KATHINA CEREMONY OF NOTTINGHAM SHANTHI BUDDHIST VIHARA

AUG | 16 Oct, 2014 02:27PM | Leave a comment
KATHINA CEREMONY OF NOTTINGHAM SHANTHI BUDDHIST VIHARA 

The second Annual Kathina Ceremony to be conducted by the Shanthi Buddhist Vihara of Nottingham since its inception was held at the Awsworth Village Hall in Awsworth, Nottiingham, on Saturday, 11th October, 2014, under the guidance of the Vihara’s Incumbent, Venerable Teldeniyaye Amitha Thero and sponsored by Mr Lesly Fernando and Mrs Malini PItigala.

The programme for the day had been drawn up along traditional lines, commencing at 11 a.m. with Buddha Puja and Vandana, followed by Sanghika Dana and lunch for the gathered devotees, the offering of robes and other Pirikara to the Venerable monks present, and Dhamma talks in both Sinhala and English.   Proceedings concluded at 3 p.m. with Punyanumodana and Blessings.

Fourteen Venerable Monks drawn from Viharas across the country took part in this great meritorious ceremony.   Among them were the Venerable Pidiville Piyatissa Nayake Thero the head of the Kethumathi Buddhist Vihara Manchester, Venerable Keppetiyagoda Gunawansa Nayake Thero from the Jethavana Vihara in Birmingham, Venerable Nilpanagoda Anoma Nayake Thero of the Edmonton Vihara, Venerable Konwewa Ariyarathana Thero of the London Buddhist Vihara together with other Venerable Monks representing the Birmingham Maha Vihara, Leicester Buddhist Vihara, Liverpool Sambuddha Vihara and the Heathrow Athuladassana Vihara.

Over 175 devotees were present to make the traditional presentations of robes and other Pirikara to the Venerable Monks on this occasion.   Many of these devotees had given generously of their time, several of them having gone to great lengths to decorate the hall and approaches to it with masses of flowers and flags.   By common consent, their efforts and contributions had made this meritorious event the deeply spiritual as well as satisfying experience it was for everyone who had participated in it.