Colombo, Sep 25 (IANS) Reaffirming India’s commitment to support community well-being and shared cultural heritage with Sri Lanka, India’s High Commissioner to the island nation, Santosh Jha, on Thursday inaugurated an Ayurveda camp at the Buddhist temple of Sri Vijayarama Purana Viharaya in the coastal town of Ambalangoda.

According to the Indian High Commission in Colombo, the camp, organised by the Consulate General of India in Hambantota jointly with the Southern Provincial Council of Sri Lanka, is expected to benefit hundreds of local people through free check-ups, consultations and medicines.

On the special occasion, the High Commissioner also handed over financial assistance for the temple’s development.

Meanwhile, honouring the shared heritage of Buddhism between Indian and Sri Lanka, High Commissioner Jha visited Wewurukannala Raja Maha Viharaya in Dikwella and Paravi Duwa Temple in Matara city of the island nation. He offered prayers for ever-stronger India-Sri Lanka ties and for the progress and prosperity of the people of both countries.

In July, reflecting the shared heritage between India and Sri Lanka, a replica of King Ashoka’s Vaishali Pillar of Dhamma and a special exposition of the sacred Kapilavastu Relics were inaugurated by High Commissioner Jha in the Raja Guru Sri Subuthi Maha Viharaya Temple in the island nation.

Taking to X, the Indian High Commission called it the event a symbol of “deep historical, cultural and spiritual India-Sri Lanka ties.”

The event took place at Raja Guru Sri Subuthi Maha Viharaya, situated in Sri Lanka’s coastal town Waskaduwa. This is a significant Buddhist temple, known for housing sacred relics of Lord Buddha and his two main disciples — Sariputra and Maudgalyayana.

Jha also joined Waskaduwawe Mahindawansa Mahanayake Thero, head of Amarapura Sambuddha Sasanodaya Maha Nikaya, in inaugurating a special exposition of the sacred Kapilavastu Relics in the temple.

Earlier in April, during his visit to Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Holy Relics of Lord Buddha found in 1960, in the Aravali region of Gujarat, will be sent to Sri Lanka for an exposition highlighting centuries-old spiritual ties between the two nations.

Underlining the deep people-to-people connection and shared Buddhist heritage between India and Sri Lanka, the venerated relics of Lord Buddha from Kapilawasthu, discovered in 1970 in India, have been exhibited two times in Sri Lanka.

–IANS

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