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Gift of baby elephant to ancient vihare

From Cyril Wimalasurendre
KANDY: Home Affairs, Public Adminiistration and Plantation Industries Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake, at a simple ceremony at Asgiriya Maha Vihare gifted a baby elephant to the ancient vihare of Muthiyangana in Badulla yesterday.

The gift of the 4 feet tall one-and-a-half year old pachyderm was received by the Ven. Palipane Sri Chandananda Mahanayake Thero of Asgiriya in his capacity as the Chief Incumbent of the Muthiyangana Raja Maha Vihare.

The baby elephant is learnt to be an orphan recovered in Udawalawe forest area.

Minister Wickramanayake quipped that he preferred that this donation not be given publicity because he feared that many other vihares in the island would pester him for similar donations. He could not meet such a demand, the Minister said.

The Secretary of the Asgiriya Chapter Ven. Palipane Sirinivasa Nayake Thero and the Diyawadana Nilame Neranjan Wijeratne were among those who participated at this ceremony.

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