ANCL Aloka Pooja final day today:

Devotees, throng in thousands to A’pura sacred city

Nimal Wijesinghe Anuradhapura Additional District group correspondent

The Anuradhapura Atamasthana and Mihintale Sacred cities have taken festive mood with Lion and Buddhist flags flattering all over with nearly a million, mostly white clad devotees thronging to the area yesterday for Poson.

More than 100,000 devotees observed ‘Sil’ at the eight places of worship including Sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi and Ruwanweli Chetiya, Samadhi Statue in Maha Mevunava and at Mihintale Sacred city.

The People’s Bank, the Bank of Ceylon, Divisional Secretaries and volunteer public organisations linked by the Anuradhapura National Poson festival steering committee attended to the alms (breakfast, launch, drinking water and tea) to the sil observers.

A heavy traffic jam was experienced in all main roads in Anuradhapura and Mihintale. 7,000 civil and uniformed police officers have been detailed for the protection of pilgrims and the traffic administration in Anuradhapura and Mihintale.

It was enthusiastic and heartening to see that all vehicles including three wheelers, land master tractors, motor bicycles were exhibiting the Lion flags symbolising the peace, unity and also the eradication of LTTE terrorism.

The devotees braved the totally unexpected rains in attending to the Poson religious observances and rituals.

The three days Mihintale Poson Aloka pooja sponsored by the ANCL with the assistance of the CEB for the second consecutive day was opened by Ministers Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, W. D. J. Seneviratne, Dinesh Gunawardana, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane, Pandu Bandaranayake with North Central Governor Karunaratne Divulgane participating as the Chief Guest.

The Ven. Namalwewe Rathanasara Nayake Thera, the Chief Incumbent of Mihintale Rajamaha Viharaya and the NCP’s Deputy Judicial Sangha Nayake and Petroleum Resources Minister Duminda Dissanayake and also the President of the Mihintale Sacred city Development Committee have contributed for the illuminating program.

Today the Anuradhapura Government Agent H. M. K. Herath, along with the CEB Chairman E. A. S. A. Edirisinghe and ANCL Chairman Bandula Padmakumara will inaugurate the last day of Mihintale Aloka Pooja.