Record crowd to pay homage to Sri Maha Bodhi
 

by Chula Bandara Kulasekera and Walter Dayaratne

The number of local and foreign devotees converging in Anuradhapura to pay homage to the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi is increasing daily following the relaxing of security by authorities to enable people to pay obeisance to the Bodhi from close quarters since monday.

Under the new arrangement, devotees can pay homage to the Bodhi from the upper terrace until August 29. More than 200,000 devotees have already availed themselves of this facility upto yesterday morning.

There was a four kilometre queue awaiting to take up their turn to venerate the Bodhi yesterday. Some devotees lamented about the restriction of time available in the morning and afternoon to pay homage. They said they had to wait in the queue overnight to take their turn to gain access to the upper terrace.

Security sources said devotees not dressed in white as requested by authorities also faced certain amount of inconvenience.

All hotels and pilgrims rests in Anuradhapura are crowded with local and foreign pilgrims with all their rooms fully booked for the ensuing week.