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Replica of Sakya Kingdom to mark Lanka’s first UN Vesak Day
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Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe addressing the news conference and the logo (below) for the UN Vesak celebrations. Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
A replica of the Sakya kingdom of ancient India will be constructed to coincide with the 14th United Nations Vesak Day to be celebrated for the first time in Sri Lanka.
Speaking at a news conference Buddha Sasana Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said the kingdom would be built on 78 acres of land in Kahapola, Piliyandala to mark the international event that will be celebrated from May 12 to14, under the theme, ‘Buddhist Teachings for Social Justice and Sustainable Peace’.
Although Sri Lanka played a key role to make Vesak an international holiday with the late Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar taking the initiative, this is the first time it is being celebrated here. It has been held 11 times in Thailand and twice in Vietnam.
The minister said the construction of the kingdom would cost Rs 500 million funded by the private sector.
The kingdom would include replicas of places of significance in Lord Buddha’s life such as Lumbini, Kusinara, Isipathanaramaya, King Suddhodana’s Palace etc. The proposed construction would also have E-library facilities, Media stations and meditation centres that could house about 10,000 devotees.
The inaugural UN Vesak ceremony will be held on May 12 at the BMICH in Colombo with the participation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Chief Guest. The closing ceremony will be held at the Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth) in Kandy on May 14 with Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari gracing the occassion as chief guest.
The minister said out of the 85 countries that had been invited 72 had already confirmed their participation in the event.
Elaborating on the events to be held, the minister said, in addition to a special Vesak Zone that will come up at Diyawannawa there will be a series of seminars and a cultural show at Nelum Pokuna Theatre, Colombo, that will see the participation of foreign artistes too.
Mr. Rajapakshe said a special train will take the visiting dignitaries to Kandy to participate in the closing ceremony at the Maligawa. A special exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic and a special ‘Dalada perahera’ would be the highlights of the final day.
Meanwhile the state Vesak festival will be held on May 9 at the Wattarama Raja Maha Viharaya, Kegalle, with the participation of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
In another special event 500 novice monks will be ordained on May 3 at the Ruwanweli Maha Seya, in Anuradhapura while a hundred schools and Dhamma schools will be felicitated to coincide with Vesak celebrations.