During Field Visit to the East, the Maha Sangha at Seruwila Invoke Blessings on the Army Chief

During a field visit that was undertaken by General Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army on Friday (25) to inspect, instruct and evaluate organic fertilizer production processes, being implemented at camp levels in the east and inquire into other welfare matters, related to Army troops serving under the Security Force HQ, General Shavendra Silva was also invited to the Seruwila Mangalarama Raja Maha Viharaya temple by the Chief Incumbent, Ven Aludeniye Subodha Thero.

Soon after the arrival at the sacred premises, the Army Chief paid obeisance to the Incumbent offering an ‘Atapirikara’ before exchange of views on ongoing temple development, agricultural issues and other development projects underway in the area with special focus on agrarian methods, related to production of organic fertilizer for the ‘Yala’ season, etc. Possibilities of finding raw materials from nearby areas for the same purpose were also addressed before the incumbent invoked blessings on General Shavendra Siva after tying a blessed thread and inviting him to the Bo Maluwa at this sacred location.

The Army Chief, together with monks and the accompanying Commander, Security Forces-East Major General Lal Chandrasiri afterwards performed religious rites offering trays of flowers and ‘Gilanpasa’ to the Buddha before the monks commenced chanting ‘Seth Pirith’.

The Seruwila temple, built during the reign of the King Kavan Tissa (2nd century BC) was enshrined with the sacred forehead bone of Lalata Dathun Wahanse of the Buddha and chronicles say that the region was a vast swamp or villu where the flood waters of the Mahaweli Ganga collected. This villu was the home of large flocks of teals (seru) during the migratory period. It was only in 1922 that the Dagaba was re-discovered by Ven. Dambagasare Sumedhankara Thero, assisted by the Archaeological Department. The late monk restored the Stupa using remains of ancient structures still in existence around the Stupa to conjecture the conservation work. The conservation was completed in 1931.