April 21, 2025 – April 27, 2025 | Vol.15, #15
Events: From April 18 to April 27, 2025, a 10-day Sri Dalada Vandanawa – a special exposition of the sacred tooth relic – was held at the Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic) in Kandy.[1][2][3] The Dalada Vandanawa was organised after 16 years, following a request made by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.[4]
On April 22, the President’s Media Division issued a notice under the Clean Sri Lanka initiative urging devotees visiting the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic to avoid bringing non-biodegradable items and to dispose of waste responsibly.[5][6][7]
Subsequently, the Clean Sri Lanka initiative launched several special waste management campaigns aimed at maintaining cleanliness along the main access routes to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and surrounding areas.[8][9]
Key insights:
- The special exposition of the sacred tooth relic of the Lord Buddha (Dalada Vandanawa) was a major positive political milestone for the president.
- The Dalada Vandanawa strengthened support for the NPP among the Sinhala-Buddhist voter base in the lead-up to the upcoming local government elections.
- There are increasing concerns about the government’s approach to organised crime, the Easter attacks investigations and custodial deaths. These are gradually undermining public confidence in the government’s capacity to address critical issues.
Analysis
Overview of the media coverage
Over the past 11 days, coverage of the special exposition of the tooth relic of Lord Buddha (Sri Dalada Vandanawa, hereinafter referred to as the Dalada Vandanawa) dominated the Sinhala media, including print, television and social media platforms (monitored via Junkipedia, a social media monitoring and analysis tool).[1]
How was the government viewed in light of the Dalada Vandanawa?
The government’s decision, particularly by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, to have a special exposition of the tooth relic received overwhelmingly positive coverage across the Sinhala media. Even outlets generally critical of the president – such as Hiru TV – were compelled to provide extensive coverage, highlighting widespread public gratitude for the government’s role in allowing the sacred tooth relic to be publicly viewed after 16 years. While some criticism was directed at the government’s logistical mismanagement during the exposition, it was largely overshadowed by the positive reception.
What is the significance of the sacred tooth relic in building the NPP’s political legitimacy?
Two key factors contribute to the NPP’s rising political capital/popularity, particularly among the majority Sinhala Buddhist population, following the Dalada Vandanawa. These factors are briefly analysed below.
(a) Historic and cultural significance of the sacred tooth relic
The sacred tooth relic is believed to be the left canine tooth of the Lord Buddha. It was brought to Sri Lanka in the 4th century AD, and possession of it has, in the past, been a symbol of political legitimacy and Buddhist spiritual authority.[2] The relic has sacred significance as a tangible connection to the body of the Buddha. It is also revered as being associated with special powers: to bring about rain, assist with agriculture and bring prosperity to the land.[3]
The relic has also evolved into a symbol of political power. Whoever possessed the relic was seen as holding the divine right to rule. Consequently, kings, colonial powers and religious custodians have vied for the control of it over the years, recognising that ownership of the relic strengthened their claims to political leadership and overarching national authority.[4]
In modern times public access to the relic has remained highly restricted. Custodianship is carefully divided: the mahanayake thera of the Asgiriya Chapter holds the key to the inner sanctum, the mahanayake thera of the Malwatta Chapter controls the outer casket keys and the Diyawadana Nilame, a lay custodian, holds the keys to the outer reliquary and bulletproof enclosure.[5] That means that all three of these custodians have to be present to gain access to the relic. Therefore, a special exposition that grants access to view the relic (Dalada Vandanawa) is a rare and precious opportunity for Buddhist devotees.
The head of state can request such a special exposition, and when the request is made it is considered and decided upon by the custodians. There has been no special exposition of the tooth relic in the last 16 years, and the president’s initiative to make it happen seems to have generated widespread emotion-filled gratitude from Sinhala Buddhists.
(b) Political significance of the Dalada Vandanawa
In Sri Lanka, religious endorsement, particularly from the Buddhist establishment, is seen as a crucial source of political legitimacy, with leaders gaining political credibility through their blessings or acceptance.
This has been evident in the past, with governing parties vying to have a Dalada Vandanawa. The last Dalada Vandanawa was held in March 2009 under former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, during the final phase of the armed conflict between the government forces and the LTTE.[6]
By contrast, in December 2022, former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s request for such an exposition was denied by the mahanayake theras – considering that he did not have electoral legitimacy at that time.
In this context, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s success in securing the Dalada Vandanawa marks a major political achievement. For the JVP, previously portrayed as a Marxist leaning areligious political party, the exposition signalled a critical repositioning.[7] The success in leading the exposition appears to have cemented Dissanayake’s political legitimacy and consolidated the support of the Sinhala-Buddhist voter base ahead of the upcoming local government elections.
What was the impact of the Dalada exposition on the NPP government?
In addition to the outpouring of appreciative feelings towards the government for organising the Dalada Vandanawa, the event sparked additional effects for the government and within the community.
On a positive note, and probably a historic first, Muslim mosques in Kandy opened their doors to Buddhist devotees, offering water, food and space for resting at night.[8] These acts of solidarity carry deeper meaning in Sri Lanka’s historically tense ethno-religious landscape. The spontaneous assistance extended during a major Buddhist religious event was widely seen as a reaffirmation of interfaith empathy and coexistence.
On a negative note, the Dalada Vandanawa drew criticism from the Opposition, mainstream media voices and social media users over lapses in logistical management. Key areas of criticism were the lapses in preplanning for overcrowding, sanitary and healthcare facilities and waste management. However, these shortcomings were largely seen as either institutional issues related to the local government bureaucracy or as stemming from a lack of individual self-discipline. As a result, the government did not face a substantial political fallout from this criticism.
[1] The MPA team monitored Facebook profiles, TikTok handles and YouTube channels using Junkipedia for the keywords Dalada and sacred tooth relic in Sinhala and clean Kandy in English from April 21 to 26, 2025.
[2] For more information, see: https://daladamaligawa.org/fertility.htm and https://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2025/04/28/honoring-devotion-lessons-from-the-sacred-tooth-relic-exposition/.
[3] For more information, see: https://www.satipatthana.net/the-unique-rituals-associated-with-the-sacred-tooth-relic-of-the-buddha and https://www.sundaytimes.lk/250420/plus/no-wait-too-long-to-see-the-sacred-tooth-relic-594880.html.
[4] For more information, see: https://www.talesofceylon.com/destinations/kandy/tales-of-kandy/the-home-of-an-ancient-relic-of-buddhism/ and https://daladamaligawa.org/saga.htm.
[5] For more information, see: https://www.dailymirror.lk/news-features/The-Palladium-of-the-Sinhala-Royalty-Historical-Exposition-of-the-Tooth-Relic-after-16-years/131-306873.
[6] For more information, see: https://www.facebook.com/sridaladamaligawa/videos/1871069913706837, https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2009/03/08/new02.asp and https://www.sundaytimes.lk/090315/News/sundaytimesnews_04.html.
[7] See TMA Vol.13, #02 & 03 and Vol.14, #37.
[8] For more information, see: https://ceylontoday.lk/2025/04/28/bridging-faiths-a-quiet-revolution-in-kandy/ and https://www.newswire.lk/2025/04/24/watch-mosque-offers-rest-to-buddhist-devotees-amid-kandy-overcrowding/.
To view this week’s news summaries, please click here.
To view this week’s social media data, please click here.