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| Sunday, 20 February 2005 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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The legend of Aluvihara
Matale, between Kandy and Dambulla on the A-9 road is about 145 kilometers from Colombo. It is a small town with all facilities. Most people who visit Matale prefer to stay in Kandy or Dambulla and for comfortable accomodation they put up at the New Cristal Hill Hotel Palapathwala or at the Matale Rest House. Aluvihara Cave Temple Located a short distance from Matale town is Aluvihara which is said to belong to the reign of King Devanampiyatissa. Aluvihara is adorned by innumerable caves and a range of rock peaks. Archaeologists endorse the legendry belief that the Dagaba amd Bo Tree at Aluvihara can be traced to the reign of King Devanampiyatissa. The Chatragla and Yantragala found amidst the remains of this Dagaba which had collapsed and now preserved in the Bomaluwa are said to be proof of this since it was during King Devanampiyatissa's reign there existed the cult of enshrining Yantragala in chetiyas with Chatra-gal subsequently fixed to these. Aluvihara abounding in regional assets gradually became a famous cave temple consisting of image houses (pratima malaka) meditation cells (bhavana kuti) and monasteries (sanghavasa). During the reign of King Valagamba this temple was a special Buddhist centre to perform the task of committing the scriptures to writing. Rock inscriptions in Aluvihara indicate the existence of compact meditation cells designed and donated from time to time by the devotees for the benefit of yogavachara bhikkhus. Alu Lena becomes Aluvihara It is amazing that the first cave had sufficient light in it despite it being covered by a giant rock to its east in front. It is said that this place would have been known as Alu Lena or Aluvihara for a long time and later aquired fame as Aluvihara only after it became replete with basic vihara requisities such as Dagabas and Bo trees and it became a suitable habitat for bhikkhus. According to legend while a certain bhikkhu was reciting the commentaries within the precincts of this cave during the time of King Devanampiyatissa it was suddenly lit up by God Sakra and thus came to be known as Alu-lena. It is popular belief that the Tripitaka Buddha dhamma preserved by word of mouth for a long period was committed to writing at Aluvihara. Five hundred Arahants led by Thuttagatta Tissa of the Thuparama were appointed as inscribers. They held the fifth council under the protection and patronage of Minister Janapadadipathi of Matale and inscribed the Tripitaka along with its commentaries in books. The council and writing of the scriptures which continued for three years, three months and three weeks were concluded on a Vesak Full moon poya day. Aluvihara was further renovated and developed by King Parakramabahu the Great of Polonnaruwa. Thereafter King Keerthi Sri Nissanka also developed it further by renovating the existing image houses and erecting new ones. Dark age The dark age dawned upon Aluvihara after 1848 and the honour and credit of ending the dark age at Alu Vihara goes to Venerable Mangalakirti Sri Saranankarabhidana, the chief incumbent of Alu Vihara from 1896-1934. Renovation He renovated the Palle Vihara led by B. Aluvihare, the Lekam Nilame and the Uda Vihara was renovated and it was led by the Rate Mahatmaya T. B. Aluvihare. The Sambuddha Jayanthi Festivals were held in Alu Vihare and the foundation stone was laid to build an international library and it was opened in 1974 by Prime Minister Sirimavo R. D. Bandaranaike. Courtesy: History of Matale Cathay Pacific donates HK$ 75m for tsunami victims Cathey Pacific Chief Executive Philip Chen presented the Hong Kong Red Cross Assistant Director (International and Relief Service) Lady Wu with a cheque for HK$ 7 million raised from staff and company donations to help the victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami to rebuild their lives. The company kicked off the fund-raising effort for the Cathay Pacific Southeast Asia Disaster Relief Fund with HK$ 1 Million on December 29, 2004, then matched dollar-for-dollar every donation made by staff until the initiative ended on January 28. The relief fund has raised more than HK$7 million at present Staff contributed in Hong Kong and at ports throughout the Cathay Pacific system. The airline and sister carrier Air Hong Kong also mounted special cargo flights to Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Cathay Pacific and Air Hong Kong flew more than 200 tonnes of relief supplies. The airline also carried more than 40 strong search and rescue team and sniffer dogs from Paris to Colombo. More than 8,000 Asia Miles members made donations to Asia Miles charity partners UNICEF, Oxfam Hong Kong, ORBIS and C.A.R.E. Housing Society to help fly relief workers to affected areas. Every donation made between December 28 and January 7 were matched mile-for-mile by Asia Miles and more than 275 million miles were raised. Emirates special fares for HNB's Visa and MasterCard users Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, has entered into an agreement with the Hatton National Bank (HNB) in Colombo to offer special fares to its Visa and MasterCard credit card holders. Cardholders will be able to avail themselves of special fares with Emirates to Singapore, Jakarta and Dubai when they use their credit cards to purchase tickets for themselves, and family or friends, for outbound travel before April 30. The only stipulation is that in each case, the card holder must also be among those who travel. These special fares, in the Business and Economy class, represent a saving of more than 10 per cent over standard fares. A Colombo - Singapore Economy Class return ticket for example, will cost Rs. 21,000 as opposed to Rs. 24,000, whilst a Colombo-Jakarta return in the same class will be Rs. 30,000 rather than Rs. 34,000. A Colombo -Dubai return will cost Rs. 23,000, instead of the normal Rs. 29,500. The special Business Class return fares are Rs. 61,000 to Dubai (normal fare Rs. 67,800), Rs. 63,100 to Singapore (normal fare Rs. 70,400) and Rs. 81,000 to Jakarta (normal fare Rs. 90,400.) Emirates will also provide HNB credit card holders travelling to Singapore under this promotion with accommodation options starting at US $ 81 per person for two nights or US $ 99 for three nights, both options based on two people sharing. The price includes accommodation at three star hotels, with room taxes, service charges and return airport coach transfers. Passengers will also receive a booklet of vouchers courtesy Singapore Tourist Board, which will entitle them to discounts and free offers in a wide variety of places including the zoo, restaurants and heritage centres. "This offer provides a great opportunity for HNB's credit card holders to
experience the award-winning service of Emirates at special rates," said
Emirates' Sales Manager Colombo Devika Ellepola. "They will also be entitled
to earn Skywards Miles, and those who have not as yet enrolled in our
frequent flyer program can use this opportunity to do so," she said.
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