The Win Sein Tawya Monastery in Myaingon Village, Mudon Township, Mon State, was filled with thousands of devotees who came to honor the 103rd birthday of the late Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhama Jotika Dr Bhaddanta Kesara, a venerable Buddhist monk who passed away in 2015.

The birthday celebration, which took place on February 4, included various religious and charitable activities, such as offering two golden umbrellas to two pagodas, opening a new rest house, donating meals and alms to 120 monks, and giving away free food to the guests at over 30 pavilions.

The late monk, who was the abbot of the Win Sein Tawya Monastery, was known for his contributions to Buddhism and society. He built the world’s largest Reclining Pagoda, as well as more than 30 other religious buildings, in the area of the Yadana Mountain. He also erected a 180-foot statue of the seated Buddha in his native village, Letak. Moreover, he donated a lake and a pagoda to each village in Mudon and Mawlamyine Townships, and constructed teaching monasteries and inter-village roads.

The devotees expressed their gratitude and admiration for the late monk, who was 95 years old when he died of a heart attack at the Asia Royal Hospital in Yangon. His monkhood period lasted 45 years.

“He was a great teacher and a great benefactor. We came here to pay our respects and share our merits with him,” said a donor from Mawlamyine.