President Mahinda Rajapaksa speaks with this little boy who was among the crowd of devotees who had come to pay homage to the sacred ‘Sri Maha Bodhi’ in Anuradhapura yesterday. After paying homage the President also inspected the land close by where a ‘Dagaba’ is to be built as a monument to the country’s triumph over terrorism. This is the first of nine such ‘Dagabas’ which are to come up in all provinces in the country. During his visit President Mahinda Rajapaksa also spoke with schoolchildren of Silavathura Maha Vidyalaya, Mannar who had come to pay homage to the ‘Sri Maha Bodhi’. The President also visited other religious sites in the sacred area. Atamasthanadhipathi Ven Pallegama Sirinivasa Thera, North Central Province Governor Karunarathna Divulgane, North Central Province Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake, Chief of Defence Staff General Sarath Fonseka, Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, Post Graduate Institute Director of Archaeology Dr.Nimal Silva and Provincial Archaeology Director Mahinda Weerakkody accompanied the President. Picture by Sudath Silva