State Vesak festival begins in Matara today

LAKSHMI DE SILVA

The State Vesak festival will be held from today at the Veherahena temple, Matara under the auspices of the Religious Affairs Ministry and the Buddhist Affairs Department with a series of events including seela campaigns, alms giving to 100 members of the Buddhist clergy, Dhamma deshana, bhakti geetha competition among 17 dhamma schools of Matara and a Vesak Lantern competition.

A new postage stamp will also be issued to mark the occasion, Buddhist Affairs Commissioner General Chandraprema Gamage said.

The main Vesak festival at Colombo will be held at the Gangaramaya Viharaya under the direction of the Chief Incumbent Ven Galaboda Gnanissara Thera under the aegis of the Presidential Secretariat with several events he noted.

Speaker of Parliament W.J.M. Lokubandara and the Parliamentary Buddhist Association also hold a number of religious events including a Dhamma deshana, seela campaign and alms giving to the Maha Sangha but the other events like the Vesak lantern competition have been cancelled this year and the funds to be spent on such items will be donated for the welfare of Internally Displaced People in the North, official sources said.

The All Ceylon Buddhist Congress will also hold Vesak celebrations at Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo with Dhamma deshanas, an alms giving, Vesak lantern competition and bhakti geetha performances.