Gomagoda Thero who sheltered at his temple ... Muslim families who had come running

Gomagoda Thero who sheltered at his temple ... Muslim families who had come running 

Last 6th when a racial upsurge was brewing in Kandy, the phenomenon which took place in Gomagoda Temple with the exemplary behaviour of a thero provided an example to the whole country.

"Aney hamuduruwane rescue us ... we can't run with our children ... there's no place to hide". A crowd of people so pleading had come with their kids

to the thero at Gomagoda temple at a time when darkness was dawning and night was settling in. Kahagala Dhammananda thero of Gomagoda temple was able to see from among the women who came to the temple a particular woman having a two year old child in her arms. On seeing this crowd the thero's heart was filled with compassion. The thero invited all Muslim, Tamil men and women who came to the temple to come inside the temple and thereafter provided shelter to them. The thero then proceeded to lay all pillows and mats in the building of the temple and made the crowd who were thus stricken with fear and shock to sit down there and subsequently even arranged to treat them with biscuits and tea.

Dhammananda thero who attended to them in this manner, next sent messages to some donors in the temple and managed to get them down. "Nobody in the town should be a part of this commotion. Look here ... these helpless people have cuddled up with their tiny tots. We are all human beings ... these people came running into the temple saying that the Sinhalese are assaulting the Muslims; with the trust that there won't be any harm from us. We ought look after them and keep them safely," Dhammananda thero told the donors who came to the temple.

On noticing the Muslim females shivering with fright, cuddling the small ones, their hearts too became soft. They too thus came forward to prepare food for these helpless people. Dhammananda thero has even by that time served them with biscuits and soft eatables and tea in the manner it was possible for him. More than hunger, it was fear of life that they had.

The mother who had the two year old child in her arms told us this story: "That  day we were cooking meals for dinner at home. We knew that there was some disturbance in Digana town. It was while thinking about it that a crowd of people went past shouting. We didn't actually hear what they said. But we did come to know that a Muslim had killed a Sinhalese and that the Sinhalese are waiting to hit the Muslims. We got scared because I nor those in our home had any place to go. It was when we were wondering about this that all the Muslims in the city made a decision to go to the temple. Our hamuduruwo won't create any trouble. We also had a trust on him. As such, we abandoned what we prepared to cook ... and some people had left the cooked rice in their homes and rushed to the temple. Hamuduruwo gave us protection ... gave us to eat and drink and even arranged for us to sleep", thus narrated her story.

What Dhammanada thero told us was that, "Buddhism teaches us human qualities. If we are Buddhists we should protect those qualities and work accordingly. Some Muslims assaulted and killed a Sinhalese person. We don't approve of that. Such incidents take place even among the Sinhalese and the Sinhalese and also among the Muslims and Muslims. In such instances do we get upset? Why are these conflicts be turned into racial disharmony? If only those who are involved in the conflict are punished, it could be thought of as justified to some degree. If on the other hand those who are not involved in the conflict at all and are assaulted and their property is damaged ... it is then wrong, whoever does so.

Whatever race a person belongs to and comes to us in a helpess state, it's because of the trust they have imposed on us. Therefore we can't look aside and they came to the temple asking for security with the tiny tots hugged in their arms. I provided shelter in the temple in whatever way it's possible to Muslims in this area, to stay here. I gave food and drink in whatever way it's possible. My donors asked me whether they can bring food for them. This way donors in my village work in peace that way. None of my donors got involved in those conflicts as such", Dhammananda thero told us.

It was one of our Buddhist monks who safeguarded the Muslim mosque down the road leading to the house of the deceased person who died when Muslim youth attacked him and also Muslim property in that area. It was Keenapelesse Upali Gnanissara thero of Ambale Peraketiya Vihara, the chief incumbent there. The village temple of the deceased incidentally happens to be Peraketiya vihara. At a time when some people were looking for opportunities to set the country in flames ... theros of this calibre who took action to prevent such fires ... we wish to record ... leaving you an opportunity to ponder over it.

Note -- Jayasuriya Udukumbura

Photos -- Lakmal Wasantha