2006-05-12

Amadhara Vesak Festival begins today

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

COLOMBO: The Amadhara Vesak festival to mark the 2550th Sambuddha Jayanthi will begin today illuminating the city of Colombo with Vesak lanterns, pandals, together with other Vesak specialties, dansalas, bodhi poojas, bhakthi gee and Vesak stage dramas, accompanied by dana and pinkamas.

The festival, organised by the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. will be inaugurated by Information and Media Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Power and Energy Minister W. D. J. Seneviratne today.

The festivities have been organised with the Sri Sambuddhaloka Vihara as the centre which has arranged an exhibition of Sacred Relics of the Buddha at the Vihara to mark the event. Lakhanda radio will broadcast the proceedings of the festival's ceremonial opening from 3 p.m. ITN will telecast the programme live.

The Lake House Vesak lantern competition will be a key event. The company has arranged to hold its traditional kottamalli dansala and Bhakthi Gee programme.