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Controversy rocks historic Dambulla temple
One of Sri Lanka’s most ancient and valuable archaeological monuments is at the centre of a worsening dispute that could imperil its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee that meets this month in the Qatari capital, Doha, will consider reports that activities in the environs of the Rangiri Dambulla Raja Maha Viharaya are endangering the 1st Century BC temple.
This includes the erection of a 100-feet tall golden Buddha statue in the buffer zone that is meant to provide an additional layer of protection to the rock temple. Other construction work has also been done.
Ven. Inamaluwe Sri Sumangala Thera in his wood-panelled office
“Many World Heritage properties face problems that directly or indirectly derive from the situation of their buffer zone,” general UNESCO documents state, adding that new constructions within a buffer zone may have an impact on the World Heritage property and threaten its ‘Outstanding Universal Value’.
More representations have been made to the World Heritage Committee such as on the continued deterioration of temple paintings and on the absence of a maintenance plan. There is an urgent need for conservation in some of the caves. A heavy focus on tourism reportedly threatens the sanctity of the site.
In a report to be considered by the World Heritage Committee, the Central Cultural Fund (CCF) — which is licensed by the Department of Archaeology to manage World Heritage Sites — says the temple authorities display “misunderstanding” and “lack of confidence” in the approach to mural painting conservation.
Relations between the CCF and the monument’s 65-year-old Chief Custodian, Ven. Inamaluwe Sri Sumangala Thera, have become so bad that the prelate says he will not tolerate any CF official in his temple. He claims that conservation efforts made in the 1980s and 1990s had ended in failure. He even questioned the rationale for the listing of the Rangiri Dambulla Raja Maha Viharaya as a World Heritage Site in 1991, saying nobody had asked for it.
“The first problem I have is who told them to make this a World Heritage Site?” he told the Sunday Times. “I had not asked them. If at all, a report has to be submitted by me and I didn’t do it. It’s not necessary.”
Constructions in the buffer zone surrounding the heritage site
“The might of the Sri Lankan Buddhists is more than sufficient to protect this site,” he said, from inside his air-conditioned, wood-panelled office in Dambulla. “We don’t need UNESCO or the Government. We can do it ourselves. That is my argument.”
But officials countered that such a decision was not the Chief Custodian’s prerogative. They said Rangiri Dambulla Raja Maha Viharaya was owned by the Chief Prelate of the Asgiriya Chapter. The Government of Sri Lanka, after ratifying the 1972 World Heritage Convention, had applied for World Heritage status for the Dambulla temple as well as other cities and monuments.
“He is not a State Party to the Convention, the Government of Sri Lanka is,” said Prithiviraj Perera, a former Secretary-General of the National Commission for UNESCO. “He cannot make statements on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka. The Rangiri Dambulla Raja Maha Viharaya is a major part of the country’s history, culture and heritage and belongs to all.”
Several senior Buddhist monks have now written letters, some to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, expressing distress at Ven. Sumangala Thera’s management of the Dambulla temple. Among them is Ven. Ambagaswewa Rahula Thera, Chief Incumbent of the Rangiri Dambulla Raja Maha Viharaya Meda Pansala or Middle Temple.
Ven. Rahula Thera states that a single person holding custodianship of the Dambulla temple for more than three decades — in violation of rules which say the position must be renewed every five years — has bred authoritarianism. He accuses the Department of Archaeology of turning a blind eye to many “disruptive” changes Ven. Sumangala Thera has made at the ancient site.
These include the alleged replacement of an ancient lock in the main door of the Middle Temple and the destruction of a 100-year-old monument built in memory of Ven. Giranagama Indrajothi Thera (who gave leadership to the historical Matale rebellion of 1848) and his disciples.
Other prelates have also criticised the “unilateral” alterations taking place at the temple. The Sunday Times is in receipt of their letters and statements. But Ven. Sumangala Thera rejected the suggestion that he was endangering the historic site. He had studied archaeology under masters like Senerath Paranavithana, he said: “I know how to conserve this temple”.
“Officials think monks don’t know anything, that only they know archaeology,” he said. “For 2,100 years, the Dambulla Raja Maha Viharaya was protected by Buddhist monks. The Archaeology Department was set up recently under the British.”Ven. Sumangala Thera has also taken over the issuing of tickets to enter the temple, a job earlier done by the CCF. “Before this, earnings were directed into a pool and not a single cent went to UNESCO,” said. Dhammika Wijayasinghe, Secretary-General of the National Commission for UNESCO. “The money was redistributed to conserve and do work in other historical sites, including those that do not earn as much.”
Today, the earnings go into an account belonging to the Rangiri Dambulla Viharaya. Ven. Sumangala Thera said he furnished statements to the Department of Buddhist Affairs every six months and that the Government audited the accounts. The money is used to meet the requirements of the temple. The Sunday Times could not independently verify these claims.
In the premises is a sprawling broadcasting station housing Rangiri Sri Lanka Radio and Television. It was started by Ven. Sumangala Thera seven years ago. “I’m the first person to introduce Buddhist electronic media to this country,” he said. He said it is run on a hefty bank overdraft covered by donations from well-wishers and personal contacts.
In his office are four enormous LCD screens. They are closed circuit television (CCTV) monitors. “They can store up to three weeks’ worth of recordings,” Ven. Sumangala Thera said, beaming. “I spent a big amounton this. We drew a fibre optic cable up to the rock temple half a kilometre away. I have 60 cameras installed everywhere.”
The Chief Custodian insisted that none of his activities had jeopardised the ancient temple at the summit of the rock. Construction of new buildings, including a shrine and monastery on the road front, was done well away from the caves.
Nilan Cooray, former Director (Development) of the CCF, did not contest this. “To be very frank, the World Heritage property is the caves and the Outstanding Universal Value relates to the cave interiors, the paintings and arrangements,” he said. “He hasn’t touched those.”
Dr. Cooray contended that activities in the buffer zone did not matter provided the protected monument was not affected. “He has constructed a lot of buildings but the development of monasteries is part of our heritage,” he said. “One can’t expect them to be static.”
Dr. Cooray conceded that there were aesthetic concerns about some additions Ven. Sumangala Thera has made –such as the golden Buddha with its South-East Asian characteristics. “Still, if you go to the top of the rock, you don’t see anything,” he said. “And a problem of aesthetics is a national one, not an international one. UNESCO is only concerned about a site’s World Heritage Value.”
Nevertheless, UNESCO Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention require that any modifications to or creation of buffer zones after inscription of a property on the World Heritage List should be approved by the World Heritage Committee. No such permission had been sought or granted.
Dr. Cooray said there were separate issues related to conservation and all these would have to be tackled. “As far as I know, the interiors of the caves need monitoring and conservation work,” he said. “During Poson and Vesak, a lot of pilgrims come and humidity levels rise dramatically, causing the paintings to fall off. It is the legal responsibility of the Department of Archaeology to intervene and preserve those paintings.”
“At the moment it’s not a huge problem,” he observed. “But it may develop into a situation where UNESCO will have to poke its fingers again. Before that, I think we need a strategy to conserve the paintings.”
Ven. Sumangala Thera also admits that there is work to be done and says he does not oppose the Department of Archaeology conducting an assessment of the caves. He wants nothing to do with the CCF or the Cultural Triangle.
On consideration of the reports before it, the World Heritage Committee could decide this month to send a monitoring mission to inspect the Dambulla Raja Maha Viharaya. It would be the second such visit after 2009. “We don’t want any swordplay,” said UNESCO’s Ms. Wijayasinghe. “We only want to preserve and conserve this for future generations.”
But the acrimonious relationship between the Chief Custodian and officials will be a significant stumbling block. It might be time for the owner of the property, the Chief Prelate of the Asgiriya Chapter, to break his silence.