Kandy Times

Present and former Maligawa custodians clash over plaque

By Shane Seneviratne

A clash between the serving Diyawadana Nilame of the Dalada Maligawa Nilanga Dela Bandara and former Diyawadana Nilame Niranjan Wijeratna, over whose name should appear on a newly constructed building, has led to much displeasure among numerous Buddhist devotees.

The two foundation stones under dispute

The issue came to a head when the foundation plaque that was laid when Mr. Wijeratne was Diyawadana Nilame to construct a building to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the “Upasampada” of the Siam Maha Nikaya at the Sri Lanka International Buddhist Practical Centre, was discarded and replaced with a board stating that the work was done under the auspices of the present Diyawadana Nilame to mark the 2550th Buddha Jayanthi.

The previous foundation stone plaque had been discarded at the back of the building despite the money contributed by the public being used for the project undertaken under the guidance of the former Diyawadana Nilame.

The foundation plaque with the names of the former Mahanayaka of the Malwatta Chapter Ven Rambukwelle Sri Vipassi Thera and the Mahanayaka of the Asgiriya Chapter Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Thera, Prime Minister of Thailand Takshin Sinawatra as well as the present Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara who was the then Minister of Justice, has also been discarded.

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