The second Buddhist ceremony on account of the forthcoming Army Day (Oct 10) and the 65thArmy anniversary, quite known among Army personnel as the annual Anuradhapura Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi flag blessing, got underway Thursday (2) morning with hundreds of Army personnel, representative of the entire organization.
The traditional Flag Blessing ceremony at Anuradhapura Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi preceded last Saturday’s religious performances at Sri Dalada Maligawa, attaching pride of place to the veneration of ‘Shairiraka’ (physical) relics at Kandy at the first place on a new conceptual arrangement, proposed by the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake himself last year before offerings, were made to the sacred, ‘Paribhogika’ (places or objects of use) relics of the Buddha at Anuradhapura.
Colourfully-dressed Army cultural troupe’s rhythmic beats of traditional and auspicious beats of Hevisi and Magul Bera, reverberated around the most sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi precincts since morning hours, heralding the conduct of the event.
After hundreds of soldiers-turned flag-bearers of the Sri Lanka Army with their glittering dresses, lined up, holding all Army Flags to be taken for symbolic invocation of blessings to the upper layer (Udamaluwa), the day’s ceremony set off with the arrival of the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake at the venue as the Chief Guest for the event.
Lieutenant General Ratnayake, prior to the commencement of the offerings, called on Ven Pallegama Sirinivasabhidana Nayaka Thero, Atamasthanadhipathi, (incumbent for eight places of worship) who is also the Chief Sangha Nayaka for North Central Province as an age-old tradition where he offered Deheth Wattiya (tray of betel) to the monk and formally invited him to conduct religious rites and rituals and invoke blessings on the anniversary.
As has been the practice, all the Army Flags, representing the Army Headquarters, the Volunteer Force Headquarters, all Security Force Headquarters, all Forward Maintenance Areas, Divisions, Task Forces, Area Headquarters, Sub-Area Headquarters, Brigades, Regiments, Units and Army Training Schools, were thus taken in a colourful procession around the Weli Maluwa (lower layer) thrice before those flags were accepted by senior officers, awaiting at the Meda Maluwa (middle layer). Those flags were afterwards respectfully handed over to the Commander of the Army for placement at the foot of the most sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhiya in the upper layer for symbolic blessings.
After the flags were laid on a bed of jasmine and lotus flowers at the foot of the Sri Maha Bodhiya, members of the Maha Sangha performed religious rites and chanted Seth Pirith, invoking blessings on indispensable Guardians of the Nation and extolled the Army’s contribution and dedication towards the motherland in a special Anushasana (oratory), made by a member of the Maha Sangha.
Lieutenant General Ratnayake, flanked by a representative gathering of senior officers and other ranks afterwards observed religious rites and rituals, before Ata Pirikara and a special cash donation for development of the sacred place, were offered to the chief monk in the group as a symbolic gesture of appreciation towards the Sangha fraternity.
Ven Nugathenne Pannananda Nayaka Thera, Incumbent, Sri Jayanthi Viharaya, Anuradhapura, Ven Pallegama Hemarathana Nayaka Thera, Incumbent, Ruwanweli Maha Seya, Ven Ralapanawe Dhammajothi Nayaka Thera, Incumbent, Lankaramaya, Ven Eethalawetunuwewe Gnanarathana Thera, Incumbent, Mirisawetiya, Isurumuniya and Abhayagiriya Incumbents were also associated with the day’s ceremony at Jaya Sri Maha Bodhiya.
Hundreds of representative Army officers and other ranks, attired in colourful military dresses with their regimental and field formation flags aloft before the observances proper began, conducted a solemn march around the sacred tree thrice after they wended their way from the Makara Thorana (archway) to the premises.
Chief of Staff and all Principal Staff Officers, Commanders-Security Force Headquarters, Commandants, Commanders, General Officers Commanding, Brigade Commanders and a gathering of senior officers were also present in the ceremony.
The Army, raised in October 1949 as the country’s most formidable land force to be reckoned with, is now comprised of 24 regiments, including volunteer ones, and engaged in a multiplicity of nation-building development projects since its landmark victory over terrorism in the year 2009.
The traditional Flag Blessing ceremony at Anuradhapura Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi preceded last Saturday’s religious performances at Sri Dalada Maligawa, attaching pride of place to the veneration of ‘Shairiraka’ (physical) relics at Kandy at the first place on a new conceptual arrangement, proposed by the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake himself last year before offerings, were made to the sacred, ‘Paribhogika’ (places or objects of use) relics of the Buddha at Anuradhapura.
Colourfully-dressed Army cultural troupe’s rhythmic beats of traditional and auspicious beats of Hevisi and Magul Bera, reverberated around the most sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi precincts since morning hours, heralding the conduct of the event.
After hundreds of soldiers-turned flag-bearers of the Sri Lanka Army with their glittering dresses, lined up, holding all Army Flags to be taken for symbolic invocation of blessings to the upper layer (Udamaluwa), the day’s ceremony set off with the arrival of the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake at the venue as the Chief Guest for the event.
Lieutenant General Ratnayake, prior to the commencement of the offerings, called on Ven Pallegama Sirinivasabhidana Nayaka Thero, Atamasthanadhipathi, (incumbent for eight places of worship) who is also the Chief Sangha Nayaka for North Central Province as an age-old tradition where he offered Deheth Wattiya (tray of betel) to the monk and formally invited him to conduct religious rites and rituals and invoke blessings on the anniversary.
As has been the practice, all the Army Flags, representing the Army Headquarters, the Volunteer Force Headquarters, all Security Force Headquarters, all Forward Maintenance Areas, Divisions, Task Forces, Area Headquarters, Sub-Area Headquarters, Brigades, Regiments, Units and Army Training Schools, were thus taken in a colourful procession around the Weli Maluwa (lower layer) thrice before those flags were accepted by senior officers, awaiting at the Meda Maluwa (middle layer). Those flags were afterwards respectfully handed over to the Commander of the Army for placement at the foot of the most sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhiya in the upper layer for symbolic blessings.
After the flags were laid on a bed of jasmine and lotus flowers at the foot of the Sri Maha Bodhiya, members of the Maha Sangha performed religious rites and chanted Seth Pirith, invoking blessings on indispensable Guardians of the Nation and extolled the Army’s contribution and dedication towards the motherland in a special Anushasana (oratory), made by a member of the Maha Sangha.
Lieutenant General Ratnayake, flanked by a representative gathering of senior officers and other ranks afterwards observed religious rites and rituals, before Ata Pirikara and a special cash donation for development of the sacred place, were offered to the chief monk in the group as a symbolic gesture of appreciation towards the Sangha fraternity.
Ven Nugathenne Pannananda Nayaka Thera, Incumbent, Sri Jayanthi Viharaya, Anuradhapura, Ven Pallegama Hemarathana Nayaka Thera, Incumbent, Ruwanweli Maha Seya, Ven Ralapanawe Dhammajothi Nayaka Thera, Incumbent, Lankaramaya, Ven Eethalawetunuwewe Gnanarathana Thera, Incumbent, Mirisawetiya, Isurumuniya and Abhayagiriya Incumbents were also associated with the day’s ceremony at Jaya Sri Maha Bodhiya.
Hundreds of representative Army officers and other ranks, attired in colourful military dresses with their regimental and field formation flags aloft before the observances proper began, conducted a solemn march around the sacred tree thrice after they wended their way from the Makara Thorana (archway) to the premises.
Chief of Staff and all Principal Staff Officers, Commanders-Security Force Headquarters, Commandants, Commanders, General Officers Commanding, Brigade Commanders and a gathering of senior officers were also present in the ceremony.
The Army, raised in October 1949 as the country’s most formidable land force to be reckoned with, is now comprised of 24 regiments, including volunteer ones, and engaged in a multiplicity of nation-building development projects since its landmark victory over terrorism in the year 2009.
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