Pictures & Report by Ketumati Vihara

Sunday the 23^rd of October, Ketumati Buddhist Vihara, ceremoniously held  its 12^th  Kathina celebrations.  Six members of Maha sangha, such as Ven. Pidiwille piyatissa Maha thera, The head  of Ketumati Buddhist Vihara, Ven. Keppetiyagoda Gunawansa Nayaka  thera the chief Sangha Nayaka  for Great Britain. Ven. Amitha thera of Leicester Buddhist Vihara, Ven. Mapalagama Soratha thera of Birmingham Jethawana Buddhist Vihara, Ven. Kirimetiyane Dhammika and Ven. Galpottayaye Pemananda of Ketumati Buddhist Vihara attended for this important event. 

Ceremony was well attend by the people living in Manchester and surrounding areas such as Bolton, Preston, Burnley, Leeds, Liverpool, Stoke on Trent and even from Kendal. 

The proceedings started at 10.45am with the welcome speech by the head of Ketumati Buddhist Vihara, followed by Buddha Puja and Shanga dana then others had their food.  At 1.00pm Kathina Robe was respectfully carried in procession and offered to the members of Maha sangha. 

Venerable Keppetiyagoda Gunawansa Nayaka thera of  Birmingham Jethawana Buddhist Vihara gave a Dhamma talk on the significance of Kathina in Sinhala while English Dhamma sermon was delivered by Ven. Teldeniyaye Amitha thera of Leicester Buddhist Vihara. Yasasvi Jayawardan explained his experience as a student of Ketumati Dhamma School while the vote of thank given by Shaluka Jayawardana. 

For the second time, the following students who successfully completed the Ketumati Dhamma School final examination were given the certificates. They are, Shaluka Jayawardena, Pasan Fernando, Yenuksha Amarasena, Yasasvi Jayawardena, Sameera Hettipathirana, Ayodya Withana, Rahul Ratnayake and  Hirusha Wijayawickrama. 

In the end of the ceremony, Mr. Kusal Ariyawansa made a presentation of new temple project. 

This year Kathina celebration was sponsored by the Buddhists from Stoke on Trent led by Dr. Priyantha Jayawardena and Mr. Sudath Illeperuma together with the Dayaka Sabha of Ketumati Vihara.  The material for Kathina robe offered by Mrs. Deepani Amarathunga, Nawala, Sri Lanka and the Kathina robe was cut and sewed in the temple as usual.

SESATHA - The Sri Lankan Event Portal in UK