A HISTORIC EVENT FOR SRI LANKAN DEVOTEES

The Temple of the Tooth has begun the public exposition of the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha, taking place from April 18th to 27th.

- Pinidi Attanayake

This veneration is being held at the request of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, with the primary aim of overcoming the economic and social problems and deepening the devotion of Buddhists.

Why did this sacred event not take place earlier?

The sacred veneration of the Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha did not take place before 2025 due to the absence of official approval from the custodians of the relic. While there were intentions and efforts in the past, including a request reportedly made by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who had sent former Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to seek permission, the request was ultimately not granted.

This has led to speculation that past leaders may not have prioritised the event with sufficient reverence or will. In contrast, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's request was accepted. Moreover, Dissanayake has highlighted that an exposition would help to give more priority to the citizens in Sri Lanka and make the Buddhists feel the Tooth Relic more wholeheartedly.

Rules and regulations to be followed

The exposition is from the 18th from 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM. From the 19th to the 27th, it is conducted daily between 11:00 am and 5:30 pm. Until April 21st, the allocated time began at 12:00 PM. However, due to the increasing number of devotees, the schedule has now been revised to commence at 11:00 AM.

Devotees have been advised to attend in appropriate attire. It is to be noted that during the hours of 12:30 PM to 5:30 PM, access to the premises for any other religious observances will be restricted. As per the instructions given by the current president, there are no VIP or VVIP passes issued to visit the exposition.