SL Consulate General in Mumbai commences 2017 with ceremony

The staff of the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Mumbai commenced work for the year 2017 by reaffirming the oath of the public service and offering alms to the Buddhist Sangha in Maharashtra.

Chief Incumbent of the Ulhasnagar Maha Mahind Vihar Naluwela Ananda Mahathero, along with members of the Maha Sangha residing in Maharashtra, chanted seth pirith invoking blessings on Sri Lanka. In his discourse, Naluwela Ananda Mahathero highlighted the shared cultural heritage between Sri Lanka and India; from the Mauryan Empire’s land of Magadha, India’s ancient seat of Buddhism which encompasses present day Bihar and Bengal, and the linguistic similarities between the Sinhala language and the Sanskrit based languages of India. The thero encouraged the exchange of Buddhist scholars between India and Sri Lanka.

Government of Maharashtra Minorities Development Department Principal Secretary Shyam Tagade participated in the alms giving together with the staff of the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Mumbai.