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Despair amidst devotion: Kandy overwhelmed
View(s):Despite promise of an orderly plan in place for thousands of devotees flocking to Kandy for the exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha, for many, including the residents of Kandy, it turned out to be an unpleasant experience as authorities struggled to cope with the sheer numbers arriving in the ancient city.
The ten-day exposition which saw a record number of devotees, on some days as high as 300,000, also exposed the inability of the hill capital city to accommodate such large numbers.
Atula Bakmeedeniya
At least six deaths were reported including of two police officers who died of heart attacks while on duty, as some people waited for up to three days to get a glimpse of the Tooth Relic. Over 300 were hospitalised due to heat and exhaustion with the elderly and young among the worst affected.
All this despite government authorities assuring the public before the Exposition that all measures had been put in place to ensure devotees don’t face any inconvenience. The Police, Kandy Municipal Council (KMC) officials, temple authorities were among those who encouraged people to visit the city for a special Exposition which was undertaken after a request made by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
Residents of the city as well as businesses were overwhelmed by the scale of the people arriving in Kandy while the authorities were ill-prepared to cope with the crowds despite pre-exposition announcements to the contrary.
Atula Bakmeedeniya, an English teacher and resident of Asgiriya said being a small town, Kandy cannot accommodate such large numbers and hence those entering the city should have been limited and phased out for the convenience of the devotees as well as the residents of the city.
“Given that Kandy is a small city there will be congestion when so many people come into the city. Better planning by those with knowledge of Kandy may have led to making the situation better,” he said.
Sandili Alahakoon, an undergraduate of the Rajarata University and a Kandy resident said that she was deeply saddened to see the city filled with garbage left behind by those who had come for the Exposition.
“I am not blaming all the people but there needs to be some consideration for their surroundings. It was sad to see that some people were littering with no regard for others,” she said.
Sandili Alahakoon
A lack of adequate sanitary facilities was one of the worst problems faced by the people visiting for the Exposition. Residents complained of the stench of urine around their homes while there were reports of excrement along walls and roadside.
“Kandy lacks basic sanitary facilities and even on normal days cannot provide such facilities to visitors. There are only three public toilets and visitors to the city have no idea where they are located. Once thousands start coming, many with the intention of staying overnight, the basic facilities available become grossly inadequate,” Mr.Bakmeedeniya said.
Social media users were the first to draw attention to the unhygienic conditions that had built up in Kandy as the Exposition got underway.
It was after the public outcry that the President got into action on Thursday by meeting with relevant officials and giving a push start to the ‘Clean Sri Lanka programme’.
“This initiative saw active participation from officers of the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat as well as several volunteer groups comprising youth and adults. The campaign aimed not only to ensure the proper disposal of waste but also to raise public awareness about the importance of developing a responsible attitude towards waste management,” the President’s Media Division said.
Litter-strewn roads
However, much of these programmes got underway when the Exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic was drawing to a close.
While for thousands of Buddhists, it was a moving and emotional experience to see the Sacred Tooth Relic, the mismanagement by the authorities made many leave with unpleasant memories of such a special occasion.
While Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya requested devotees attending the Exposition to act with responsibility and be mindful of their surroundings and that the government and the security forces cannot manage everything alone, many residents in the areas said the Government cannot absolve itself of overall responsibility for an event of this magnitude given the vast numbers that should have been anticipated and catered for in all aspects – transport , shelter , food , medical ,sanitation and garbage.
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