Diyawadana Nilame

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Notable Diyawadana Nilames of the Past.

Diyawadana Nilame ( Newari : दियवडन निलमे; sing .: දියවඩන නිලමේ) is the office of the Chief Lay Custos of Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth), Kandy , Sri Lanka. Formerly an office of the royal court, it has developed into an honorary position for the Sri Dalada Maligawa and is enshrined in the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance of 1931 . The position is mainly ceremonial and looks back on two thousand years of preservation of tradition and rituals for the Buddha's tooth relic . The Diyawadana Nilame is charged with overseeing all aspects of the entertainment of Sri Dalada Maligawa and the annual procession, the Kandy Esala Perahera . The current incumbent is Pradeep Nilanga Dela .

Prior to 1815, during the time of the Kandy Kingdom , the Diyawadana Nilame was a courtier of the royal court, charged with providing the king with water and performing the ancient rituals to bring about rain at the right time. This ceremony is now performed for the Buddha's tooth relic, but is still performed by the Diyawadana Nilame. The main ceremony is the "diya kapeema" (water cutting ceremony) on the last day of Esala Perahera.

appointment

The appointment of Diyawadana Nilame is carried out according to the specifications of the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance of 1931 by the Commissioner-General of Buddhist Affairs. If the office of Diyawadana Nilame becomes vacant, the Commissioner-General of Buddhist Affairs will convene a meeting in Kandy within three months to elect the new Diyawadana Nilame. The High Priests (Mahanayaka Theras) of the Malwathu Maha Viharaya (Malwatta Temple) and the Asgiri Maha Viharaya (Asgiriya Temple), the Assistant Government Agent for the Province of Kandy, the Basnayake Nilames of all dewale (temples) in the Provinces of Kandy and Envoy from all temples in the provinces of Kandys whose annual income for the previous three years has been estimated by the Commissioner-General of Buddhist Affairs at more than 1,000 Sri Lankan rupees .

The Commissioner-General of Buddhist Affairs chairs this conference. If only one name has been proposed and confirmed for election, the Commissioner-General will declare that one to be Diyawadana Nilame. If more than one name has been proposed and confirmed for election, a secret ballot will be held and the Commissioner-General will declare the one with the most votes to be Diyawadana Nilame. A written declaration of the appointment is then issued by the Commissioner-General.

history

Diyawadana Nilame Nissanka Wijeyeratne (1975–1985) with the reliquary of the Buddha's tooth relic.

Nowadays the Diyawadana Nilame is elected by an extensive electoral body. All electors must be male Buddhists. Each appointment is made for 10 years and can be extended by a second term.

A Board of Commissioners administered Kandy Province until 1832 . Then Colebrook and Cameron recommended simplifying the administration. They write:

“The possession and display of the relic of the Buddhoo is considered by the locals of Kandy provinces to be the primary prerogative of the King of Kandy (now) under the supervision of the Board of Commissioners. When it (the relic) is on display, people of all classes are expected to come to the capital from the remotest corners of the provinces ... the relic was exhibited in 1828 AD in the presence of the governor and other authorities.

This ceremony, which was carried out with great pomp ... the election and appointment of the chiefs and priests of the temples, was a prerogative of the King of Kandy, which is still exercised by the government, although the recommendations of the Vihare (colleagues) are usually taken into account. "

The concerns of Dalada, Asgiriya, Malwatte, Devalaya, Nilames, etc., were widely discussed in the Cabinet of the United Kingdom in 1853 . The Duke of Newcastle , then Secretary of State for the Colonies, wrote to Sir George William Anderson , then Governor of Ceylon on August 18, 1853, discussing the future of the Custodians of Dalada and the election of Diyawadana Nilame:

“I must also express my approval of what you are doing regarding the Dalada, or the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha, which I was fortunate to find given to three leading Buddhists, at least in 1847. I have no doubt that you have exercised wise discretion in not specifying any particular Made conditions with regard to the display of the relic, and thus decided to only exercise special care in the selection of the persons who are responsible for it.

The orders you made regarding the Basnayake Nilames and Dewa Nilame (Diyawadana Nilame), the secular overseers appointed by the government for this purpose, ensured that regulations were in place for the election of these officials from among the Basnyake Nilames and the leading native captains of the respective districts were created (no such orders existed), the 'Dew Dilame' (Diyawadana Nilame) ”

The Sri Dalada Maligawa had been administered for the longest time by the Nugawela family, whose members held the office of Diyawadana Nilame from 1901 to 1961 for over six decades. Accordingly, their names are closely associated with buildings and facilities of the temple:

CB Nugawela of Eladatta Walauwa (Eladatta Manor), the father of the first Adigar, Sir Lawrence Nugawela, had the temple front built and a shrine for the priests who celebrated "Thevava" for the tooth relic.

PB Nugawela , the father of Major EA Nugawela (formerly Minister of Education) introduced Ves dancers to the procession and built a three-story extension.

Diyawadana Nilames since 1814

Deputy Diyawadana Nilames since 1814

Acting Diyawadana Nilames were appointed by the Commissioner of Buddhist Affairs on the recommendation of the Mahanayaka Theras of the Malwatte & Asgiriya sects.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ BUDDHIST TEMPORALITIES ORDINANCE
  2. ↑ Esala Perahara rituals and Their significance
  3. ^ Diyawadana Nilame - a crisis?
  4. ↑ kandy esala perahera at lanka.com (English).
  5. ↑ The possession and exhibition of the Relic of the Buddhoo is regarded by the natives of the Kandyan Provinces as the most important of the prerogative of the King of Kandy (new) under the charge of the Board of Commissioners. When it is exposed to the view, the people of all classes are expected to repair from the remotest Provinces to the capital ... the relic was exhibited in 1828 AD in the presence of the Governor and other authorities. This ceremony, which was conducted with great pomp .... the selection and appointment of Chiefs and Priests of Temples, was a prerogative of the Kings of Kandy, which is still exercised by the government, although in the nomination to the priesthood the recommendations from the Vihares (College) are usually attended.
  6. ↑ I have Likewise to approve of what you have done as regards the Dalada or the Sacred Tooth Relic, Which I am glad to find again relinquished, as in 1847, to three of the principal Buddhists. I have no doubt you have exercised a sound discretion in making no specific condition with respect to the exhibition of this relic, and contenting yourself with a general caution to the persons placed in charge of it. The arrangements adopted by you, with respect to the Basnayake Nilames and Dewa Nilame (Diyawadana Nilame) the secular superintendents herefore appointed by the government had been to create constituencies for the purpose of electing these functionaries (nothing of that sort having as yet existed) out of the Basnayake Nilames and principal native headmen of the respective districts, the 'Dew Nilame' (Diyawadana Nilame) being also made on election for the Basnayake Nilame in certain cases, and then to provide the persons chosen by these constituencies with a government certificate of Recognition similar to that of the protection of the chief priests. And it appears that both a Dewa Nilme (Diyawadana Nilame) and a Basnayake Nilame have already been elected upon this new system. The election machinery thus introduced is certainly open to some objections but no arrangement appears to have been suggested, nor does any occur to me, which would not have involved other objections at least as great.
  7. ^ "... 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."
  8. ↑ "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 ... “ Diyavadana Nilames down the ages .

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