Saturday, 14 September 2013 00:01
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The Swadeshi Industrial Works PLC; Sri Lanka’s foremost and pioneering herbal – personal care products manufacturer treats CSR as a worthy cause. Thus the company engages in CSR programs of national importance, on a regular basis.
Illuminating important places of worship in the country is one such ongoing CSR program engaged by the company. Accordingly, the Rideegama, Ridee Viharaya temple situated in the Kurunegala district was illuminated recently.
Under this illumination program conducted to mark the dawn of the Esala festive season, the Kataragama Kiri-Wehera and Ruhunu Kataragama Maha Devalaya were illuminated in prior.
The illumination is done under the theme; ‘Swadeshi Khomba Aloka Puja Sathkaraya’.
Swadeshi Chairperson Amari Wijewardene said Swadeshi being a hundred percent Sri Lankan owned company, considers safeguarding the culture and traditional heritage of Sri Lanka by supporting such activities as this annual Aloka Pooja, a duty and also a debt the company owes towards mother Lanka.
She further observed, Swadeshi illuminates places of worship in the country for the benefit and ease of all worshippers and also with the intention of educating the younger generation on the importance of safeguarding the country’s culture and heritage. The illumination is followed by a colourful cultural pageant which highlights Sri Lankan traditions and history. Amari Wijewardene is the great granddaughter of Helena Wijewardene Lamatheni, who initiated renovations of the Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya in 1927.
According to the Mahavamsa, the history of Ridee Viharaya which was illuminated by Swadeshi stretches up to Anuradhapuara era. The legend says, Ridee Viharaya had been commissioned in remembrance of the place from where Silver was extracted to build Ruwanmeli Maha Saaya in King Dutugemunu’s epoch.
The Ridee Viharaya which had sheltered 500 Bhikkus (monks) who had attained Arhat status had been later developed as a temple and a place of worship by the King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe.
Three incumbents of this ancient Ridee Viharaya have in the recent past become chief incumbents of Malwathu Maha Viharaya. Malwathu Maha Vihara Parshwa Maha Nayaka; Most Venerable Thibbotuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Mahanayaka Thero of Shyamopaali Maha Nikaya, had become the third successive thro to be appointed from the Ridee Viharaya as the Chief Incumbent of the Malwathu Maha Viharaya.
Swadeshi currently supports Aloka Poojas of the temples that honour the four guardian Gods of Sri Lanka; God Vibhishana (Kelaniya), God Kataragama (Kataragama), God Saman (Ratnapura Saman Devalaya) and God Uthpalawarna Sri Vishnu (Devundara).
Swadeshi Industrial Works PLC, the pioneer and market leader in the herbal personal care products category in Sri Lanka, was commissioned in 1941.
