The High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi joined the annual Katina Cheewara Ceremony at the Buddha Vihara in New Delhi on 7 and 8 November 2026, bringing together members of the Maha Sangha, the Sri Lankan community, Buddhists from across the capital, students and other devotees.
The two-day religious observance included Pirith chanting and other traditional rites, led by Ven. Kiriwaththuduwe Ariyadassana Thero together with Ven. M. Dhammalankara Thero, Chief Incumbent of the New Delhi Buddhist Vihara, and members of the Maha Sangha.
The ceremony was held at the New Delhi Centre of the Maha Bodhi Society of India, which was established on land gifted by the British Viceroy. The construction of the temple was funded by Raja Seth Jugal Kishore Birla, and its foundation stone was laid in 1931. The temple was ceremonially opened by Mahatma Gandhi in 1939.
The Vihara also forms part of the enduring Buddhist connection between India and Sri Lanka. The Maha Bodhi Society of India was founded by Srimath Anagarika Dharmapala of Sri Lanka, whose life and work were dedicated to reviving and strengthening the Buddhist heritage of India and reconnecting Buddhist communities with sacred sites in India associated with the life of the Buddha.
The Katina Cheewara ceremony marks the conclusion of the traditional three-month Vas or Vassana retreat observed by Buddhist monks during the rainy season. The offering of the Katina robe embodies the values of generosity, devotion and respect for the Maha Sangha.
The observance in New Delhi reflected the continuing vitality of Buddhist traditions and the longstanding spiritual and cultural bonds between India and Sri Lanka, with communities coming together in devotion and fellowship.
High Commission of Sri Lanka,
New Delhi
10 November 2026