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Bellanwila prelate dies from accident when feeding temple elephant
View(s):One of Sri Lanka’s most respected Buddhist prelates, the Ven. Prof. Bellanwila Wimalarathana Thera, died yesterday after injuries he suffered in a fall when trying to feed an elephant at the Bellanwila Rajamaha Viharaya. The 75-year-old prelate was until recently the Anunayake of the Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha of the Syamapali Maha Nikaya. He was also the Chancellor of the Sri Jayewardenepura University. On Friday, he was treated at a Colombo private hospital, where he passed away.
Ven. Prof. Bellanwila Wimalarathana Thera
Temple authorities said that the prelate had told them that the elephant had not attacked him and what happened was an accident. He was initially rushed to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital before being transferred to the private hospital. A large number of Buddhist monks, dignitaries and devotees started gathering at the Bellanwila Rajamaha Vihara last afternoon as news of the prelate’s death came in. Orange flags were hoisted at the temple at houses and business premises around it.
A funeral committee, convened by the temple’s ‘Dayaka Sabha’ last night announced that final rites of the late Thera would be held at 3 pm on Thursday, February 8, at the Sri Jayewardenepura University grounds. The funeral committee is co-chaired by Speaker Karu Jayasuriya and Western Province Chief Minister Isura Devapriya.
The Bellanwila temple elephant