Mihintale Aloka pooja from June 3

The Mihintale Aloka pooja organised by the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd (Lake House) for the 50th time will be held at Mihintale from June 3 to 5.

The Aloka pooja illuminations will be sponsored by the Ceylon Electricity Board and Abans this year as well.

A Poson Week has been declared from June 1 to 7. A Mihindu Perahera will also be staged on June 3, the inaugural day of the Aloka pooja illuminations.

The Perahera will begin near the Rajarata University premises and wend its way to Mihintale through Isuru Uyana Mawatha. The Mihintale Poson festivities will be held under the patronage of Mihintale Raja Maha Viharadhipathi Ven. Walawahengunawewe Dhammaratana Nayaka Thera.

The Seema Malakaya of the Mihintale Poyage built under a program jointly sponsored by Lake House and Maliban Biscuit Manufactories Ltd will be opened on June 4, Poson Full Moon Poya Day. Thousands of pilgrims from all parts of the country are due to converge in Anuradhapura and Mihintale, known as the cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.