20th November 2021 06:32:57 Hours
A special ‘Gilanpasa’ cum ‘Aashirvada Pooja’ at the sacred Ruwanweli Maha Seya in Anuradhapura this evening (19) to mark the completion of HE the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s second year of Presidency and for the prosperity of the Nation was graced by Maha Nayake Theros (supreme hierarchy) of Three Chapters and a representative group of Buddhist monks.
Sharp at 5.00 pm, HE the President, together with the First Lady arrived at the location and walked to the main shrine in the compound and paid obeisance to the Buddha inside the shrine and the crest gem (chooda manikya) of the Stupa offering flowers. Next, the day’s protagonist, HE the President set light to lamps at all four corners of the Ruwanweli Maha Seya Stupa, near four archways (wahalkada) before a special ‘Kapruk Poojawa’ commenced.
Afterwards, Most Ven Dimbulakumbure Sri Saranankara Vimaladhammabhimana Anu Nayaka Thero administered customary five precepts (pansil) before Ven Dr Pallegama Hemarathana Nayake Thero, Chief Incumbent at Ruwanweli Maha Seya and the Chief Sangha Nayake of the Nuwara Kalaviya was invited to make an introductory oration (anushasana) to the gathering, in which the monk spelt out the significance of the occasion.
The invocation of blessings, ‘Aashivarda Pooja’ on HE the President and his Presidency as the climax of the day’s event commenced after a while under the auspices of Ven Atapattukande Ananda Thero, Chief Incumbent at ‘Sama Vihara’ in Havelock City and the former Assistant Principal at Colombo Ananda College, to be followed by chanting of ‘Seth Pirith’ for blessings.
Highlighting the significance of the day’s event, Most Ven Dimbulakumbure Sri Saranankara Vimaladhammabhimana Anunayake Thero of Malwatta Chapter and the Chief Incumbent of the Historic Walgampaya Sri Abhayaraja Raja Maha Viharaya, Most Ven Wendaruwe Dharmakeerthi Sir Rathanapala Upali Abhidhana Anu Nayake Thero of Asgiriya Chapter, Most Ven Dodampahala Chandrasiri Maha Nayaka Thero, Maha Nayake of Sri Lanka Amarapura Maha Nikaya and Most Ven Makulewe Sri Vimala Maha Nayake Thero, delivered special orations at the occasion.
The culmination of the day’s ‘Pinkama’ reached with offer of ‘Pirikara’ to members of the Maha Sangha and floral tributes to the statues of the King Dutugemunu and the Queen, Vihara Maha Devi.
First Lady, Mrs Ioma Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Hon Minister, Chamal Rajapaksa, Ministers, Secretary Defence, General Kamal Gunaratne (Rtd) and the spouse, Mrs Chithrani Gunaratne, Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army, General Shavendra Silva and the spouse, Mrs Sujeewa Nelson, President, Army Seva Vanitha Unit, Commander of the Navy and his spouse, Commander of the Air Force and his spouse, Director General Civil Security Department and a gathering of devotees were associated with the day’s invocation ceremony.
