CELEBRATION OF HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA’S 85TH BIRTHDAY IN SRI LANKA
'A TRULY MEANINGFUL BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION' - MAHA SANGHA
Sri Lankan Tibetan Buddhist Brotherhood Society in collaboration with Bodhiraja Foundation celebrated His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 85th birthday yesterday in Sri Lanka in a grand manner with the participation of hundreds of bhikkus, bhikkunis, upasakas and upasikaas.
Many activities were organised to transfer merit for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and to appreciate His Holiness’ role in global religious harmony, reconciliation and peace building among nations.
Before starting the main function, some cattle from slaughter houses were released to transfer merit and to send long life prayers for His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The main event commenced at 4.00 pm and talks on the role of His Holiness the Dalai Lama were conducted by a few prominent speakers. Ven Dr. Omalpe Sobhitha Nayake Thero, Judicial Sangha Nayake of Sri Ramanna Nikaya for Southern Sri Lanka, a well known young writer cum poet Ven Gurugoda Siriwimala Thero, Deputy Secretary General of IBC and the President of SLTBBS Dr. Damenda Porage and the Secretary, Sri Lanka Youth Celebrity Forum Mr. Akash Tharuka Perera.
It was interesting to see that some novice monks too spoke about the importance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teachings for the young monks (samaneras). They were Ven Katharagama Piyadassi Thero and Ven Mhahagama Soratha Thero who study in pirivenas.
‘Lama, Dalai Lama’ the beautiful Sinhala song by the youth singing sensation Kalpana Kavindi and award winning film star Devnaka Porage was launched to felicitate His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. This is the first ever occasion in Sri Lanka a Sinhala song was launched dedicated to His Holiness the Dalai Lama although another song was previously recorded by a veteran rock star Chitral Somapala. The uniqueness of this song was that the music was directed by a Buddhist monk who has an amazing musical talent, Ven Bibiledeniye Mahanama and the lyrics were composed by another Buddhist monk, the veteran lyricist Ven Rambukana Siddhartha.
Simultaneously, the ‘Dalai Lama in Frames’ Photo Exhibition was also held in the premises and the participants to the event did not forget to go through all the fifty enlarged photographs of the important occasions of the life of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.
The penultimate activity was free distribution of 85 rare medicinal plants among the participants.
As the final activity of the day, a large congregation of Buddhist monks offered light and sent long life prayers to His Holiness requesting ‘paramayusha’ one hundred and twenty years of life.
