The Sacred City of Kandy concept has become a sham of sorts: ‘Sacred City’ in name only

Heritage City has no bill passed in Parliament for the last number of years and has been using UDA laws to implement the faults created by those of the middle income class

Kandy is not only a Sacred City, but also a Heritage City, accepted by UNESCO. However, this Heritage City has no bill passed in Parliament for the last number of years and has been using Urban development Authority (UDA) laws to implement the faults created by a certain class of people, those of the middle income class. Whereas the affluent class go scot free while violating all laws covered by the Heritage Committee.

There is no Heritage Committee now as the committee is defunct with only one solitary personnel sitting as the overall in charge of the committee.  A new committee has not been appointed after the dissolution of the council nearly two years ago.

While this is so, the first landmark for a ‘sacred area concept’ was created by the then Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Nissanaka Wijeyaratne a top Civil Servant at that time; who later headed the Temple of the Tooth for ten years. He was succeeded by his son Niranjan Wijeyaratne for the twenty years.
Four Pillars with copper plates were installed at four corners of Kandy City to demarcate the Sacred City area. This recently taken photograph bears testimony how this ‘sacred area’ is being taken care of.

The pillar is slanting and the copper plate is jacked up to stop it from falling. In the places that the other three pillars are situated, the copper plates are missing. In particular, the plate at the turn off to the Governor’s lodge in close proximity to the Janadhipathi Mandiraya, where there is a police guard, were inexplicably removed by vandals.

During the Presidency of Chandrika Kumaratunge the sacred area was gated, with the pillars of wood, cement and the copper plates standing as lone sentinels. It was realised that the removal of business premises and persons would take a long time.

One of the most important issues was the removal of liquor bars from the Sacred City but they remain in the same manner as they did in the past. Only Queens Hotel has decided to take liquor out of their tariff.

At his investiture as Asgiriya Maha Nayake Thero, Ven. Udugama Buddharakkitha called on the State to remove all liquor bars from the sacred area; but, unfortunately, some of them are said to be on temple land, allocated on long term lease. Some Buddhist devotees reportedly own liquor bars under names of relations, but the buildings are actually owned by themselves. It is because of this kind of situation that the Sacred City concept has become a sham of sorts.

A society was formed for the protection and development of cultural entities, then it became defunct. Now, however, it is to be geared again by a group of people who have Kandy at heart.
However, most of the old buildings have lost those lovely old faces and new iron or roller doors have been installed by the affluent and businesses who have come to Kandy from Colombo and elsewhere. The nonaffluent and the middle class are taken to courts for the infringement of the laws though, even this has stopped now. Who is to be blamed?