Adivasis make offering of honey to Sacred Tooth Relic

Asela KURULUWANSA

In keeping with age old traditions, the Adivasi community yesterday offered bee’s honey to the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy. Here Adivasi Chieftain Uruvarige Wanniyala Aththo offering bee’s honey to the Temple of the Tooth Relic. Ven Thibbotuwawe Medhankara Thera who is in charge of Maligawa Thewawa ceremony and Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela Bandara are also in the picture. Picture by Gamini Ranasinghe

The offering of bee's honey made annually to the sacred Tooth Relic by the Adivasi community will continue as long as the Adivasi population lives in the world, said Adivasi Chief Uruwarige Wanniyaleatto.

Wanniyaleatto also said that he and his people faced many obstacles from wildlife officials when harvesting honey in the jungle, but that difficulty could be overcome with the intervention of the President and the Diyawadana Nilame.

The Adivasi Chief made this observation when he participated in the annual offering of honey to the Sacred Tooth Relic by the Adivasi population in Dambana. This function was attended by 20 members of the Adivasi community and the Divisional Secretary of Mahiyangana Sunil Abeykone.

Wannyaleatto offered a pot of honey to the Sacred Tooth Relic on the invitation of the Ven Tibbotuwava Siddhartha Sumangala Thera.