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Maligawa without Diyawadana Nilame for first time
By Shane Seneviratne
For the first time in history, the Dalada Maligawa is without an acting Diyawadana Nilame. This crisis arose after the Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakkhitha Mahanayake Thera of the Asgiriya Chapter refused to hand over the keys of the Maligawa to the Government-appointed acting Diyawadana Nilame Rohan Paranagama, Basnayake Nilame of the Paththini Devale.

The Mahanayake said the appointment of Mr. Paranagama was a break with historic tradition and he would not accept it. Buddhist Affairs Ministry Secretary W. D. Abeywardene and Buddhist Affairs Commissioner H.D. Sunil appealed to the prelate to hand over the keys of the Maligawa to the acting Diyawadana Nilame, but the Mahanayake refused them, saying the Government had appointed an outsider instead of the rightful person.

He said the tradition was to appoint the outgoing Diyawadana Nilame to act until the election of a new Diyawadana Nilame. The outgoing Diyawadana Nilame Neranjan Wijeyratne handed over the keys of the two offices of the Dalada Maligawa and the museum to the Asgiriya Mahanayake before his ten year term ended last Thursday.

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