Morning sunrays begin bathing the garden of the Speaker’s official residence. Breeze sweeping across the Diyawanna mix with the floral aroma in the surrounding area. Bird hymns fill the entire vicinity. Feelings that touch all five senses are many. Those in white attire are gathered here to spend the day controlling their minds.

This is what one would have witnessed at the Hon. Speaker’s official residence on the 19^th of May 2008, the Vesak Poya Day. As in the past two years this year too a series of religious activities were organised at the Speaker’s official residence and the Parliament precincts.

The observation of Sil for the devotees gathered and the morning’s Buddha Pooja was conducted by Ven. Dr. Waleboda Gunasiri Thero. Later, Morning Alms were served to the devotees by the mayoresses of Kotte and Maharagama Urban Councils. Thereafter the devotees who observed Sil were seeing meditating in order of developing mental concentration. After all devotees had recited the Dhamma Chakkapavaththana Sutta, the Dhammapada was chanted for a half an hour period prior to the Buddha Pooja. It was conducted by Ven. Karawilakotuwe Dhammathilaka Thero. Dhammapada books were distributed at this moment and the formation of a ‘Dhammapada Community’ is expected by this.

Following the Midday Alms, elder devotees together with groups of schoolchildren chanted verses of the “Lo Weda Sangara”. The succeeding meditation programme was conducted by Ven. Karawilakotuwe Dhammathilaka Thero and following it the Poya Day Dhamma Programme “Dinuwanam Delowama Dinuwamai” of the Commercial Service of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation was aired. This programme, which discussed the topic of “Surpassing laymen hood”, was attended by Ven. Koswatte Ariyawimala Thero and Dr. Dharmasena Hettiarachchi and was conducted by the Hon. Speaker. After the presentation of the “Citta Samãdhi” Vesak volume compiled for this years Vesak celebration by the Hon. Speaker to Ven. Devalegama Medhananda Thero, the “Doramadalawa” special live Dhamma discussion programme commenced. Its erudite panel comprised of Ven. Devalegama Medhananda Thero, Ven. Karawilakotuwe Dhammathilaka Thero and the Hon. Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara. At the end of the programme, time was allotted for questions raised by devotees who were gathered. This programme was recorded and telecast over the Independent Television Network at 10 p.m. the same day.

All devotees after conducting the evening’s Gilanpasa Bodhi Pooja opposite the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi at the Speaker’s residence arrived at the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi at the Parliament premises reciting the ‘Pattana’ in a ‘Sakman Bhavana’. There, after reciting the Dhamma Chakkapavaththana Sutta the completion of Sil and Bodhi Pooja were conducted and succeeded by a recitation of the Triple Sutta.

Many events were organised at the Parliament grounds in the evening. The first to commence was the schoolchildren’s Vesak lanterns exhibition and competition. It was held on the following day as well. Next to begin was the Vesak Dansela. The opening of it was attended by the Hon. Speaker, Ministers and several Members of Parliament. This year too the Dansela was sponsored by Mr. Sunil Muthumala, Chairman of Sunil Traders. The Dansela, which was arranged to serve up to thousand guests at a sitting, drew thousands of people from late evening to the early hours of next day.

Bhakthi Geetha, which was the last event of the day, commenced next. The adults choir that won first, second and third places in the popular classical Buddhist song competition conducted by the Department of Social Services of the Western Provincial Council, Orchestra of the Devi Balika Vidyalaya and many schoolchildren participated in this. The schoolchildren’s Bhakthi Geetha recitals, which were named “Diyawanna Vesak Bethi Gee Saraniya” were conducted by Assistant Director of Education Visharada Edward Jayakody.

Meanwhile, a “Prefect’s training” programme was conducted for university students throughout the day at the Commemoration Hall of the Parliament Complex. This workshop, which was attended by about 100 university students, was organised by the Speaker’s Office of Parliament, student counsellor’s office, the Arts Council and the Buddhist student’s association of the University of Colombo. The workshop comprised of speeches, sermons, Dhamma discussions, meditation programmes, etc.

The support and guidance provided by the Parliament Staff Buddhist Association, government institutions such as Ministry of Mass Media & Information, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Urban Development & Sacred Area Development and Local Government institutions such as Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte Municipal Council, Maharagama Urban Council and Kaduwela Pradeshiya Sabha in organising the “Diyawannawe Vesak Udanaya - 2008” series of events in a splendid manner needs to be specially mentioned here.