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‘Diyawadana Nilame’ has the custody of the key to the first casket out of the seven golden caskets where the Sacred Tooth Relic is enshrined, as he is the lay custodian of the Sacred Tooth Relic. This position is recorded in the ‘Dathuwansa’, the chronicle of tooth relic, as ‘Dhathurakkadikari’. This prestigious role has historical and cultural significance, as the Diyawadana Nilame is responsible for safeguarding the Sacred Tooth Relic, organizing rituals, and overseeing the temple’s properties and assets.
The Diyawadana Nilames play a key role in organizing the annual Esala Perahera, one of the most famous Buddhist festivals in Sri Lanka, where the Sacred Tooth Relic is paraded through the streets of Kandy.
The Diyawadana Nilame’s attire is also symbolic, reflecting the heritage of the Royal Kandyan Kingdom, with each piece of the ceremonial dress representing the grandeur and cultural legacy of the region. The dress is tailored using a total of 48 yards, 12 Yards of material for each item called Thuppottiya, Pachchawadama, Somaniya and Kawaniya. The dress consists of 14 parts. In keeping with tradition, the ‘DiyawadanaNilame’ wears a dress of white for Kumbal Perahara, while for Randoli Perahara either golden or some other suitable bright colour is used. It’s a speciality that the dress is woven with golden thread.
Throughout history, many distinguished individuals have held the position of Diyawadana Nilame, each contributing to the preservation of this important religious site and the continuation of its traditions.
The following is the list of Diyawadana Nilames of the Dalada Maligawa, (Temple of the Tooth
Relic), Kandy, who had held office from the year 1720 downwards;
| # | Name | Year | Other Offices / Notes / Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keppitipola1 | 17201 | |
| 2 | Wickramasinghe Panditha Mudiyanse3 | 1733-1738 (based on thudapath)3 | Mentioned in 1733 – Thudapatha of Kodithuwakku Muhandiramge3 1737 – Thudapatha of Weerawardhana Muhandiram3 1738 – Halgalpaluwe Thudapatha3 |
| 3 | Wijayawardhana Amrutha Hastha Nawarathna Panditha Mudiyanse3 | 1742 (based on thudapath)3 | Mentioned in 1742 – Palle Embilipitiye Thudapatha3 |
| 4 | Munwaththe Rajakaruna Wijayawardhana Nawarathna Maha Mudiyanse3 | 1761 (based on thudapath)3 | Mentioned in 1761 – Thudapatha of Siriwardhana Abhayakoon Wijesundara Appu3 |
| 5 | Angammana Diwakara Rajapakshala Wasala Mudiyanse3 | 1780 (based on thudapath)3 | Mentioned in 1780 – Madalagama Thudapatha3 |
| 6 | Pilimathalawe Wijesundara Rajakaruna Nawarathna Attanayaka Bandaranayake Mudiyanse3 | 1787 (based on thudapath)3 | Mentioned in 1787 – Maragala Gallenegoda Vihara Thudapatha3 |
| 7 | Meegastenne1 | 1789-17941 | Adigar |
| 8 | Ehelapola Senior1 | 1794-17971 | Adigar |
| 9 | Keppitipola1 | 1797-17991 | |
| 10 | Mampitiya Bandara1 | 1799-18111 | He was reduced from the Diyawadana Nilameship and appointed Rate Mahathmaya of Udunuwara1. |
| 11 | Pilimatalawe Wijesundara Seneviratna Abhayakoon Panditha Mudiyanse3 | 1806 (based on thudapath)3 | Mentioned in 1806 – Ettalawatte Thudapatha3 Gabbala Weerasinghe Thudapatha3 |
| 12 | Pilimatalawe (Jnr.)1 | 18111 | Adigar |
| 13 | Ehelapola1 | 1811-18141 | Second Adigar |
| 14 | Pilimathalawe Wijesundara Rajakaruna Nawarathna Attanayaka Bandaranayake Mudiyanse3 | 1812-1814 (based on thudapath)3 | Mentioned in 1812 – Pothgul Vihara Thudapatha3 1814 – Uggal Aluth Nuwara Thudapatha3 1814 – Weligepolavidane Henayayage Thudapatha3 1814 – Walakumburegama Thudapatha3 |
| 15 | Kapuwatte1,2 | 1814-18231 | Second Adigar |
| 16 | Dehigama, Loku Banda1,2 | 1824-18361 1824-18272 | Rate Mahathmaya |
| 17 | Molligoda, Kuda2 | 1827-18282 | Not identified in the Keppetipola Basnayake Nilame’s report of 1922 |
| 18 | Dehigama, Kuda2 | 1828-18352 | Not identified in the Keppetipola Basnayake Nilame’s report of 1922 |
| 19 | Mullegama1,2 | 1836-1842 | Adigar |
| 20 | Dullewe1,2 | 1843-18491 1842-18482 | Adigar |
| 21 | Dehigama, Loku Banda1,2 | 1849-18651 1848-18622 | Rate Mahathmaya |
| 22 | Dunuwila, Kuda Banda1,2 | 1865-18821 1862-18822 | Rate Mahathmaya |
| 23 | Giragama, Kuda Mudiyanse1,2 | 1882-18971,2 | Rate Mahathmaya |
| 24 | Ratwatte, Seneviratna1,2 | 1897-19011,2 | Rate Mahathmaya |
| 25 | Nugawela, Kuda Banda1,2 | 1901-19161,2 | Rate Mahathmaya |
| 26 | Nugawela, Punchi Banda1,2 | 1916-19371,2 | Rate Mahathmaya |
| 27 | Ratwatte, Tikiri Banda2 | 1937-19472 | |
| 28 | Nugawela, Kuda Banda2 | 1947-19612 | |
| 29 | Ratwatte, Harris Lewke2 | 1961-19642 | |
| 30 | Udurawana, Heen Banda2 | 1964-19742 | |
| 31 | Wijayarathne, Nissaanka Parakrama2 | 1974-19852 | |
| 32 | Wijayarathne, Neranjan Priyadharshana Dullewa2 | 1985-20052 | |
| 33 | Dela, Pradeep Nilanga2 | 2005-present2 | 1999 – Basnayake Nilame of Ratnapura Maha Saman Devalaya 2001 – Basnayake Nilame of Ruhunu Kataragama Devalaya |
1./ Diyawadana Nilames of the Dalada Maligawa, Kandy (1922)
2./ Chief Custodian – Sri Dalada Maligawa – Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
3./ මහනුවර දළදා මාලිගාවේ අප්රකට දියවඩන නිලමේවරු කිහිපදෙනෙක් (ක්රි.ව. 1733-1814) පිලිබඳ තුඩපත් ආශ්රිත අධ්යනයක් (2013)
–
References
- Keppetipola, T. P. (1922). Diyawadana Nilames of the Dalada Maligawa, Kandy. The Ceylon Antiquary and Literary Register, VII (part III), 183.
- Chief Custodian – Sri Dalada Maligawa – Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. (n.d.). https://sridaladamaligawa.lk/chief-custodian-diywadana-nilame/
- Ratnayake, U. N. (2013). මහනුවර දළදා මාලිගාවේ අප්රකට දියවඩන නිලමේවරු කිහිපදෙනෙක් (ක්රි.ව. 1733-1814) පිලිබඳ තුඩපත් ආශ්රිත අධ්යනයක්. 1st Archaeological Research Symposium – ARSRU 2013, 1, 194–196.
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