President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed the Diyawadana Nilame and the Basnayaka Nilames to organise this year’s peraheras (processions) at main places of worship and devalas giving priority to traditional and religious rituals.
The President said that adequate measures should be taken to hold the processions of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and Devalas including Kataragama, Devinuwara and Sabaragamuwa adhering to the health guidelines to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
President Rajapaksa gave these instructions at a meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat today (12) with the Presidential Task Force for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak to discuss a mechanism to organise this year’s annual peraheras.
The public will be asked not to participate in and view peraheras this year.
The ‘Pada Yatra’, the traditional walk by devotees who travel from Nallur, Jaffna, Trincomalee and from several parts of Eastern Province to participate in Kataragama perahera, will not be allowed this year.
The Presidential Task Force for Prevention of COVID-19 said the necessity of conducting all perahera festivals with the least number of artistes while following health guidelines.
It was also decided that artistes who take part in peraheras representing different areas should obtain a report from the relevant health authorities.
The Water Cutting Ceremony should be attended by the minimum number of people. The steps have been taken to telecast the Kumbal and Randoli peraheras of the Sri Dalada Perahara on all 10 days.
Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundera, Secretary to the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Bandula Harischandra, members of the Presidential Task Force for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak, Diyawadana Nilame of the Sri Dalada Maligawa and Basnayaka Nilames of the devales attended the meeting.
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