Indian Government to give all support to hold Buddha Jayanthi festival in Sanchi

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

COLOMBO: The Sri Lanka Mahabodhi Association will get all the support it needs to hold the 2550th Buddha Jayanthi festival in Sanchi from the Indian Government.

The People's Bank is supporting the organisational activities of the Sanchi festival in India this year.

Indian Foreign Affairs Ministry's Joint Secretary, Mohan Kumar had informed the Sri Lanka Maha Bodhi Association that the Government of India will give its fullest co-operation and support to the Association to hold the Buddha Jayanthi celebration in India.

Kumar declared this at a special meeting with the Maha Bodhi Association, which was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in India.

The Mahabodhi Association's chairperson , Ven. Banagala Upatissa Thera, its Deputy Secretary Ven. Thiniyawala Palitha Thera, Sri Lankan High Commissioner in New Delhi, Romesh Jayasinghe were at the meeting.

The Association discussed how it plans to hold the 2550th Buddha Jayanthi in Sanchi with the Indian authorities, where they pointed out that they had already started preparing the ground of the Sanchi Chetiyagiri Vihara with the approval and the support of the Department of Indian Archaeological Surveys for the envisioned festival to be had on November 25 and 26.

Ven. Banagala Upatissa Thera pointed out here the need for renovating and arranging the maluva area of the Sanchi Bo tree.

The Association's representatives also discussed matters pertaining to the Sanchi festival and steps to be taken for the long term maintenance of the Sanchi Stupa with the Secretary of the Bhartiya Janatha Party (BJP) Arun Jayitli.

The State of Madhya Pradesh in India where the Sanchi Stupe area is located is administered by the BJP.

As pointed out by Ven. Upatissa Thera these discussions had been beneficial for the Association and the Sanchi Vihara.