The Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, who has spearheaded many infrastructure developments being a long-standing patron of the historic temple, also attended the religious event, which took place under the guidance of the Chief Incumbent, Most Venerable Navadagala Padumakitti Tissa Nayake Thera. The former Navy Commander and Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral (Rtd) Daya Sandagiri, the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Crishantha De Silva, the Commander of the Army, Air Marshal Gagan Bulathsinghala, the Commander Northern Naval Area, Rear Admiral Piyal De Silva and senior tri-services officers in the area also participated along with a large number of devotees.
At the invitation of the Chief Incumbent Thera, the Commander of the Navy planted a bo sapling in the temple premises marking the commencement of the religious activities. The “Katina Cheevaraya”, the robe offered to the resident monks on conclusion of their rain retreat, was taken to the temple in a colourful procession organized by the Navy and the Katina Pinkama concluded on the following day with an all night pirith chanting and the robe-offering ceremony followed by an alms giving to the Maha Sanga comprising 100 Buddhist monks. The Chief Incumbent of the Nagadeepa Purana Raja Maha Viharaya invoked blessings on the Navy for the meritorious act organized for the 57th consecutive year.
The Commander of the Navy also took part in the pinnacle unveiling ceremony of the Nagadeepa Tripitaka Maha Seya, in which a gem-studded relic casket and a throne along with the bronze plates inscribed with Tripitaka were deposited to coincide with the annual Katina Pinkama. The Navy also rendered assistance to ferry all the religious objects to the location for deposition utilizing its Landing Craft Utility (LCU), SLNS Ranavijaya and provided morning, mid-day and evening meals to the devotees who had arrived in the Northern islet to attend the special event organized by Lak Handa FM under the guidance of the Chief Incumbent of the Pannipitiya Sri Devuram Viharaya, Ven. Kolonnawe Sri Sumangala Thera.
The Commander of the Navy also declared open the Perahera Mawatha, the road constructed in memory of the founder of the Nagadeepa Raja Maha Viharaya, Most Venerable Brahammanawatte Dhammakitti Thera, facilitating the pilgrims to visit the Budhdha Walawa Raja Maha Viharaya where the Tripitaka Maha Seya has been built. The foundation stone was also laid for a 32-cubit Buddha statue, which will be constructed in the sacred premises depicting the Abhaya mudra. A Sangawasa constructed by the Navy was also vested in the Maha Sangha by the Commander Northern Naval Area, Rear Admiral Piyal De Silva for the use of the monks residing at the temple, the venue where the Lord Buddha is said to have made His mid-day rest during His second visit to Sri Lanka.
