| The Lake House Mihintale Aloka Pooja |
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The Lake House Aloka Pooja of the State Poson Festival at the historic Mihintale Raja Maha Vihara held for the 59 th consecutive year from June 23 to 25. The State Poson Festival and the second day of Lake House Mihintala Aloka Pooja was opened by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday (June 24) evening. The Mihintala-Lake House Aloka Pooja was held under the guidance of the Mihintale Raja Maha Viharadhipathi Ven.Dr. Walawahengunuwewe Dhammarathana Nayaka Thera on the initiative of Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (ANCL) Chairman, President’s Counsel W. Dayaratne. Mass Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, Trade Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardena, Lands Minister S.M. Chandrasena, ANCL Chairman and the members of the Board of Directors, Parliamentarians and several other invitees were also present. Pictures by Sagara Lakmal de Mel (President’s Media Division) |
The State Poson Festival was held at the historic Mihintale Sacred City with the participation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday (24).
The theme of this year’s Poson Poya that completes 2329 years since the arrival of Anubudu Mihindu Thera to Sri Lanka is “May all beings be happy.” The President who arrived at the Mihintale Sacred City for the State Poson Festival worshipped the sacred relics seeking blessings.
Ven. Walawahengunawewe Dhammarathana Nayaka Thera, the Chief incumbent of Mihintale Raja Maha Vihara, conducted the sermon on the State Poson Festival.
It was organised in line with health guidelines. Anunayake of the Malwatte Chapter Most Ven. Dimbulkumbure Wimaladhamma Thera, Anunayake of the Asgiri Chapter Most Ven. Anamaduwe Dhammadassi Thera, Acting Mahanayaka of the Amarapura Maha Nikaya Most Ven. Ganthune Assaji Thera and the Mahayanka of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Nikaya Most Ven. Makulewe Wimala Thera conducted sermons through online video technology.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa also addressed the event online. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa inaugurated the Aloka Pooja that is being organised to coincide with the State Poson Festival.
The meritorious deed was organised by the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (Lake House) in collaboration with the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) for the 95th occasion.
The President also opened a three-dimensional design of the Mihintale Site by SLT-Mobitel. The model design of the Mihintale Sacred area can be viewed by visiting poson.sltmobitel.lk.
Ministers Bandula Gunawardana, Keheliya Rambukwella, S. M. Chandrasena. Governor to the North Central province Maheepala Herath, State Ministers Duminda Dissanayake, Shehan Semasinghe, MPs Uddika Premarathne and K.P.S. Kumarasiri.