President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday unveiled the Pinnacle of the Sandahiru Seya in Anuradhapura in the presence of members of the Venerable Maha Sangha.
The Sandahiru Seya which was built in honour of thousands of valiant soldiers who laid down their lives and sacrificed their limbs for the protection of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country was consecrated to the Buddha Sasana while Sri Lanka Air Force helicopters showered flowers on the Chethiya.
The construction of the Sandahiru Seya, the second tallest Chethiya in the country after the Ruwanweli Maha Seya commenced in 2010 under the patronage of then President and present Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The construction of the Chethiya was conducted under the close supervision of then Defence Secretary and present President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The President also switched on the illuminations of the Seya. The offering of Gilanpasa to the Sacred Relics also took place at the Relics Chamber. Defence Secretary General (Rtd.) Kamal Gunaratne, Commanders of the Tri-Forces, Inspector General of Police and Director General of the Civil Security Department presented the Sannaspatra (Citation) of the Sandahiru Seya to the President.
Thereafter, the President presented the Sannaspatra to the Atamasthanadhipathi Most Ven. Pallegama Srinivasa Thera.
The Chethiya is 283 feet in height and its diameter is 255 feet. First Lady Ioma Rajapaksa, former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Ministers and Parliamentarians were present.
by Daily News Sri Lanka
, Local, ,