23 million bricks needed to reconstruct Deegawapiya Stupa

Govt. urges public support

The reconstruction of the Deegawapiya Stupa would require 23 million bricks, 3,977 cubes of river sand, 30,167 bags of cement besides other raw materials, Defence Secretary Gen. (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne told the media at the Defence Ministry on Wednesday (13).

He said so at an event to mark the launch of the Deegawapiya donation account.

Gunaratne said Deegawapiya Stupa would be renovated in three years.

“We have opened this account with parliamentary approval”.

Gen. Gunaratne said that the biggest challenge they were facing was the manufacturing of suitable bricks, transporting them and laying of 28,000 bricks daily.

Gunaratne asked the media to support the cause by informing the general public that the government needed their assistance to complete the project.

“Plans have been made to construct Sacred Stone-Paved Precincts (Salapathala Maluwa), a full-fledged Pilgrims’ Rest House (Vishrama Shalawa) and to create a conducive environment by planting saplings of Sal (shorea robusta) and ironwood. All the relics associated with the sacred site would be placed in the Stupa once the project is completed.”

Before placing the relics in the stupa, those sacred relics would be displayed in Colombo and a few other cities for veneration, he said.