Religious ceremonies to mark New Year

By Z. M. Razik in Kandy

The Sri Dalada Maligawa and Sri Selva Vinayagar Kovil authorities will conduct special poojas and religious ceremonies in connection with the Sinhala and Tamil New Year as thousands of devotees are expected to visit the Maligawa and the Kovil on New Year's day.

A spokesman for the Maligawa said that devotees would be permitted to proceed upto the outer Mandapaya from 6 a.m. They will have to enter the Maligawa through the main entrance.

A spokesman for the Kovil said that Statues of Lord Ganesh, Lord Siva and Parwathy will be taken in procession in and around the Kovil on New Year's day.

The Kandy police will deploy a large number of plain-clothes policemen and policewomen on duty in and around the Maligawa and Kovil.