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Who will be the 19th DN?
By D. C. Ranatunga
By a notice published on June 1, the Commissioner of Buddhist Affairs has fixed the meeting to elect the new Diyawadana Nilame of the Sri Dalada Maligawa for Friday, July 1 at 1.30 pm. The venue is the Senkadagala Eksath Bauddha Bala Mandalaya hall at Angarika Dharmapala Mawatha, Kandy and the meeting is to be presided over by the Commissioner.

The newly-elected Diyawadana Nilame will be the 19th to assume office since Kapuwatte Adikaram held the post from 1814-1824. With anyone younger than 70 years of age and older than 21 being eligible, there are bound to be at least four or five candidates seeking election.

The Diyawadana Nilame is the lay custodian of the Sacred Tooth Relic, with the responsibility of looking after and administering the wealth and properties of the Dalada Maligawa. The British who captured the Kandyan kingdom in 1815 handed over the authority to perform all rituals and other activities connected with the Tooth Relic to the Mahanayaka Theras of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters and the Diyawadana Nilame in 1853. Though the post of Diyawadana Nilame had been in existence from the time of the Sinhala kings, it was the British who allocated these tasks to him.

Mention is made of an official, Hiripitiye Rala, who held the title 'Divana Nilame' in the king's court at the time the Tooth Relic was in Kotte prior to being taken to Senkadagala. The king protected the Tooth Relic since it was considered the royal symbol of authority. The belief that the possession of the Tooth Relic conferred on a prince the legitimate right to the sovereignty became established during the Polonnaruwa period. When King Vimaladharmasuriya I (1591-1604) ascended the throne in Kandy, the Tooth Relic was brought to the hill capital and a two-storey building constructed adjoining the palace to house it. The officials attending to the king's personal comfort were selected from among the most trusted noblemen and the Diyawadana Nilame being one of them his duties included preparing the king's bath. He would pour the water and rub the body of the king during his bath. In the early days, the person selected as the Diyawadana Nilame held this post until his death.

The Buddhist Temporalities Act 19 of 1931 regularized the appointment. The Act declared that the Diyawadana Nilame was the custodian of the Dalada Maligawa and when a vacancy occurred, a successor had to be elected within three months. Though the Diyawadana Nilame, if he is younger than 70 years, is eligible for re-election, he can hold office only for a maximum of 10 years. A month's notice has to be given for the electors to gather at a specified location to select the new Diyawadana Nilame. Section 7 (2) of the Act lays down the procedure to elect a new Diyawadana Nilame. Earlier the Electoral College consisted of:

a) The Mahanayaka Theras of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters.
b) Kandyan Adikarams and Dissawes
c) Rate Mahattayas and District Revenue Officers of the Kandyan districts
d) Basnayaka Nilames of all 'devalas' in the Kandyan districts
e) Trustees of all temples in the Kandyan districts which have a proven annual income of Rs. 1,000 for the past three years

However, with some of the titles and designations indicated in the Act being scrapped over time, those eligible to vote, numbering 397 -- anyone holding office as acting Divisional Secretaries, females and non-Buddhists have no voting rights -- today are:

a) The Mahanayaka Theras of Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters -- 2
b) Divisional Secretaries (who have replaced DROs & AGAs) -- 157
c) Basnayaka Nilames and other lay custodians of 'devalas' -- 100
d) Heads of Raja Maha Viharas -- 138

When contacted, the Commissioner of Buddhist Affairs refused to confirm these figures, explaining that they are still being finalized. The districts from which the electors are drawn cover a wide area. They are: Vavuniya Sinhala Pattu, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Trincomalee Sinhala Pattu, Kurunegala, Kegalle, Matale, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ratnapura, Galle Hinidum Pattu, Matara Morawak Korale, Badulla, Moneragala and Ampara Sinhala Pattu.

Traditionally, the post of Diyawadana Nilame has been contested by the Basnayaka Nilames, as they know the rituals and traditions connected with the Dalada Maligawa. With nothing written down, it's through observation that these rituals and traditions are learnt.

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