Face lift for A’pura before Vesak

COLOMBO: President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed to refurbish and clean all places of worship and provide facilities to pilgrims within the sacred area of Anuradhapura, before the beginning of the Vesak season.

The Religious Affairs Ministry’s Buddha Jayanthi Secretariat has taken steps to clean Samadhi statue and plant medicinal saplings while cleaning the Kuttam Pokuna and refill it with clean water under the programme Deya Abiman Randu, Randu scheduled to begin on March 24 at 8.00 a.m. on a shramadana.

The programme to be launched under the patronage of Atamasthanadhipathi Ven. Pallegama Sirinivasa Nayaka Thera will be implemented under the joint guidance of the Archaeological Department and the Central Cultural Fund.

The Shramadana campaign is jointly sponsored by the North Central Provincial Education Ministry, Irrigation Department, Physical Planning Department, the Department of Ayurveda, the Navy, the Police Department, Jinasena Company and the Federation of Minor Fishery Industries.

Ven. Pallegama Sirinivasa Nayaka Thera has made arrangements to conduct the morning and evening Panchathoorya Nada Thevava opposite the Samadhi statue from April 2.

The Shramadana under the patronage of Religious Affairs Minister Pandu Bandaranayaka will be preceded by an address by Archaeological Assistant Director Mahinda Weerakkody under the title The Historical Significance of Samadhi Statue and the Kuttam Pokuna.