Indian HC visits Waskaduwa Rajguru Sri Subuthi Viharaya
Seeks blessings from Mahanayake Thera for peace and prosperity of the people of Sri Lanka and India
COLOMBO – Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Gopal Baglay, visited the Waskaduwa Rajaguru Sri Subuthi Viharaya on Saturday (21) and sought the blessings of Chief Incumbent, Most Ven. Sri Mahindawansa Mahanayake Thera for peace and prosperity of the people of Sri Lanka and India.
The Sri Subuthi Viharaya houses the Buddha’s relics from Piprahwa, India. High Commissioner Baglya paid tribute to the memory of Most Venerable Rajaguru Waskaduwe Sri Subhuthi Nayaka Thera who brought the venerated Piprahwa relics of the Buddha to Sri Lanka. The relics were discovered in the late 19th century in India.
The High Commissioner and Venerable Mahindawansa Thera discussed ancient bilateral Buddhist ties between India and Sri Lanka and ways to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
Baglay noted the US$ 15 million grant announced by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to protect and promote Buddhist heritage ties between India and Sri Lanka will be utilized for bilateral exhibitions of the Buddha’s relics as well as to develop Viharayas, education of young monks and development of Buddhist heritage museums.
The venerated relics of the Buddha from Kapilawasth, discovered in 1970, have only been exhibited six times out of India, including twice in Sri Lanka. The first time was in 1978 when they were brought to Sri Lanka and drew crowds of nearly 10 million people. In 2012, at the request of the then Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaska, the relics once again travelled from India to Sri Lanka to commemorate the 2600th anniversary of the Enlightenment of the Buddha.
The venerated relics from the Waskaduwe Viharaya have also been exhibited in India in October 2015 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Dr. Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution, embracing Buddhism along with 500,00 followers. Over eight million people came to see the relics and paid homage.
-ENCL