President visits historic Borobudur Viharaya in Java

President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is in Indonesia attending the Bali Democracy Forum IV held in Bali visited the historic Borobudur Viharaya yesterday morning and paid homage.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa

Central Java Deputy Mayor Rustriningsih who welcomed President Rajapaksa at the temple premises said she highly valued and appreciated the visit of a Buddhist Head of State to the temple.

Ven Chittabutta Thera, a bhikkhu inmate of the temple chanted seth pirith and invoked blessings on President Rajapaksa.

President Rajapaksa offered ‘atapirikara’ and other mementos to the members of the Maha Sangha. The President also presented a special memento to Deputy Mayor Rustriningsih.

A press release by the President’s Media Division said the Borobudur Viharaya dating back to the 9th century and situated in Central Java is the largest Buddhist temple in the world. The seven storey viharaya has been built to depict various stages of Buddha’s life, including the attainment of Nibbana. The uppermost floor of the viharaya building which is 36 metres high has a main stupa which has 72 smaller stupas surrounding it.

The Borobudur Viharaya held in deep veneration by Buddhists the world over is also a main tourist attraction in the world. The Viharaya which suffered destruction during the colonial era has been restored under UNESCO aid and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Place of Worship.