Devotees participation in religious activities good omen – Clergy

Nimal Wijesinghe - Anuradhapura Additional District group correspondent

Renowned members of the clergy joined by laymen, expressed that the National Poson religious celebrities held in Anuradhapura and Mihintale on a national scale and under the aegis of President Mahinda Rajapaksa were very successful.

They stated that during the recent Poson festival at Anuradhapura and Mihintale devotees were seen more inclined to observing Sil, indulging in alms givings, Dhamma discussions and listening to preachings of the Buddha Dhamma rather than to the Amisa Poojas, which was a good omen as far as spiritual development was concerned.

Anuradhapura Government Agent Mahinda Seneviratne told the Daily News that the presence of President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Mihintale and Anuradhapura during the 2013 Poson religious festive season, moving among devotees independently to participate in several religious programmes created a renaissance in the 2320 year old 'Mihindhu Vision'.

“This devoted phenomenon of Buddhism was transmitted to the international level.

The participation of the Maha Sangha, political authority members, government officials, non-governmental organizations and also the modern communication techniques of the media largely contributed to the success of the Anuradhapura and Mihintale centred national Poson celebrations,” Seneviratne stated further.

The Ruwanweli Chatiyaramadhipathi and Nuwara Kalawiya Chief Sangha Nayake Venerable Pallegama Hemarathana Thera said that it was a very good sign that there had been a record drop in transporting, consuming, possessing and selling alcohol, narcotics and cigarettes in the sacred cities as reported by authorities. The prelate said that this trend depicted a very important national and religious phenomenon, towards the future.

“During the 2013 Poson celebrations, President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited the Ruwanweli Seya, which had been built by King Dutugemunu, and is recorded as the largest Chaitiya in Asia, several times. The President was meritoriously enthusiastic. He discussed the Anuradhapura Sacred City Development Programme which has been dragging on for some time, and emphasized that the programme to protect, rehabilitate and preserve the ancient monuments and shrines in the sacred Mahamevuna should be accelerated. The President said that a meeting would be convened soon with the participation of the Defence Secretary and other relevant ministry and departmental heads including both clergy and lay persons to speed up the programme,” the prelate said further.