10 August 2016 12:00 am
This character – a Nilame, the lay custodian of a devalaya in Ruhuna dedicated to an imperious deity commanding much power over the humans has become a law unto himself, people living in the environs of the sacred shrine say.
This Nilame has drawn the ire of the people and the bhikkhu community in the area by launching a venture to bulldoze an ancient herbal garden of about 50 acres in extent adjoining the devalaya precincts. People say that the dozering now proceeding apace would not only destroy the precious herbal garden, but also the priceless artifacts possibly lying buried in the jungle tract now being cleared. Even the high authorities seem to lack the courage to cry halt to the ongoing destruction of a precious national heritage for the villain of the piece happens to be a close aide of the mighty deity, they say.