Report & Pictures by Jathavana Buddhist Vihara

Annual Kathina robe offering for the monks at Jathavana Buddhist Vihara in Birmingham was held with the participation of a huge gathering of devotees on Sunday the 16^th of October 2011. The ceremony had been gracefully organised under the guidance of the Most Venerable Keppetiyagoda Gunawansa Nayaka Thera, the head of the Vihara and the Chief Sanga Nayaka for Great Britain.

Venerable Gunawansa Thera and Venerable Mapalagama Soratha Thera, had observed the rain retreat at the Vihara this year. The event started with the offering of Buddha Puja at 11.15am and sanghika Dana to the monks. There were Venerable monks present from various temples in United Kingdom at the ceremony including Most Venerable Pidiwille Piyatissa Nayaka Thera, the Head Monk of Kethumathi Buddhist Vihara of Manchester as well as Rev. Kirimatiye Dhammika Thera, Rev. Peemaduwe Peemananda Thera from the same temple. Venerable Theldeniyaye Amitha Thera, the Deputy Head Monk of Leicester Buddhist Vihara and also Venerable Wanduraba Kassapa Thera from London Hounslow Athuladarshana International Buddhist Centre.

The Kathina Robe was carried on their heads in a small Kathina procession and offered to the monks by the devotees with deep devotion and respect amidst Hewisi and Mangul Bera reminding all participants the beauty and the religious atmosphere of a typical Kathina ceremony in a Sri Lankan Village. After the offering of kathina robe Dhamma talks were given in English and in Sinhala respectively by Venerable Theldeniyaye Amitha Thera and Venerable Pidiwille Piyatissa Nayaka Thera explaining the significance of offering a Kathina Robe.

This year’s Kathina ceremony was sponsored by Mr. Mahinda Ganewatta & Mrs Yasawathie Ganewatta and Family.

SESATHA - The Sri Lankan Event Portal in UK