Sri Lanka Monastery in Lumbini
The present premises of the Sri Lanka Monastery in Lumbini, Nepal were obtained with the courtesy of the Ministry of Buddha Sasana in Sri Lanka in 1996. For this purpose Two plots of land an each 80 m x 80 m, were given on 99 years lease for an annual fee of U$ 300/= per annum by the Lumbini Development Trust of the Nepali Government. The design and the construction of the Monastery complex was entrusted to State Engineering Corporation of Sri Lanka and the work which commenced in 1998 continued till 2006, and only completed the left wing of the building. The super structure of the right wing was done with out the interior fittings.
On 1st March 2006, Ven. Dr. Rambukwelle Chandraratana Thero assumed duties as the Chief Incumbent of the Monastery. A sapling from The Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura was brought to the temple and planted by Ven. Pallegama Premaratne Thero accompanied by Hon. Lakshman Jayakodi and a few dignitaries from Sri Lanka.
During the period from 2006 to 2008 the construction work had been neglected and appeals were made to the Sri Lankan Government through the Sri Lankan Ambassadors in Nepal for the commencement of the balance work. But there was no success. Of late, Sri Lankan pilgrims to Lumbini accidentally met Ven, visited the Monastery, and were surprised to see the state of affairs of the complex. He invited the chief abbot to Sri Lanka and subsequently held a meeting with high officials chaired by Hon. Minister Chamal Rajapakshe, where Ven Dr. R. Chandraratana was able to present officers the present condition of the Monastery and invited them to pay a visit to Sri Lankan Monastery in Lumbini in order to get a clear picture of the condition of the complex.
Invitation accepted, and a delegation Headed by Hon. Minister Chamal Rajapakshe and comprising of Ministers and Sri Lankan Government officials visited the Monastery complex and informed the Thero that His Excellency Mahinda Rajapakshe the President of Sri Lanka has taken the decision to complete the work of the Monastery complex. Subsequently a team headed by Hon. Minister Rohitha Bogollagama and another team with the Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Moral Up-liftmen visited the Monastery complex.
Presently, with His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka as the Patron and also the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Monastery Development trust of Lumbini in Nepal have commenced the balance work and take up a cabinet decision to hand over the entire construction process of the Monastery to Small Fishers Federation of Sri Lanka and also appointed a steering committee headed by Hon. Minister Chamal Rajapakshe to steers the entire development process.
