KANDY REGIONAL OFFICE

This office is responsible for covering the official duties pertaining to the districts of Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Kegalle, and Badulla (including Mūthiyaṅgaṇa Rajamaha Viharaya, Mahiyangana Rajamaha Viharaya, Bogoda Rajamaha Viharaya, and Mahiyangana Suman Devalaya in the Badulla District). This encompasses 91 places of worship (72 temples/Viharas and 19 Devales) managed under Sections 4(1) and 4(2) of the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance, as well as 2,580 other places of worship.

Furthermore, this office carries out numerous programs regionally in collaboration with the Department, including:

• Temple development work.

• Matters related to Dhamma School students and teachers.

• Activities concerning Buddhist societies and associations.

• Various programs implemented by the Department for the spiritual development of the Buddhist community.

Our office also works to identify unidentified lands belonging to Buddhist temples and grant formal leases, and to foster goodwill between Buddhist places of worship and the general public.

Key Functions of the Kandy Regional Office of Buddhist Affairs

• Conducting election procedures for the appointment of the Diyawadana Nilame (Chief Lay Custodian of the Sacred Tooth Relic) for the Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic), and the Basnayaka Nilames for the four major Devales (Vishnu, Kataragama, Natha, and Pattini) and the surrounding Devales.

• Appointing Trustees for the managed temples and devales.

• Depositing and releasing Trustee Security Deposits.

• Handing over the property of the places of worship to the Trustees.

• Leasing out lands belonging to temples and devales.

• Maintaining records regarding the transfer of Hereditary Rights (Prāveṇi).

• Obtaining and scrutinizing Annual Account Reports.

• Releasing funds belonging to the places of worship.

• Actively participating as a mediator in land issues related to leased temple land.

• Handling matters related to Temple Disputes.

• Assisting with the Sri Dalada Perahera and Upasampadā (Higher Ordination) activities.

• Participating in and assisting with Dhamma School festivals and other religious events.

• Participating in and assisting with the traditional ceremonial festivals held at the Dalada Maligawa, the four major Devales, and other places of worship.

Future Objectives of the Kandy Regional Office of Buddhist Affairs

• Addressing Land Information Gaps: Often, details concerning temple lands are held only by the Trustees, causing difficulties in dealing with issues as this office lacks the necessary records. To resolve this, a program has been initiated to obtain copies of the Commissioner’s Book and initial survey plans related to lands of places of worship managed under 4(1). Subject officers were informed, and the importance of properly maintaining copies of such documents was emphasized.

• Awareness Programs: We expect to conduct awareness programs this year, involving Trustees of places of worship and individuals occupying the lands.

• Resolving Lease Payment Issues: A number of lease-related issues have been observed, such as tenants failing to pay rent on time, paying less than the assessed value, or defaulting on payments, which can be attributed to the current economic situation. However, increasing lease revenue is essential for the maintenance of the places of worship. Therefore, we plan to conduct awareness programs to encourage a change in attitude among land occupiers regarding lease payments, aiming to create self-motivation to pay rent and thus boost lease income.

• Introducing a Computerized Data System: To minimize the difficulty in finding information and prevent the loss of records related to leased lands and lease files when Trustees change, we expect to introduce a computerized data system structured in a single format for the 91 places of worship managed under 4(1) this year. Furthermore, we intend to educate the Trustees and staff on entering and maintaining this information.

• Educating Trustees on Record Keeping: Section 35 of the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance No. 19 of 1931 mandates Trustees to maintain full and accurate accounts. Since the lack of proper maintenance of these records for 4(1) managed places of worship frequently leads to audit queries, we plan to conduct awareness programs for Trustees on the necessary records. We intend to instruct them on maintaining documents such as the Inventory of Immovable Property, Inventory of Movable Property, and Cash Book, introducing common formats, and raising awareness about the importance of submitting Estimated Budgets and Half-Yearly Budget Reports on time, their accuracy, and adherence to the prescribed format.

• Legal Leasing and Land Security: We intend to conduct awareness programs to educate land occupants on the importance of legally leasing temple lands in accordance with the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance No. 19 of 1931. This aims to secure the land occupants, prevent the alienation of temple lands, and confirm the ownership of temple property.

• Addressing Commercial Use of Residential Leases: It was observed that some temple lands leased for residential purposes are being used to run small or medium-scale businesses. While the tenants earn a higher income, the temple is only paid the rent determined for residential use. A program was implemented in 2024, with the support of the Trustees, to identify such individuals. The action taken included: identifying individuals occupying land on long-term or annual lease, preparing lease deeds for those without them, adjusting the rent for commercial users based on a valuation obtained from the Valuation Department, preparing amended lease deeds, and, in problematic cases, advising the Trustee and referring them for legal action. Accordingly, similar surveys are expected to be carried out in 2025 on the lands of other managed places of worship, with the cooperation of office staff and Trustees.

• Conducting Mobile Services for Lease Deed Preparation: A pilot project was successfully conducted in 2023/24, focusing on the Mūthiyaṅgaṇa Rajamaha Viharaya in Badulla, to hold a mobile service to facilitate the initial steps in preparing lease deeds. The program was chaired by the Commissioner General and the Trustee Thera, and was attended by the Legal Officer and office staff of the Department, relevant Grama Niladharis (Village Officers), and a lawyer. Most issues faced by the land occupants were addressed and advice provided on the spot. Approximately 85% of the attendees have since successfully prepared their lease deeds, exceeding the anticipated target. Due to this success, we plan to hold mobile services for several other managed places of worship in 2025.

• Creating a Comprehensive Information Report: We intend to compile a report covering all information for the 91 managed places of worship under this office, including photographs, Trustee details, access routes, land owned, and the number of lease deeds. This is expected to be completed this year. Similarly, we plan to organize Shramadana (voluntary labour) campaigns at selected places of worship with the participation of office staff, and seek the cooperation of state institutions and places of worship to carry out development work in underprivileged sites, continuing the initiative from last year.

• Enhanced Inventory Management: When cataloging inventory items, records will be prepared to include the item’s weight, height, length, and width, along with a photograph, allowing for more accurate identification.

• Google Map Integration for Land Identification: We aim to use Google Maps to allow external parties (tenants, unauthorized settlers, and lease applicants) to easily identify the lands belonging to the places of worship.

• Continuation of Prior Initiatives (2025):

  • Continuing to enter data related to the leasing of lands belonging to places of worship into an Internet-based computerized data system, which was initiated last year.

  • Continuing the program, in compliance with National Budget Circular No. 03/2022, to send multiple letters destined for other institutions in a single envelope, and to hand-deliver letters to nearby institutions and places of worship, which was started last year.