Aloka Pooja at Sanchi for Buddha Jayanthi

Chamikara WEERASINGHE in Sanchi, India

INDIA: Thousands of Buddhists from India, Sri Lanka and around the world gathered at the Sanchi Chetiyagiri Vihara in the Madhya Pradesh of India on Thursday night to celebrate the 2550th Buddha Jayanthi with a ceremonial Aloka Pooja illuminating the historic Vihara.

This is the first time that such an illumination had taken place in the Vihara since 1952. The illumination was carried out by Buddhist monks of the Chetiyagiri Vihara after chanting of pirith before performing the Aloka Pooja.

The Chief Incumbent of the Vihara and the President of Sri Lanka Mahabodhi Society, Ven. Banagala Upatissa Nayake Thera inaugurated the pooja. The Mahabodhi Society had arranged to hold the illumination ceremony until November 26.

The annual exposition of the sacred relics of the two Chief Disciples of the Buddha, the Arahants Sariputta Thera and Moggallana Thera, was also held in parallel with the illumination of the temple.

Ven. Banagala Thera said after the inauguration that they will hold the illumination festival on a yearly basis from next year onwards in respect of the Buddha's Chief Disciples.

The relics of the two disciples lie within the Chetiyagiri temple's Chief Disciples' chamber in a golden casket. The area of the Sanchi Stupa had been named as a world heritage site by UNESCO, whose representatives are scheduled to visit the site during the celebrations.

The illumination ceremony has been organised by the Sri Lanka Mahabodhi Society with the assistance from Silvertones Ltd. The event is sponsored by People's Bank of Sri Lanka.