The Sri Lanka Embassy in Beijing hosted a grand Vesak celebration on 5 May with around 500 Chinese and Sri Lankans participating. While the staff worked tirelessly, teams of Chinese well wishers made the event an outstanding success.
Over 35 monks and nuns, including six senior monks from Sri Lanka, the Venerable Yogiyane Sobhitha Thero, Venerable Dr. Bodagama Chandima Nayaka Thero, Venerable Wanduragala Dhammarama Thero, and Venerable Uduwe Dharmaloka Thero and graced the occasion. Monks from the Lingguang Temple and the Guangxi Temple in Beijing and the White Horse Temple (Bai Ma Shi) in Luoyang lent an exceptional aura to the event. All the monks and nuns were provided daane (alms giving) at the Residence on the two days of the event. Around 500 devout Chinese Buddhists and Sri Lankans were present to celebrate the occasion. A sacred relic accompanied by the Sri Lankan monks was highly appreciated by the participants. The large crowd was seated in a white marquee specially constructed in the Embassy grounds by the Chinese well wishers.
The Embassy grounds were gaily decorated with hundreds of fairy lights and traditional lanterns. A number of Ambassadors invited from the Indian Ocean region and other diplomatic representatives graced the occasion. A dansala provided by the Chinese well wishers was kept open till late to provide dinner for all present.
Reverend Uduwe Dharmaloka Thero led the assembly in reciting gaathas. Deputy Chief Thero of the Lanka Amarapura Mulawansha Maha Nikaya, the Venerable Yogiyane Sobhitha Thero, spoke of Buddhism being more a way of life and of the long standing religious ties between China and Sri Lanka. Ambassador Dr. Palitha Kohona, who presided over the event, spoke of the Buddha’s message of non-violence and of metta, mudita, karuna and upekha and their relevance in today’s strife torn world. The President’s message was read out by Deputy Chief of Mission Mr. K.K. Yoganaadan. The staff choir and a team of students sang bakthi geetha while two Chinese singers enthralled the gathering with beautiful Chinese devotional songs.
The Ambassador encouraged the Chinese participants to visit Sri Lanka while the Ven. Dr. Bodagama Chandima Thero invited the Chinese to visit our sacred Buddhist sites, including the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, and to witness the Esala Perehera in August this year.
Old timers agreed that the event was the best Vesak celebration that they had experienced at the Embassy.
The power supply in 80% of the affected areas has been restored, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) reported.
Efforts to restore power in all remaining areas are also currently underway, CEB Media Spokesman Engineer Noel Priyantha said.
Earlier this evening (09 Dec.), major power outages were reported across the island due to a breakdown in the transmission line from Kotmale to Biyagama.
At least six people died and 10 sustained injuries after a fire broke out at a sparkling candle manufacturing unit in the Pimpri Chinchwad area of Pune district on Friday, an official said.
The fire brigade received a call about the blaze at the factory located at Talawade around 2.45 pm, said Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal commissioner Shekhar Singh. The factory manufactured sparkling candles which are generally used for birthday celebrations, he said.
“The fire has been doused. The cause is yet to be ascertained,” Singh added.
The owner of a nearby unit alerted the fire brigade to the incident, after which a team rushed to the site, doused the blaze and sent the injured to the hospital, an official from the Pimpri Chinchwad civic body’s disaster management cell said.
The six bodies have been charred beyond recognition, while the injuries sustained by 10 persons, comprising nine women and a male who is the owner of the ill-fated unit, are serious, he said.
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar expressed grief at the incident and assured a inquiry.
A youth, abducted from Matara by a group claiming to be police officers was shot and left behind with injuries in Habaraduwa last night (8), Police said.
The persons had arrived in a car and taken him claiming he was wanted for an investigation.