President's B'day:

Ashirvada pooja at ANCL

Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd will mark President Mahinda Rajapaksa's 67th birthday by conducting an Ashirvada Bodhi Pooja, all night pirith ceremony and a sanghika dana to invoke blessings on the President and the country from November 16.

The Bodhi pooja organized by ANCL will be held at the Sambuddhaloka Viharaya, Fort, Colombo on November 16 at 3.30 pm while the all night pirith ceremony will be held at ANCL (Lake House) on November 17 followed by a sanghika dana to 67 members of the Maha Sangha on November 18 forenoon. The events are organized under the auspices of the Lake House Bauddha Sanghamaya.

Ashirwada pooja for President

An Ashirwada Pooja to invoke blessings on President Mahinda Rajapaksa to mark his birthday will be held at the Sithulpawwa Raja Maha Viharaya on November 17 at 6 pm. It will be held under the patronage of Viharadhipathi Ven Metaramba Hemarathana Deputy Chief Sanghanayake Thera of Dakshina Lanka.

It is sponsored by the Army’s Hambantota District Commander assisted by Army units at Sithulpawwa, Katagamuwa, Kataragama and Yala, Weerawila Air Force Camp, Tissamaharama Police and the Wildlife Department office at Yala.

Religious, social service programmes

A series of religious and social service programmes organised by the Sri Lanka Freedom Professionals Organisation to mark President Mahinda Rajapaksa's birthday and the first anniversary of his second term of office will be held from November 16 to 18.

Association President and Western Province Governor Alavi Mowlana, Vice President Upali Liyanage and several other ministers and Parliamentarians will participate.

The programme will be as follows.

November 16 - 9 am - A special service at All Saints Church, Borella, 6 pm - Bodhi Pooja at Gangaramaya, Hunupitiya, November 17 - 9 am. An eye donation programme and distribution of free spectacles at SLFP headquarters at T.B. Jayah Mawatha, Colombo 10. November 18 - 1 pm - Muslim prayers at the Davatagaha Mosque, Colombo 7.