New cetiya will enhance scenic beauty of temple- Mahanayake of Kotte Chapter

Divakara Mohotti, Kalutara group corr

"The Kalutara Palatota Gangaramaya is over a century old." "We had dealings with the temple for several years. With the completion of the new cetiya it would be a beautiful scenic holy place," said Mahanayaka of Kotte Chapter Ven. Bellana Gnanawimala Nayaka Thera. He was addressing a meeting after opening a pentagon of the new cetiya of Gangaramaya Palatota Kalutara recently.

The Mahanayaka said the style of construction of the cetiya had a long heritage, prior to the Buddha's time.

Ven. Gonaduwa Gunananda Thera the all island president of the Sasana Arakshaka Sangamaya said that in present society there are plunderers who damaged cetiyas and robbed valuable artefacts in temples.

But the Ven. Dewegoda Dharmarama Thera has completed a beautiful cetiya in the Gangaramaya temple. We should appreciate this work. Ven. Dr. Neluwa Sumanawansa Thera, Senior Lecturer of Pali of the Buddhist university, said the cetiya was built before Buddha's time and the relics of the Buddha enshrined Pasabuddha Arahantha and Sakvithirajas.

He said the King Dharmasoka built about 84,000 cetiyas and enshrined the relics in them. Similarly it will be extended for generations. The Director of Dalada Maligawa Thilak Devasiri said that the present society is corrupt in every aspect.

Therefore it is time to stand together and for Bhikkhus to cherish the Buddhist society chanting dhamma. Kalutara Sanghanayake Ven. Dediyawala Devasumana, Ven. Dewegoda Dharmarama Theras and Vice Chairman of Kalutara Pradeshiya Sabha Laxman Vidanapathirana also spoke.