The cremation of the Most Ven. Aggamaha Panditha Udugama Sri Buddharakkhita Mahanayake Thera of the Asgiriya Chapter will be held with full State honours and with 17 gun salutes at the Police Grounds, Asgiriya, Kandy on April 12 at 2 pm.

The remains of the Mahanayake Thero will be taken to Kandy in a procession from the Jayaratne Funeral Parlour today at 7am and will lie in state at the Asgiriya Maha Viharaya in Kandy until the cremation ceremony.

The Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake has requested that a yellow flag be hoisted in all public and private buildings in an around Kandy as a mark of respect for the late Prelate.

Meanwhile, The Buddhist Affairs Commissioner has requested the public to display yellow flags at homes and for all government institutions to display the national flag at half mast to express condolence over the passing away of the Mahanayake Thera.

All liquor shops and bars will remain closed on April 12 in view of the state funeral of the Mahanayake Thera.

-News.lk