Religious motorcade pageant carrying sacred relic casket set in motion

Thursday, 13 November 2014 00:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The religious motorcade which was leading the casket of the Omniscient Sacred Relics up to Sandahiru Stupa, commenced its first leg at an auspicious time at the President’s house in Colombo yesterday.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa worshiped the casket in the shrine room of his house. The omniscient relics were consecrated by the chief prelates of the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Temple, Sri Pada (Adams peak) Temple, Sri Subuthi Temple in Waskaduwa and Udaganawa Raja Maha Vihara were deposited in the casket prior to placement in the decorated vehicle. The religious motorcade winds up its journey in the evening at the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, concluding the first leg of its journey. A 100 km long route will take the relics through Maradana, Peliyagoda, Kiribathgoda, Eldeniya, and Belummahara and before they reach Nittambuwa at 11.00 a.m. From there it will continue from Wewelldeniya to Kegalle through Warakapola, Nelumdeniya and will reach Kegalle by 2.30 p.m.

Finally the religious pageant expects to arrive at Kandy by 5.30 p.m. through Mawanella, Kadugannawa and Peradeniya. The forthcoming week will see a gigantic stride being made in the history of gigantic Stupa constructions with the relics being deposited in the hemispherical dome of the Sandahiru Stupa, the Maha Sanga said. The venerable Maha Sanga including the Chief Prelates of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi temple, Adam’s Peak Temple, Sri Subuthi Temple and Udaganawa Raja Maha Vihara, blessed the motorcade prior to its departure. Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Tri-Forces Commanders, the IGP and a large gathering of devotees also participated in the historic event.