Devotees flock to Sacred City

Nimal Wijesinghe, Anuradhapura, Additional district group correspondent

ANURADHAPURA: A large crowd of devotees gathered yesterday, at Maha Mevuna Uyana in the Sacred City of Anuradhapura to participate in a number of religious observances including a grand Ata-Sil campaign at the Sri Maha Bodhi and Ruwanweli Seya.

On May 30 night more than 5,000 devotees were seen in the sacred area to witness the commencement of Dalada Perahera (procession of tooth relic) from Udamaluwa opposite Sri Maha Bodhi to Abhayagiriya Temple with the traditional historic rituals being performed.

Yesterday the procession, having started from the vicinity of the Sacred Bo-tree travelled round the new city of Anuradhapura.

Two thousand artists along with 1000 school children lined up in the perahera, including 15 caparisoned tuskers who carried the Sacred Relic.

At the inauguration of the procession on May 30 N.C.P. Governor Karunaratne Divulgane and chief minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake were the chief guests along with the Maha S angha.

The governor thanked the chief minister for his efforts initiated 10 years back to revive the event, abandoned for centuries.