Ven Mahalakotuwe Wimaladharma Thera:

New Chief Sanganayake of Matale

Richard BASNAYAKE

Sudharmodaya Piriven Viharaya Kotuwegedara Matale, Viharadhipathi Ven Mahalakotuwe Wimaladhamma Thera, has been appointed Chief Sanganayake of Matale district, with the conferment of the title Sri Siddhartha Ratanasara, by the Karaka Maha Sanga Sabha of the Malwatta Chapter of Siyam Maha Nikaya.

Ven Wimaladhamma Thera was born on October 14, 1957 in a beautiful village Mahalakotuwa, surrounded by large areas of paddy-fields and green woods in Laggala Udasiya Pattuwa in the Matale district.

His father was Ekanayake Mudiyanselage Dammathota Gedara Mudiyanse Nilame and Ratninde Gedara Konara Mudiyanselage Pansale Gedara, Kalu Menike was his mother. (Her ancestral home was called Pansale Gedara, because the Most Venerable Welivita Sri Saranankara Sangaraja Maha Nayake Thera was living in exile in this village in Laggala and the people of this particular house looked after the Maha Nayake Thera - he was a Novice Monk - Samanera at that time. Ven Wimaladhamma Thera was the third in the family of five boys and two girls, and was named Kiri Banda Ekanayaka as he was a cute quiet boy.

He had his primary education at his village school, Mahalakotuwa Vidyalaya.

After his primary education he was ordained a Samanera Bhikku a novice Monk in 1966 at the age of nine, under the preceptorship and tutelage of Chief Sanganayake of Matale district and Viharadipathi, of Matale Udupihilla Weragoda Vidyarathana Pirivena Ven Mahalakotuwe Ratanasara maha Thera and was named Ven Mahalakotuwe Wimaladhamma Thera.

After his ordination, he entered Weragoda Vidyarathana Pirivena, where he learnt the fundamentals of Dhamma traditional religious customs of the Malwatta Chapter. There after he entered Peradeniya Bharathiya Pirivena for higher education. After his pirivena education he came to Matale, and in 1992, he started Kotuwegedara Sudarmodhaya temple and Sri Wimala Dhaham Pasela in 1993. there are over 400 students studying now.

He was a very hardworking Thera and was able to build a two-storeyed hostel for monks with the money donated by Toronto Viharaya, Canada, Chief Incumbent Ven Udupihille Wimalabuddhi Thera. This is one of the complete temples in Matale town with a beautiful dageba, a Bo-tree, a shrine-room, a Dharma Salawa preaching-hall and a three-storeyed library.

Ven Wimaladhamma Thera is the secretary of the Matale Pradeshiya Sasanarakshaka Bala Mandalaya from 1998 up to now. he also serves as the vice President of Matale Punyawardena Samithiya and the Treasurer of the Matale district Viharadhipathi Sangamaya. He is also the patron of the Matale district religious organization of Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians.

In recognition of his religious, social, cultural and educational services, the Malwatta Chapter Karaka Maha Sanga Sabha appointed him as the Chief Sanganayake of Matale district. the Act of Appointment was presented on January 14, 2011 at Malwatta Maha Viharaya in Kandy.

A reception to welcome the New Maha Nayaka Thera was held on January 16 at Kotuwegedara Viharaya with the participation of most Ven Galagama Attadassi Anunayake Thera of Asgiriya Chapter of Siyam Maha Nikaya, most Ven Welamitiyawe Kusaladhamma Nayake Thera and many Nayake Theras of three nikayas.

Prime Minister D M Jayaratne officially presented the act of Appointment. Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake presented the Vijinipatha to the New Chief Sanganayake of Matale. Deputy Minister Nandimithra Ekanayake, MPs and Provincial Council Members, and a large number of Buddhist monks and dayakas participated at this religious function.