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At times of celebration the monastery is transformed by the influx of lay supporters. One of the major festivals of the year is the Kathina, which focuses on the provision of requisites - e.g. cloth for robes, food, and household items - by lay people for the monastery. |
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Such occasions are more than merely dutiful acts of charity: they are celebrations both of the spirit of generosity and of the harmony between the Sangha and the lay community. In this photograph, a Kathina day procession, led by a pair of Sri Lankan drummers, makes its way out to the field to circumambulate the stupa. The procession includes the sponsors of this particular year's offering of cloth which would be offered to the Sangha later that day. |