Tale of woe behind a perahera statue
Centuries old temple on verge of collapse
As the perahera proceeded along Kandy’s roads on Friday, carrying the statue of a monk who died 240 years ago, it also carried the tale of official apathy in honouring his contribution to Buddhism and preserving a historic temple on the verge of collapse.
The statue that was paraded through the streets was of the Ven. Sangharaja Weliwitiya Sri Asarana Sarana Saranankara Thera. Born in the month of Poson – June -- in 1698 at Weliwita in Tumpane or the present Galagedra electorate, the thera hailed from a famous Kulatunge family.
The monk devoted his life to preaching the Dhamma. He lived in a temple built by his parents. His mother later built a viharage in the temple. He died on the Esala Poya day in 1778. The annual perahera, held for the 71st year on Friday, was the idea of the Ven. Aluthgama Dhammananda Thera, a senior member of the Malwatte Karaka Sangha Sabha Maha Upadaya. The monk had to overcome several obstacles to conduct this perahera as an annual event.
The perahera was started in 1947 from the Dalukgolla Raja Maha Viharaya, where the ashes of the Ven. Sangharaja Thera had been interred in a dagoba. The monk’s statue was unveiled by the then Maha Vishnu Devalaya Basnayake Nilame T.B. Pannanwela. The perahera from Ampitiya proceeded to the Sri Dalada Maligawa to be joined by another perahera organised under the direction of the then Diyawadana Nilame T.B. Nugawela. Thus began the Sangharaja perahera.
A society was formed under the name of "Sri Sangharaja Commemoration Society" to continue the perahera as an annual event, under the guidance of the Ven. Dhammananda Thera.
As time went on, the aging Ven. Dhammananda Thera found it increasingly difficult to conduct the perahera due to rising costs. On the instructions of the 101 year-old monk, a committee was formed in 2005 under the chairmanship of the then Central Province Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa. The Governor made an initial donation of Rs. 25,000 from his personal funds and requested the Provincial Council to provide necessary assistance to conduct the perahera. The committee complemented the task of the Sri Sangharaja Commemoration Society.
Today, the viharage built by the Ven. Sangharaja Thera’s mother is in a dilapidated condition. Since the building has been taken over by the Archaeological Department, the temple committee says it cannot repair the temple. The temple’s present incumbent, the Ven. Aluthgama Medananda Thera, said the Archaeological Department took over the building a year ago and promised to renovate the temple in a manner that would preserve the archaeological significance of the temple. But very litte had happened since then, the thera said. The chief incumbent's living quarters in the temple is also in a state of disrepair. The Ven. Medananda Thera said the Central Province’s then governor, Niluka Ekanayake, once gave Rs. 700,000 to repair the roof of the living quarters, but the work was not properly done. As a result, the living quarters becomes a waterhole when it rains.
When the Archaeological Department’s Kandy office was contacted, an official said they were still waiting for approval to allocate funds.
Devotees urge the Government to intervene and save the temple from going into ruin. They also call on the Government to declare the area a sacred city and incorporate within its perimeter the nearby cultural centre built with the funds allocated by former President Ransinghe Premadasa. This area has two Bo-trees said to have been planted by King Kirthisri Rajasinghe and the Ven. Sangharaja Thera.