President Pays Homage to Sacred Devnimori Relics of Lord Buddha
Marking the start of veneration of the Sacred Devnimori Relics of Lord Buddha, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake made the first floral offering this afternoon.
This event follows discussions held between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter’s visit to Sri Lanka.
As a result of these discussions and through Prime Minister Modi’s personal intervention, with the full patronage of the Government of India, the Sacred Devnimori Relics of Lord Buddha were brought to Sri Lanka.
The Sacred Relics were discovered during archaeological excavations conducted in the 1960s at the historic Devnimori site in the Aravalli District of Gujarat, the home region of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The excavation was conducted around a stupa within a Buddhist monastic complex.
Two relic caskets were unearthed at the site, and the Sacred Relics of the Lord Buddha were found within one of them. An inscription discovered inside the reliquary, which reads “the place where the relics of the Buddha endowed with the Ten Powers are enshrined,” stands as the strongest evidence affirming the sanctity of these Sacred Relics.
Until now, these Sacred Relics had been kept under high security at the Baroda Museum in India and had never been taken outside the country. For the first time, the people of Sri Lanka have the opportunity to see and pay homage to these Sacred Relics.
The Sacred Relics were brought to Sri Lanka via Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake.
Following religious observances conducted after placing the Relics on a special platform, the Relics were conveyed in a motorcade to the Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple.
Subsequently, following the Maha Sangha’s blessings, the Sacred Relics were placed on a special platform at the temple and opened for public veneration. The President made the first floral offering on this occasion.
Accordingly, from Thursday morning through Feb. 11, the public will be able to venerate the Sacred Relics in person at the historic Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple, 24 hours a day.
All necessary facilities have been arranged for devotees.
To mark this special occasion, which further strengthens Indo–Sri Lanka ties, the President presented a commemorative token to the Governor of Gujarat, Acharya Devvrat.
The Chief Incumbent of the Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple, Venerable Dr Kirinde Assaji Nayaka Thera, presented the President with a special memento bearing a replica of the Sima Malaka of the Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple.
A memorandum of understanding relating to the public veneration in Sri Lanka of the historic Devnimori Sacred Relics was exchanged on this occasion between the Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, Dr Hiniduma Sunil Senevi, and the Acting High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, Mr Satyanjal Pandey.
The event was attended by members of the Maha Sangha representing the three Nikayas, led by the Most Venerable Dimbulkumbure Wimaladhamma Anunayaka Thera of the Malwathu Chapter of the Siam Maha Nikaya; the Secretary General of the International Buddhist Confederation, Shartse Khensur Rinpoche Jangchup Choeden Thera; members of the Maha Sangha from India; Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, Dr Hiniduma Sunil Senavi; Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, Chandana Abeyratne; Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr Nalinda Jayatissa; several other Ministers and Members of Parliament; the Acting High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, Satyanjal Pandey, along with special representatives of the Government of India; Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake; Ministry Secretaries; Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasuriya; and representatives of the security forces.