Kathina Civara Dana festival held in Bandarban

The traditional Kathina Civara Dana festival, one of the most sacred ceremonies in Buddhism, was celebrated at Ambakannan Gautam Vihara in the Barua Tek area of Kalaghata in Bandarban Sadar upazila on Saturday amid religious fervour.
The day-long festival was organised by the monastery's management committee and devotees, with support from the Destitute Barua Welfare Association.
The programme began at 5am with the recitation of sacred scriptures seeking global peace and well-being. Other events included hoisting the national and religious flags, offering morning meals to monks, donating Buddha statues, performing Buddha Puja, Ashta Pariskar Dana, Maha Sangha Dana and Kathina Civara Dana, and delivering religious sermons.
Several senior Buddhist monks and heads of monasteries attended the ceremony. They included Bhante Upasangharaj Dharmadarshi Mahasthabir, chief of Gyanodaya Buddhist Vihara in Laxmishil, Lohagara; Bhante Sumangal Mahasthabir of Bibila Shanti Vihara; Bhante Satyajit Mahasthabir of Gyanaratna Buddhist Vihara; Bhante Bipulananda Sthabir of Kalaujhan Maitri Buddhist Vihara; Bhante Ratnapriya Mahasthabir, founder and director of the Tiger Pahar Meditation Centre at Astavimshati Buddha Temple; Bhante Chandrajyoti Sthabir of Bandarban Sarbojanin Kendriya Buddhist Vihara; and Bhante Binayshil Aryalok Sthabir, chief of Ambakannan Gautam Vihara.
Member of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council Shri K S Mong attended the programme as the chief guest.