Thai govt donations for renovation of Galle temples

Irangika RANGE

Thai ambassador to Sri Lanka Poldej Worachat made two donations on behalf of the Royal Thai Government to the Sri Paramananda Raja Maha Vihara and Gangarama Purana Viharaya in Galle recently.

The Thai ambassador donated Rs.1,000,000 to Sri Paramananda Raja Maha Vihara Chief Incumbent Ven. Somarathana Thera for the renovation of the temple’s Chulalongkorn Dharmasala.

Sri Paramananda Raja Maha Vihara is important to Thai – Sri Lanka relations for King Chulalonkorn (Rama V) of Siam visited the temple on April 19, 1897 and laid the foundation stone of the Chulalongkorn Dharmasala.

The Chulalongkorn Dharmasala is now used for various significant religious ceremonies. In 2007,to commemorate the 110th anniversary of King Chulalongkorn’s visit to Europe via Ceylon, Ven. Phra Rajrattanabhorm of the Intraviharn Temple, Bangkok, presented King Chulalongkorn’s statue to the temple which is now located in the front of Chulalongkorn Dharmasala. Ambassador Worachat also donated Rs.1,800,653.27 to Gangarama Purana Viharaya Chief Incumbent Ven. Magalle Dhammika Thera for the renovation of the temple’s dharmasala that was damaged by the 2004 tsunami.

The temple is also important to the Thai – Sri Lanka relations because of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) of Siam’s visit to the temple on April 19, 1897.

The Chulalongkorn stone pillar was erected at the temple to be a monument that reminds both Thais and Sri Lankans of the memorable royal visit to the Gangarama Purana Viharaya in Galle.