Praveenacharya Damma Kiththi Sri Ven. Navadagala Paduma Kiththi Tissa,

Chief Sanga Nayake of Nothern Province

  • Praveenacharya Damma Kiththi Sri Ven. Navadagala Paduma Kiththi Tissa Thero- the Cief Sanganayake of the Northern Province is the chief incumbent of Dambakolapatuna Sangamitta Viharaya. He is the present chief incumbent of Nagadeepa Purana Raja Maha Viharaya also and  inherits from a great Sanga genaration who loved the country as well as Buddha Sasana and was unshaken during the time of foreign invasions in the past.
    He was born at Navadagala, Elpitiya on 3rd April 1961. He was the last in a family of eight. His father was Mr. Beetin Mendis of Pinwatte, Panadura, and mother was Mrs. Muthumini Rosalin Nona of Mohottiwatta, Balapitiya. His lay name was Pathmasiri Mendis and had his primary education at Navadagala Vidyalaya.
    From his childhood he was keen and dedicated to the religion and was faithful to Maha Sanga. The late Maha Nayake Thero of Amarapura Nikaya and also the chief priest of Nagadeepa Viharaya, Rajakeeya Panditha Ven. Brahmmana Watte Damma Kiththi Tissa Nayake Thero has observed the peculiar behaviors of this child Pathmasiri and was willing to recruit him as one of his pupil. He was then taken to Nagadeepa Viharaya and there he was ordained as a Samanera Bikku as a pupil of the Maha Nayake Thero on 14th July 1983.
    He had his basic religious education from his Maha Nayake Thero and then admitted to Dematagoda Vidyalankara Maha Pirivena and later to the Sarananda Maha Pirivena in Anuradhapura. Unfortunately, he had to stop his higher studies and returned to the temple at Nagadeepa and stay with the chief priest as terrorist activities erupted in the North. However on reaching his appropriate age he entered into higher ordination on 11th July 1985 at Balapitiya Modara Udakuthchepa Seema Malakaya.
    The historical site of Dambaakolapatuna had been unveiling to natural disasters for number of eras and after Operation Rivirasa in 1997 Sri Lanka Navy searched for the location of this most sacred  place. At that time, Rajakeeya Panditha Ven. Brahmmana Watte Damma Kiththi Tissa Nayake Thero guided the Sri Lanka Navy in finding out the exact place using the historical evidences and pioneered them to renovate the premises as the historical Dambakolapatuna temple. After passing away of Ven.Brahmana Watte Damma kiththi Tissa Nayake Thero, Praveenacharya Damma Kiththi Sri Ven. Navadagala Paduma Kiththi Tissa Thero became the chief incumbent of Dambakolapatuna Sangamitta Viharaya.