Kathina Celebrations at Jathavana Buddhist Vihara 2015

Annual Kathina robe offering for the monks at Jathavana Buddhist Vihara in Birmingham was held with the participation of a huge gathering of devotees on 1st Sunday, November 2015. The ceremony had been gracefully organized under the guidance of the Most Venerable Keppetiyagoda Gunawansa Nayaka Thera, the head both of Jethavana Vihara in Birmingham and Sri Sambuddha Vihara in Liverpool and the Chief Sanganayaka for Great Britain. Ven. Keppitiyagoda Gunawansa Thera,Ven. Mapalagama SorathaThera, Ven. Beragama Piyarathana Thero, had observed the rain retreat at the Vihara this year.

The event started with the offering of Buddha Puja at 11.15am. There were Venerable monks present from various temples in Sri Lanka and United Kingdom at the ceremony including Ven. Pidiville Piyatissa Thero,the head monk of kethumati Vihara,Manchester. Ven. Galpotyaye Pemananda Thero Ven. Hapugoda Subodha and Ven. Udunuwara Indarathana Thero from Manchester vihara, Ven. Dodangoda Sumedha Thero and Ven. Kaluaggala Saranasiri from Leceister temple, Venerable Theldeniyaye Amitha thera Head Monk of Nottingham Shanti Buddhist Vihara Venerable and Ven.Thissapura Sugatharathana Thero from Sri sambuddha viharaya, Liverpool. Ven. Kirama Ratanasiri Thero and Ven. Illukkumubure Siwali Thero from Leceister Asoka temple, Ven.Kirigalpoththe ChandandaThero from Sri Lanka.

The Kathina Robe was offered to the monks by the devotees with deep devotion and perehara reminding all participants the beauty and the religious atmosphere of a typical Kathina ceremony in a Sri Lankan Village. After the offering of kathina robe Dhamma Sermon were given in English by Ven. Pidiville Piyatissa Thero,the head monk of kethumati Vihara,Manchester and in Sinhala respectively by, Venerable Theldeniyaye Amitha Thera explaining the significance of offering a Kathina Robe. Atapirikara and requisites for the monks and food were offered by the members and devotees of Jetavana Buddhist Vihara. This year's Kathina ceremony was sponsored by Mr. Ananda Hikkaduwa Mrs. Anuruddhika Hikkaduwa and their family.