Anagarika Dharmapala, JR remembered

Ceremonies to mark the 142nd birth anniversary of Srimath Anagarika Dharmapala will be held in several parts of the country today. The main function will be held at 9 a.m. am at Dharmapala Vidyalaya in Ehaliyagoda. A function organised by the Galle YMBA will also be held at 2 p.m. at the Mallika Navodaya School in Hiniduma.

Ven. Habarakada Indrarathana Thera will be the chief guest at this function while J.R. Suriyapperuma will deliver a lecture on the ‘Dharmapala Chinthanaya’.

Commemorative meetings are also scheduled in Colombo, Kandy, Kurunegala, Matara, Pannipitiya, Bombuwala and Menikhinna . A documentary film directed by Indian director Himalay Tehsim and sponsored by the Anagarika Dharmapala Trust on “Rediscovery of Buddhism in India’ will be shown on Channel Eye at 10.45 p.m.

Meanwhile, the 100th birth anniversary of the late President J.R. Jayewardene will be commemorated at the J.R. Jayewardene Centre in Colombo 7, at 4.30 p.m. today.

The activities lined up include the donation of books by the wife of late Gamini Iriyagolla to the Jayewardena Centre library and the launch of three books, two of which were written by the late president himself.

The memorial speech will be delivered by Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

(See related articles on Plus Pages 2 and 4)