Ceremonial presentation of sacred Bo Sapling at Temple Trees

The distribution of 77 Bo Saplings of the sacred Bodhi Tree at Buddha Gaya and the Ananda Bodhi at Jethavanaramaya in India will take place tomorrow, Duruthu Poya day at 8 a.m. at Temple Trees, Colombo, to mark the arrival of Gauthama Buddha’s visit to Kelaniya and Sangamitta Maha Therani (Daughter of emperor Asoka of India).

Officials at Henarathgoda Botanical Gardens will present a Bo Sapling to President Mahinda Rajapaksa as a symbol, who will in turn hand it over to the Maha Sangha.

This great event is being organised by venerable Maha Sangha of the Saraswathi Maha Pirivena of Balagalla, Divulapitiya.

Seventy six sacred Bo Saplings will be distributed to various temples in Sri Lanka and foreign countries on request. When the 77 seeds of the two sacred Bo trees mentioned above were received it was Hemakumara Nanayakkara, Minister of Agriculture who entrusted Dr. Cyril Wijesundera, Director General of the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens to have them planted there under his care. It was miraculous to find that all the seeds had sprouted producing 77 saplings.

This event on distribution of Bo Saplings will start from the Henarathgoda Botanical Gardens from where it will arrive at Temple Trees and as Head of the State, President Mahinda Rajapaksa will receive it with honour in keeping with an ancient custom of the kings.

From Temple Trees, the procession will proceed to Balagalle Saraswathi Pirivena passing through Peliyagoda, Wattala, Kandana, Ja-Ela, Ekala Sri Dharmodaya Bauddha Madhyasthanaya where religious ceremonies will take place for the Bo Saplings that have arrived from Temple Trees.

From there the procession will pass through to Henarathgoda. The main procession carrying all Bo Saplings will start at 3 pm from Henarathgoda Botanical Gardens and pass through Udugampola where there will be a reception by Reggie Ranatunga, the Governor of Sabaragamuwa.

Mrs. Kokila Gunawardena, organiser SLFP Mirigama electorate will receive it at Udugama and will proceed to Divulapitiya where Western Provincial Councillor Chandana Jayakody will receive it and then finally to the Balagalla Saraswathi Pirivena.

The ceremonies will end with a Bodhi pooja, states Senior Advisor to the President and Member of the Dayaka Sabha of the Saraswathi Maha Viharaya Lakshman Jayakody.