Anuradhapura National Poson week begins today

Nimal WIJESINGHE Anuradhapura Additional District corr.

The Anuradhapura National Poson celebrations week starts today (4th). The traditional "Poson Sathi Pirith Sajjayanawa" (week long pirith chanting) commenced yesterday (3rd) after water from Tisawewa Brought in a procession from the Isurumuniya Raja Maha Vihara to the venue of the pirith chanting in 'Mahamevuna Uyana' in the sacred city.

Secretary of the Anuradhapura National Poson Festival Steering Committee and the Government Agent for Anuradhapura H.M.K. Herath said all arrangements such as drinking water, health and sanitation, transport parking, security and accommodation facilities have been made sufficient for two million devotees expected to visit Anuradhapura and Mihintale during Poson.

A special program to prevent any damage being done to the monuments and for the preservation of the environment in the Mihintale and Anuradhapura sacred cities by devotees in the disposal of garbage and waste, parking and cooking is jointly implemented by Anuradhapura Municipal Council Mihintale Pradeshiya Sabha, Central Environmental Authority and the Archaeological Department during the Poson season.

The Poson Festival Steering Committee requests devotees visiting Anuradhapura during the Poson season to be very careful when bathing in reservoirs and tanks in the locality even though water levels are low. Bathing in the Tisawewa and Nuwarawewa have been prohibited for devotees and they are requested to use Abayawewa and Maha Kanadarawa tank for bathing and washing purposes.

An emergency health and medical clinic and first-aid service is in operation in Anuradhapura and Mihintale sponsored on the supervision of the Provincial Director of Health, jointly, by Director, Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital, Ayurvedic Department Sri Lanka Red Cross, Sankya Dhana Campaign and St. John's Ambulance Service. The old town hospital will be kept opened for 24 hours for the benefit of devotees.

Arrangements have been made to decorate all round-abouts, roads, government buildings and private business enterprises with National and Buddhist Flags.

90 per cent of the banners, cutouts and posters of the patronising agencies will be reserved for Dhamma propaganda according to Ven. Pallegama Hemarathana Nayake Thera, Ruwanweli Chetiyaramadhipathi who is the Head of the Special Committee allowing poson season propaganda.

"Since this Poson Poya day is the first Poson Poya day dawning after the eradication of LTTE terrorism 1.5 to 2.0 million of devotees are expected to gather in Anuradhapura and Mihintale. I very earnestly appeal to the devotees to restrain from consuming liquor and be clad in white during their religious observances and be well disciplined", Ven. Hemarathana Nayaka Thera emphasised.