President tells at Lumbini the development of the Buddha's birth
place is the responsibility of the whole Buddhist world
(By Walter Jayawardhana)
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President
worship the birth place of Buddha ... |
President Mahinda Rajapaksa making brief statement to
the pressmen gathered there said that the development of Lumbini, one of
the most sacred sites of the Buddhists all over the world was not only
the responsibility of the Nepalese government but also the rest of the
world including Sri Lanka.
Rajapaksa a devout Buddhist said coming here to
Lumbini , the birthplace of Prince Siddhartha who later attained
Buddhahood through an ascetic life was his life long dream.
He said in the years to come Lumbini will attract
increasing numbers of pilgrims and made a personal donation of US
10,000. At this time the information officer of the Lumbini Development
Fund Hari Dhoj Rai showed him the master plan for the Lumbini
Development.
The Nepali government beefed up high security around
Lumbini due to the visit of President Rajapaksa and he also offered
pooja at Maya Debi (Devi) Temple at Lumbini, Nepalese reports said.
The main business of the President's visit to Lumbini
was to gift and dedicate the first phase of the Sri Lanka Maha Viharaya
at Lumbini that was built at the cost of 74 million Rupees of state
money. The completed phase consists of a library, a resting place, a
museum and a monastery.
In fact, the Sri Lanka Lumbini Development Trust Fund
was established 25 years ago when President Rajapaksa was a novice MP in
the parliament and the work at the Sri Lanka section was started then.
But unfortunately, the work had been neglected until the President
re-invigorated it. The Sri Lankan monastery has been established on land
leased by the Nepalese government to Buddhist nations to construct
monasteries of their own traditions.
The Sri Lanka government has announced that it would
put up the second phase of the Sri Lanka monastery at the cost of 194
Million Rupees. captions of the photos attached (Pix by Sudath Silva)
President Mahinda Rajapaksa and First lady Shiranthi
Rajapaksa visit the birth place of lord Buddha at Lumbini on 30th.
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Birth place
of lord Buddha ...
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The Children welcome the President by
garlanding ... |
President lighting oil lamp near Asoka pillar... |
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President
declared opened Sri Lanka Monastery
funded by Sri Lanka Lumbini Development trust ... |
President Donated US $10,000 US Dollars for
Sri Lanka Lumbini Development trust to the Minister for Federal
Affairs, and Culture Dr. Minendra Rijal of Nepal ... |
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