Diyawadana Nilame

Diyawadana Nilame is the office of the chief lay custodian of the Temple of the Tooth, Kandy, Sri Lanka. Formerly an office of the royal household, at present it is the trustee for the Temple of the Tooth as defined by the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance of 1931. A ceremonial position, it is enriched with over 2,000 years of history to protect and carry out ancient rituals for the relic of the tooth of the Buddha. The Diyawadana Nilame recognised as a states man has the responsibility of overseeing all aspects of the Sri Dalada Maligawa. He has the traditional duty of organising the annual pageant, the Kandy Esala Perahera. The current Diyawadana Nilame is Pradeep Nilanga Dela.

Prior to 1815, during the Kingdom of Kandy, the Diyawadana Nilame was a courtier of the royal court tasked with supplying the King with water and carrying out the ancient rituals to ensure rain during correct seasons. This duty is still carried out by the Diyawadana Nilame for the most relic of the tooth of the Buddha, marked by the water cutting ceremony on the final day of the Esala Perahera.

Appointment The appointment of the Diyawadana Nilame is carried out under the provisions of the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance of 1931 by the Commissioner General of Buddhist Affairs. On the vacancy occurs in the office of the Diyawadana Nilame, the Commissioner-General of Buddhist Affairs within three months will summon to a meeting in Kandy to appoint the new Diyawadana Nilame. Summoned to the meeting are; Mahanayaka Theras (Chief Priest) of Malwathu Maha Viharaya and Asgiri Maha Viharaya Viharadhipati Theros of all temples of Malwathu Viharaya and Asgiri Viharaya District Secretaries holding office within the Kandyan provinces Basnayaka Nilames of all Devales situated within the Kandyan provinces Trustees of all temples within the Kandyan provinces of which the annual income during the three preceding years is estimated by the Commissioner-General of Buddhist Affairs at over one thousand rupees;

The Commissioner General of Buddhist Affairs will preside at this meeting. If only one name is proposed and seconded for election, the Commissioner-General will declare such person appointed to the office of Diyawadana Nilame. If more than one name is proposed and seconded for election a secret ballot will be held and the Commissioner-General of Buddhist Affairs will declare the person who receives the highest number of votes at the ballot appointed to the office of Diyawadana Nilame. This will be followed by a written declaration of the appointment by the Commissioner-General within one month.

History The Diyawadana Nilame is now elected by a far-flung electorate comprising the venerable Mahanayake Theras of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters. Trustees of Buddhist Temples with an annual income of Rs. 1,000/- and registered with the Public Trustee and the divisional revenue officers (now Sri Lanka Administrative Service Officers) in the Kandy areas. These officers have to be Buddhists and male. Lady Administrative Service officers are not eligible to vote. Each term of an elected Diyawadana Nilame is 10 years and he may run for a second term.

It was a Board of Commissioners that had administered the Kandyan Province until AD 1832. Colebrook and Cameron, who recommended the unification of the administration of the country, wrote:

The matters relating to the Dalada, Asgiriya, Malwatte, Devalaya, Nilames etc., were discussed at length in the British Cabinet in 1853 AD. The Duke of Newcastle, the Secretary of State for the Colonies wrote to Sir George Anderson, the Governor of Ceylon on 18 August 1853, as follows regarding the future custodian of Dalada and the election of the Diyawadana Nilame:

Temple of the Tooth had been managed for the longest period by the Nugawela family, who have served the post of Diyawadana Nilame of the Temple of the Tooth for six decades from 1901 to 1961. C. B. Nugawela of Eladatta Walauwa, father of the first Adigar, the late Sir Lawrenece Nugawela, is credited for doing a considerable amount of work for the Temple of the Tooth: '...during his period of office he built the front portion of the Dalada Maligawa and also a temple for the priests performing "Thevava" to the Sacred Tooth Relic.' Similarly, P.B Nugawela, the father of a former Minister of Education, the late Major E. A. Nugawela, contributed immensely to the development of the Temple of the Tooth: "He was responsible for introducing ves dancers to the perahera. He also built a three-story extension to the Maligawa with the help of a Burmese priest..."

Election The election to select the next Diyawadana Nilame was held on 7 November 2025 in Kandy, with seven candidates contesting. A total of 267 individuals were eligible to vote in the election, including 157 Buddhist clergy and lay custodians of royal temples within the former Kingdom of Kandy, 71 divisional secretaries and 29 of the 31 eligible chief custodians of devalayas gazetted under the Temple and Devalagam Ordinance. Pradeep Nilanga Dela was elected for his third ten-year term, which will run until 2035.

List of Diyawadana Nilames List of Diyawada Nilames since 1814 Diyawadana Nilame From To 1 Kapuwatte Adikaram 1814 1824 2 Dehigama Loku Banda 1824 1827 3 Kuda Molligoda 1827 1828 4 Kuda Dehigama 1828 1835 5 Mullegama Adikaram 1835 1842 6 Dullewe Adikaram 1842 1848 7 Loku Banda Dehigama 1848 1862 8 Kuda Banda Dunuvila 1862 1882 9 Kudamudiyanse Giragama 1882 1897 10 Seneviratna Ratwatte 1897 1901 11 Kuda Bandara Nugawela 1901 1916 12 Punchi Banda Nugawela 1916 1937 13 Tikiri Banda Nugawela 1937 1947 14 Kuda Banda Nugawela 1947 1961 15 Harris Leuke Ratwatte 1961 1964 16 Heen Banda Udurawana 1964 1975 17 Nissanka Wijeyeratne 1975 1985 18 Neranjan Wijeyeratne 1985 2005 19 Pradeep Nilanga Dela 1 July 2005 Incumbent

Acting Diyawadana Nilames since 1814 Acting Diyawadana Nilames appointed by the Commissioner General of Buddhist Affairs with recommendation from Mahanayaka Theras of the Malwatte & Asgiriya Chapters. General Anuruddha Ratwatte Anuradha Dullewe Wijeyeratne Rohan Salinda Paranagama (2005) Pradeep Nilanga Dela (7 September – 7 November 2025)

Diyawadana Nilame

Bron en licentie