 President Ranil Wickremesinghe opens the Buddha Rashmi Vesak Zone near the Gangaramaya, Colombo.
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Vesak, which marks the Birth, Enlightenment and the Passing Away of the Buddha, was celebrated islandwide by Sri Lankans on Friday and yesterday. The main Vesak Zones were in Colombo. President Ranil Wickremesinghe opened the Buddha Rashmi Vesak Zone at the Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo before he left for London to attend the Coronation of King Charles III.
There was another Vesak Zone near the Presidential Secretariat, with Bhakthi Gee performances, a dansala and a Sil campaign for schoolchildren. An attractive pandal was also erected at the site. The Bauddhaloka Vesak Zone centered on the area near the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress (ACBC) building next to the Russian Embassy. This Vesak Zone featured an Exposition of the Buddha’s Sacred Relics, a 72-hour dansala and performances of devotional songs. The State Vesak Festival was held at the Siri Ratanasiri Maha Pirivena in Kebellwela, Chilaw, under the patronage of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. A Sil campaign was held at this event, along with the distribution of Dhamma books and textbooks to Samanera bhikkhus.
Around 7,000 dansalas were held throughout the country, under strict supervision by Public Health Inspectors (PHIs). They were keen to ensure that the food and drinks offered to the public were hygienically prepared.
A large number of devotees thronged places of worship in Anuradhapura, Kandy, Kelaniya, Bellanwila, Kataragama, Jaffna and Badulla during the two Vesak days. Thousands of people thronged the Sri Pada as the climbing season ended yesterday. Temples in all cities and towns had organised Sil campaigns. Many Vesak events at temples islandwide were telecast live over various TV channels.
The Police ensured security for all those who attended Vesak Zones and temples. The Sri Lanka Railways (SLR) and the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) also provided special services to and from the main places of worship for the convenience of pilgrims.
Pictures by Sudath Malaweera, Sulochana Gamage, Rukmal Gamage, Chintaka Kumarasinghe and Anuradhapura Additional Corr. Amila Prabath Wanasinghe and Hidogama Group Corr Chitraratna Kaluarachchi
