Sinhala New Year rituals preserved for millennia under Buddhist guidance: Samarasinghe

By Sisira Wijesinghe from Washington DC

Washington DC, April 17 (Daily Mirror) – Sri Lankan Ambassador to the United States Mahinda Samarasinghe says that Sinhala New Year rituals, a cornerstone of the country’s cultural identity, have been preserved for thousands of years with Buddhist temples at their center and the guidance of Buddhist monks playing a significant historical role.

He said that, at various points in history, different forces had attempted to distance society from the long-standing Sinhala Buddhist cultural traditions.

The Ambassador made these remarks while attending the New Year Bakmaha Festival held on April 12 at the Maryland International Buddhist Temple.

He further highlighted that New Year rituals remain a valuable heritage of Sinhala culture, contributing to a peaceful and disciplined way of life among Sri Lankans.

The Maryland Bakmaha Festival, organized under the patronage of Most Venerable Katugastota Uparathana Nayaka Thero, Chief Judicial Sanghanayake of the United States, highlighted Sinhala-Hela customs and traditions.

The event featured a range of traditional New Year games and cultural activities, adding vibrancy to the celebrations.

Among those in attendance were officials of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington, including Deputy Chief of Mission Maduka Wickramarachchi, as well as donors, students of the temple, and participants from its Dhamma school.

Source - Daily Mirror