Final rites of late Ven. Welamitiyawe Kusaladhamma Thero today

COLOMBO (News 1st); The final rites of the late Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, Ven. Welamitiyawe Kusaladhamma Thero will be held with state honors this afternoon (31). The State-sponsored funeral will be held at the Independence square today (31). Meanwhile, the Government has declared today as a day of mourning. His remains are currently being kept at the Vidyalankara Pirivena in Kelaniya for public veneration. Moreover, due to the procession carrying the body, a special traffic plan has been issued from Peliyagoda Vidyalankara Pirivena to Kandy Road, Kelani Bridge, Baseline Road, Bandaranaike Junction, Orugodawatta Junction, Ingram Junction, Dematagoda Junction and the D.S. Senanayake Junction by the Police. Police had requested the public to use alternative routes for the time being. Ven. Welamitiyawe Kusaladhamma Thero, the current representative of the benevolent Vidyalankara Sangha generation, performed a yeomen service including holding the post of Parivenadhipati - the Director of the Vidyalankara Pirivena in Peliyagoda. Venerable Welamitiyawe Kusaladhamma Thero, who worked for the upliftment of Pirivena education and was dedicated to securing, nourishing and prosperity of Buddhist education, is a well-respected name not only in Sri Lanka but also internationally. The Thero passed away at the age of 84 on 27th November.