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Sri Dalada Maligawa faces mounting financial pressure amid rising operational costs
Colombo, January 24 (Daily Mirror) - The Sri Dalada Maligawa is confronting unprecedented financial challenges, with annual operational costs soaring to 1.5 billion rupees (approximately $5 million USD), the Chief Lay Custodian, Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela, revealed yesterday.
Speaking at a public event in Pallekele, Dela said that the temple must generate at least 5 million rupees daily to sustain its traditional rituals and maintain the historic site.
“This has become a massive responsibility and a challenge this year,” he said, emphasizing the growing gap between revenue and expenditure.
The Diyawadana Nilame outlined the dramatic shift in the temple’s financial landscape over the past two decades. In 2005, the annual income of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic stood at just 80 million rupees, including 35 million from interest income. Today, meeting the 1.5 billion rupee requirement is a formidable task.
The temple’s expenditures encompass daily religious ceremonies known as Thevava, maintenance of the centuries-old architecture, staff salaries, and the care of the temple’s elephants. Dela’s remarks highlight the urgent need for sustainable income sources to ensure the continuity of operations and preservation of the sacred site.
With tourism, donations, and interest earnings forming the primary sources of income, the temple now faces the dual challenge of maintaining tradition while adapting to modern financial demands.
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