• Say replacement violates Antiquities Ordinance
• Call for legal action if restoration is not carried out

Three former Directors General (DGs) of Archaeology have written to the Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs over the replacement of the casket in which the Sacred Tooth Relic had been kept, claiming that the removal of the historic casket and its replacement with a new casket is in complete violation of the Antiquities Ordinance and related legislation.

The letter, signed by former Archaeology DGs Prof Senarath Dissanayake and Prof Anura Manatunga and former Acting DG of Archaeology Prof P B Mandawala, calls for the Sacred Tooth Relic to be placed back in the old casket and urges the authorities to take legal action if the relevant parties fail to do so.

When contacted by The Daily Morning, Prof Manatunga confirmed that they had sent the letter to subject Minister Dr Hiniduma Sunil Senevi and Diyawadana Nilame (Chief Lay Custodian of the Sacred Tooth Relic) Pradeep Nilanga Dela, following a discussion with the Minister on 14 September regarding the issue.

In their letter, which was seen by The Daily Morning, the former Archaeology chiefs said the old casket, made of silver and covered in gold, had been offered during the Kandy period by King Wimaladharmasuriya II, who ruled from 1687 to 1707. They said the Sacred Tooth Relic had been venerated by six kings, from Wimaladharmasuriya II to King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe, as well as generations of devotees, for more than 300 years in that casket.

They said the Temple of the Tooth is an ancient monument of national religious and cultural importance and is inseparably connected with the Sacred Tooth Relic, the casket in which it is kept and the Kandy Esala Perahera. The former officials therefore urged the authorities to consider the legal and heritage implications of removing the historic casket.

The letter stated that under the Antiquities Ordinance, monuments and other movable properties dating from before 2 March 1815, or believed to have existed before that date, are considered antiquities. On that basis, the former DGs identified the old casket containing the Tooth Relic as an antiquity.

They also pointed out that Kandy has been recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage site, with the Temple of the Tooth and the Sacred Tooth Relic itself being among the principal reasons for its designation. They therefore claimed that removing the old casket in which the Sacred Tooth Relic had been kept could affect the outstanding universal value of the Kandy World Heritage city.

The letter further referred to Section 15(a) of the Antiquities Ordinance, as amended, which deals with the destruction, alteration or unauthorised alteration of an ancient monument or antiquity. The former DGs claimed that, since the old casket had been permanently installed as part of the Temple of the Tooth, its removal could be considered an alteration or unauthorised modification.

They also referred to Section 31(b) of the Antiquities Ordinance, which deals with acts carried out on or near a monument regarded as sacred or held in veneration in a manner that wounds or provokes religious feelings. The former officials claimed that the removal of the old casket has caused considerable public reaction and could therefore fall within the scope of that provision.

They proposed that the Sacred Tooth Relic be placed back in the old casket and that the newly offered gold casket be given due respect as a sacred offering made to the Sacred Tooth Relic, either at the same location or at another suitable place. They further called for legal action under the Antiquities Ordinance against the relevant authorities if the proposed restoration is not carried out.

The controversy comes after the Sacred Tooth Relic was placed in a new gold casket, replacing the historic casket in which it had been kept. The move has since generated considerable discussion over the preservation of the historic casket and its place within the religious and cultural heritage associated with the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.

The three former DGs have copied their letter to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the Secretary to the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs and the Director General of Archaeology (Acting) Senarath Wickramasinghe, calling for the matter to receive the attention of the relevant authorities without delay.

Multiple attempts by The Daily Morning to contact subject Minister Dr Sunil Senevi, Deputy subject Minister Gamagedara Dissanayake, Diyawadana Nilame Nilanga Dela, the Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters of the Siam Buddhist Sect, which are the custodians of the Sacred Tooth Relic, and Archaeology DG (Acting) Wickramasinghe proved futile.