurate report to mislead and to give a misimpression, for reasons best known to him.

The 'Buddha Poornima' ceremony at Whitefield, Bangalore was conducted on Vesak Poya day.

It was well organised by the Sai devotees from Sri Lanka, led by Karu Jayasuriya (UNP Deputy Leader), a devout devotee.

Some of the other devotees, who were involved in making the arrangements were co-ordinator, M. Waniyasekeran, D.M. Swaminathan (former UNP Governor), D. Easwaran (Chairman Easwaran Brothers) and wife, Tissa Attanayake (UNP Asst. Secretary) and wife, Mangala Moonasinghe (High Commissioner), Mrs. Seevali Ratwatte, Mala Sabaratnam (Vice President Ceylinco), Hemaka Amarasuriya (Chairman Singer) and wife, Navin Dissanyake (UNP MP) and wife.

Tourism and Investment Promotion Minister, Anura Bandaranaike and his Ministry Secretary, Dr. Vithanapathirana, who were in Bangalore launching a BOI Office, graced this religious ceremony, together with businessman Tiru Nadesan.

Not only Minister Anura Bandaranaike, but all the above organising devotees including others were seated on chairs. Why Minister Anura Bandaranaike was singled out to be ridiculed is best known to The Sunday Leader Editor, Lasantha Wickramatunge.

Thusitha Wijesinghe (Kandy New City Project) and wife, Nihal Sri Amarasekera (Chairman PERC) and wife, Dr. Saman Kalegama and wife and others were seated on the ground with the devotees.

Respecting Lord Buddha, Sri Sathya Sai Baba, though being restricted to a wheel chair, participated in a nearly 11/2 hour ceremony on the morning of Vesak Poya day and participated in a further 3 hour Ceremony that evening, which culminated with a cultural pageant depicting the Kandy Perahera by a dance troupe from Sri Lanka.

As globally acknowledged Sri Sathya Sai Baba is a spiritual leader, who is reaching an age of 80 years this year and who has always exhorted people to practise their own religion with devotion, devoid of hypocrisy. Due to a recent fall and a fracture of his right arm, Sri Sathya Sai Baba was in a wheel chair and did not walk about, contrary to the false report by The Sunday Leader of Lasantha Wickrmatunge.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba delivered a sermon on the oneness of the divine and that such divinity is within oneself. Speaking of Sri Lanka he did not prophesy that there will be a change of government as misleadingly reported by The Sunday Leader of Lasantha Wickrematunga.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba is a spiritual leader, who has steered clear of politics, though politicians visit him to venerate him. President J.R. Jayawardene visited with his brother. Ranil Wickremesinghe visited with Dr. Nihal Tenabadu.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba blessed Sri Lanka and the people of Sri Lanka and said that what Sri Lanka is experiencing now are mere obstacles, and with courageous actions that Sri Lanka will overcome these obstacles and will have a peaceful and prosperous future, and that he would visit Sri Lanka shortly, which received enthusiastic response from the Sri Lankan devotees, well over two thousand.

Among the highlights of the ceremony was a talk given by UNP Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya on the preachings of the Lord Buddha, a talk given by High Commissioner, Mangala Moonasinghe on Buddhist philosophy, and an emotionally moving talk given by Ceylinco Vice President Mala Sabaratnam of her bitter, horrifying and terrifying experience of the despicable July '83 riots, which was the holocaust of the UNP regime of J.R. Jayawardene, with Ranil Wickremasinghe, as a then Minister.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba patiently listened to all these talks, after which he delivered his sermon. There were two Sri Lankans who presented books authored by them. One was by Dr. Mrs. Karu Jayasuriya, a devout Sai devotee.

It is pathetic that The Sunday Leader of Lasantha Wickrematunga has degradingly descended to such depths to desecrate a spiritual religious function, with blasphemy and falsehoods, taking "Pot Shots" and singling out Minister Anura Bandaranaike to ridicule him, even in his religious devotions.