Ceremonial opening of Seruwila Mangala Viharaya

by Mohammed NAALIR

The Seruwila Mangala Rajamaha Viharaya refurbished at a cost of nearly Rs. 25 million by the National Physical Planning Department under the guidance of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Minister Dinesh Gunawardane will be ceremonially opened today for the veneration of a large number of devotees.

Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva, UPFA Parliamentarian and Senior Advisor to the President Basil Rajapaksa will be the Chief Guests on the occasion. Under the guidance of Minister Gunawardane the Sacred Area Development Projects have been accelerated even in the North and East. Due to the Frontal Bone (Lalatha Dhatu) which is enshrined in the Stupa of the Seruwila Mangala Rajamaha Viharaya still remains as a highly respected Buddhist Temple in the country according to the Ministry sources. This Temple was built by King Kawantissa in the 2nd century B.C.

The Seruwila Mangala Raja Maha Viharaya is functioning for many thousand years as a religious place depicting the cultural values of our country.

Seruwila Temple was not affected by any internal conflicts that arose from time to time in the country. The Temple which had been abandoned for sometime was rediscovered by most Ven. Dambagasara Sri Sumedhankara Thera in 1922 and he re-established this as a place of worship. Seruwila Temple and its premises was declared a Sacred Area and world heritage by UNESCO. Due to the conflict situation in the country the maintenance and development work had been neglected since 1984.