Buddha’s Sacred Hair Relics exposition at Veherahena today

Jayasiri MUNASINGHE

COLOMBO: The Sacred Hair Relics of the Buddha gifted to Sri Lanka by the Chitagong Purana Viharaya in Bangladesh and kept at the Hunupitiya Gangaramaya was taken to the Kataragama Kirivehera premises in a special motorcade after a colourful religious ceremony at Temple Trees under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday morning.

The casket bearing the Sacred Relics brought to Temple Trees from the Gangaramaya was placed on a special dais by the President before the commencement of religious observances.

Thereafter, the President paid homage to the Sacred Relics by offering flowers followed by First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa and Ministers and other VIPs present. A heel dana to 55 bhikkhus was also held at Temple Trees to mark the occasion. President Rajapaksa, First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, members of their family and relatives offered dana to the Maha Sangha.

Hunupitiya Gangaramadhipati Ven. Galaboda Gnanissara Thera in a brief anusasana said this noble and meritorious pinkama involving the taking of the Sacred Relics to the Ruhuna would enable the President to accomplish the great challenge he has undertaken in uniting the nation and ushering progress and prosperity to all Sri Lankans.

Ven. Gnanissara Thera said very significant events had taken place at various times in the country’s history. Bringing of the Sacred Hair Relics from Bangladesh was such an event which happened last year. They had been trying to obtain this Sacred Relics to Sri Lanka for over 12 to 15 years and it finally succeeded due to the intervention of the President.

The Most Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakkhita Mahanayaka Thera of the Asgiriya Chapter and Ven. Dr. Kirinde Assaji Thera, senior most pupil of the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatte Chapter as well as Ministers Rohitha Bogollagama, Bandula Gunawardena and Pandu Bandaranayake and the President’s son Rohitha Rajapaksa, a teacher attached to the Gangaramaya Daham Pasala too assisted in bringing the Sacred Relics to Sri Lanka.

Ven. Gnanissara Thera said an exposition of the Sacred Relics will be held at the Matara Weherahena Poorvarama Raja Maha Viharaya up to Friday. Thereafter an exposition will be held at the Kataragama Kirivehera premises on March 1 and 2.

Exposition will also be held at the Embilipitiya Sankapala Viharaya and Ratnapura on March 3 to enable people of Sabaragamuwa to pay homage. The motorcade bearing this Sacred Relics will later return to Hunupitiya Gangaramaya through Avissawella. This meritorious pinkama would invoke blessings on the country for peace, tranquillity and prosperity, Ven. Gnanissara Thera said.

At the conclusion of the ceremony at Temple Trees President Rajapaksa placed the Casket bearing the Sacred Relics on a colourful float and the motorcade started off amidst seth pirith chanted by the Maha Sangha led by Ven. Welamitiyawe Kusaladhamma, Ven. Attudawe Sri Rahula and Ven. Dr. Pannala Ananda Theras.

Ministers Maithripala Sirisena, Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, A.H.M. Fowzie, Dullas Alahapperuma, Dinesh Gunawardene, Susil Premajayantha, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene, Keheliya Rambukwelle, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene, Douglas Devananda M.H. Mohamed, Milinda Moragoda, Bandula Gunawardena, C.B. Ratnayake, Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Western Province Governor Alavi Mowlana, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunge, Additional Secretary Gamini Senarath, Kataragama Devalaya Basnayake Nilame Shashindra Rajapaksa and Deshamanya H.K. Dharmadasa were also present on the occasion.

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Request to Daham Pasalastudents in Kataragama

Ven. Kapugama Saranatissa Adhikarana Sanghanayake Thera of Ruhunu Magam Pattuwa has requested all Daham pasala students in Kataragama Divisional Secretariat Division to assemble in their uniforms near the Kataragama Gangarama Vishrama Salawa on Saturday March 1 at 2 p.m. to participate in the pinkama to mark the arrival of the motorcade bearing the sacred hair relic of the Buddha in Kataragama, a presidential media release said.