President opens Mirisawetiya Salapathala Maluwa

Kithsiri WANASINGHE and S T B Senaratne -NCP special corr

President Mahinda Rajapaksa unveiling a plaque to mark the opening of the reconstructed Salapathala Maluwa surrounding the Mirisavetiya Cetiya in Anuradhapura on Monday. NCP Governor Karunaratne Divulgane, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Army Commander Lt Gen Jagath Jayasuriya and several Ministers and Parliamentarians were also present. Picture by Sudath Silva

The reconstructed ‘Salapathala Maluwa’ surrounding the Mirisawetiya Cetiya in Anuradhapura was declared open by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday afternoon. The President who unveiled a plaque to mark the occasion later circumambulated the Salapathala Maluwa in veneration of the Cetiya along with the maha sangha and lay devotees and participated in religious observances inside the vihara mandiraya after offering gilanpasa and mal pahan pooja at the Buddha statue beside the Cetiya.

The maha sangha led by Atamasthanadhipati Ven Pallegama Siriniwasa Nayaka Thera chanted seth pirith and invoked blessings on the President at the main entrance to the Salapathala maluwa. The reconstruction work on the Salapathala Maluwa was first started by Viharadhipati Ven Ethawetunuwewa Gnanatilleke Nayaka Thera with the support of the Methsaviya Foundation and the lay devotees on March 4, 2004. Subsequently the work was disrupted due to certain unforeseen obstacles.

President who paid attention to this matter placed the reconstruction work under Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. Under the Defence Secretary’s supervision the work was entrusted to Army Commander Lt Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya and Anuradhapura Commander Col. Athula Ariyaratne who completed the work with the assistance and contribution of Army officers and staff.