News
Vesak activities to honour Buddha’s wisdom, celebrate co-existence
View(s):By Senuka Jayakody
Activities for Vesak, when Sri Lankans celebrate the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death, will also be held in temples island-wide from Tuesday to Sunday.
Religious activities will be held in schools, at Dhamma schools and at Government and non-Government organisations with Divisional and District Sasanarakshaka Mandala guidance.
At the Sri Ratanasiri Nahimi Maha Pirivena at Kebellawa in Chilaw, the Nayaka Hamuduruwo is seen giving Dhamma lessons to young monks at the temple’s Bhikku training centre. Pic by Hiran Priyankara
The Sri Rathanasiri Pirivena is hosting a temporary dansal and a Vesak lantern festival on May 4, observing of seela (right conduct), on May 5 and a Bhikshu training workshop on May 7.
A programme on co-existence will be held at the Lulur Church, involving Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Catholic children.
The Department of Buddhist Affairs had requested the chief incumbents of temples to undertake special programmes.
Activities aimed at spiritual development will be held on May 1 and a programme to protect the environment is being held on May 2. A health-related programme is slated for May 3 and events aimed at developing morals, and drug prevention are to be held on May 4.
On May 5, Vesak Poya day, temples will conduct seela programmes. Events such as musical shows are discouraged.
The day after Vesak Poya day, Buddhist culture and arts will be promoted through a programme.
Activities will end with a training programme for monks and ‘dasa sil mata’ (lay nuns who practise Buddhist morality codified in the ten precepts) on May 7.
Temples have been asked to display an 8 ft long 4 ft wide banner in yellow and maroon.
Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister Vidura Wickramanayaka told the Sunday Times that Puttalam District was chosen since it represents Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and even people of African descent. “Buddhism is for everyone. The Buddha taught equality in the Sathara Sangraha Wasthu.”
| Creators scale down ornate displays More Pandals (elaborate display panels featuring Buddhist tales) and Dansala (temporary alms stalls) are being organised this year for Vesak relative to last year, but the numbers are much less due to the high cost of electricity, raw materials, and food. But some pandal makers have found ways to reduce electricity costs by building smaller displays and by choosing pixel LED lights. Artist Chitrananda Pushpananda Dinipitiya says there are not many displays. “I am doing only three this time, while I did six earlier. Those are in Kottawa Junction, Dematagoda and Kelani Raja Maha Vihara.” Pandals in Maharagama and Thotalanga will be on display, while the one in the Pettah will not be erected this time. Indika Nishantha, a lighting technician says there are fewer displays in and around Colombo, due to the economic crisis. “The price of bulbs has increased from Rs. 30 to around Rs. 90 [each]. Prices of wire rolls have also increased from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 12,000,” Mr. Nishantha said. “So, we have to increase our prices by three times as well, but we do not, since times are hard for businessmen as well.” He said the scale of the pandal in Kottawa has been reduced from 60ft to 45ft, but “it costs much more to build the smaller one than the larger one compared with a few years ago.”
| |
| Dematagoda pandal with national unity message The annual Vesak pandal in Dematagoda will be displayed this year as well despite the high costs, organisers said. The Dematagoda Market Traders Shakyadana Society said the estimated cost of Rs. 600,000 was raised from donations received not only from Buddhists but also from Tamils, Muslims and Burghers. “We want to give the message of national unity to the people,” the Society’s president said. The pandal is being erected for the 46th time.
|
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!