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. |