Under the leadership of the President of the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress, Mr. Chandra Nimal Wakishta, and with the support of the Chairperson of the National Council for Religious and Cultural Affairs, Mrs. Nilika Senanayake, along with the Executive Committee officers and committee members, the annual Katina Ceremony was conducted at the Sri Naga Viharaya in Jaffna. This was a highly meritorious and memorable sacred occasion.
A large number of Buddhists from the Jaffna area participated in the Katina Ceremony, and the premises of Naga Viharaya were filled with devotees who had also arrived from Colombo and various parts of the country. It is reported that some devotees even travelled to Jaffna by train. Today, many Buddhists visit religious sites such as Nainativu, Naga Viharaya, Kantharodai archaeological site, Tissa Raja Maha Viharaya, and Nallur Kovil.
A notable feature of the event was the warm support received from clergy and representatives of other religions—Hindu, Christian, and Muslim. As a symbol of religious coexistence and harmony, chief Hindu priests of Jaffna, as well as Catholic and Muslim clergy from the region, also took part in the ceremony. The Governor of the Northern Province, Mr. Nagalingam Wigneswaran, attended as the chief guest. A representative from the Consulate General of India in Jaffna was also present.
A Sanghika Dana was offered to nearly fifty monks and nuns belonging to the temples of the Northern Province. The event was excellently organized in collaboration with the 51st Army Division of Sri Lanka, whose dedication and generous support were highly appreciated by all.
