Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Sri Lanka’s first-ever free-of-charge, luxury, high-tech-equipped, conference hall and a grand banquet hall are to be declared open at the Devram Vehera temple in Pannipitiya on Monday (20).

Temple’s founder Ven. Kolonnawe Siri Sumangala Thera said the conference hall and wedding hall were built for the people to conduct their social activities, such as seminars and lectures, free of charge.
The conference hall has a seating capacity of 500 participants.

Meanwhile, Ven. Sumangala Thera said that the wedding hall was also designed with the latest luxury facilities, where up to 200 participants can be accommodated for a single ceremony.

Ven. Thera said the decision was taken to build a wedding hall considering the young couples who are unable to wed due to financial issues.

“The temple will provide all required facilities, such as the wedding poruwa, to have the ceremony. While providing all the facilities, a wedding ceremony would be held in a Buddhist religious environment. If any couple has decided to postpone their wedding due to financial issues, the organizing committee of the temple will provide full assistance for them to have their wedding ceremony, including providing the wedding suits for the bride and groom followed by meals for all participants free of charge,” he said.

Using alcohol or liquor is strictly forbidden as the wedding ceremonies take place in a religious setting.

Playing simple music is allowed, except DJ music, which causes disturbance to the environment,” he said.
The ambition of providing these facilities for social service is to produce people who are useful to society, Ven. Sumangala Thera said. (Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama)