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New Asgiriya Chapter Mahanayake is the Ven. Galagama Dhammasiddi Sri Dhammananda Attadassi Thera
View(s):Venerable Galagama Dhammasiddi Sri Dhammananda Attadassi Thera, who is 95 was elected as the 21st Mahanayake of the Asgiriya Chapter which has a 703-year history. The Mahanayake went uncontested and a unanimous decision was made by the 18-member Karaka Sangha Sabha of the Asgiri Maha Vihare to elect the most senior member of its congregation.
The Mahanayake Thera has studied Pali and Sanskrit and is fluent in Tamil as well. The Venrable Mahanayake has been forthright in his views during his career .
He was responsible for the election of the Mahanayake the Most Venerable Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Thera, when there were rumblings over his election. At that time he was only a member of the Karaka Sangha Sabha but he had considerable influence over the others.
The Mahanayake-elect (he has yet to receive his Act of Appointment) was born on January 11, 1922 in Matale. He had been named as Kulatunge Mudiyanselage Kiri Banda. His mother was Tennakoon Mudiyanselage Pinchi Amma Kumarihamy and his father was Kulatunge Mudiyanselage Dingiri Banda Nilame.
He had his early education in the Yattawatte Weerawickrema Madhya Maha Vidyalaya. He entered the order in 1936, under the Ven. Udurawana Sri Dhammannda Thera.
After he entered the order he entered the Sri Dharmaraja Pirivena in Matale for his basic education and continued to receive his education at the Pirivena till 1947. He obtained the Panditha Degree. He also obtained the Tripitaka Degree in 1950, the examination being held by the Vidyodaya Pirivena.
The Mahanayake-elect was intiated into the Upasampada in 1942 at the Poyage of the Asgiri Maha Vihare under the tutorship of the Venerable Udurawana Sri Dhammanda Thera and the Venerable Mahanayake Mullegama Sri Gunaratne also known as Mullegama Mahanayake. His preceptors were at the Upasampada were Venerable Urulewatte Gunaratne Thera and the Venerable Gammulle Chandrajothi Nayake Thera.
The Mahnayake-elect was a tutor at the Sri Dharmaraja Pirivena in Matale from 1953 and later was the Pirivenadhipathi of the Kawatayemuni Pirivena in Matale for four years from 1977. In 1970 he established the Urulewatte Sri Dhammasiddi Dhamma School.
The Mahnayake-elect was elected to the Asgiri Karaka Sangha Sabha in 1982, forty six years after entering the Order and then was elevated to the senior position in the Karaka Sangha Sabha in 1994. In 2002 the Thera was awarded the Honorary Title of ‘Wansalankara Sasana Sohana’ by the Vidyalankara Pirivena.
The Thera was elected uncontested as the Anunayake on December 13, 1999 and on March 25, 2000 was appointed as the Viharadhipathi of the Mahiyangana Raja Maha Vihare, The Act of Appointment of the new Mahanayake of the Asgiriya Chapter has to be handed over by the President in keeping with tradition and practice.