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Kataragama Kapuwa’s arrest sparks debate of divine offerings
by Amal Jayasinghe
The controversial arrest of Sri Lanka’s senior most Kapuwa, or the intermediary between devotee and deity, has renewed a debate over who should benefit from the valuable offerings to the gods.
Somipala Ratnayake, the chief “Kapuwa” at the Kataragama Maha Devale was taken into custody on Wednesday over a missing gold tray said to be worth over 6.4 million rupees. He was enlarged on bail of half a million rupees.
He was also ordered to report to the Colombo Crime Division on the last Sunday of every month pending the conclusion of the case.
“He was arrested following a complaint that a gold ornament gifted to Lord Murugan had disappeared from the shrine under his watch two years ago,” a police official said.
He said Ratnayake, who is in his mid 80s, was charged with “criminal breach of trust” over the loss of the gold tray which had been gifted to the god by a devotee many years ago.
Police said the ornament had been offered to the gods by the wife of a drug dealer. With the devale not subject to the Central Bank’s rigorous “know your customer – KYC” regulations, accepting such expensive gifts purchased with questionable earnings is not an offence.
An investigator familiar with the crisis at Kataragama said it was difficult to maintain a case of breach of trust over the allegedly missing gold tray because it was difficult to establish the beneficial ownership of the offering.
“If we charge anyone for breaching the trust of gods, who will speak on behalf of the gods?” the investigator asked. Any judicial interpretation of ownership of what is offered to the gods could have serious implications over a matter of faith.
The arrest of the Kapuwa and the surrounding controversy would also test the belief system.
A lay custodian of the shrine had raised the alarm over the apparent loss of the gold tray in 2021 and the Basnayake Nilame, the chief lay custodian of the Kataragama devale had lodged a police complaint.
However, a fellow Kapuwa, Lal Arapaksha maintained that any offerings to the gods belonged to the celebrant according to a tradition maintained at the centuries-old shrine.
“The Kapuwa who conducts a pooja (ritual) is entitled to any offerings, there is no question of theft,” Arapaksha said.
“Sometimes a nail manufacturer would offer some of his products to Lord Murugan. What will he do with nails, so we either give it to a builder or turn it into cash. That is for the upkeep of the shrine. There are 10 Kapuwas and each has about 20 to 30 helpers who have to be maintained with the offerings they receive from devotees.”
Sri Lanka is predominantly Buddhist, a faith that does not typically recognize deities, but local practice incorporates elements of Hindu and animistic worship.
It is common for Buddhist priests to invoke the blessings of 330 million gods during their sermons, a reference to the Hindu pantheon.
Kataragama is highly venerated by Buddhists as well as the faithful from the minority Hindu, Muslim and Christian communities who believe in the power of Lord Murugan.
Two months ago, a group of Kapuwas staged a token strike over a pay dispute and refused to perform rituals at another shrine – the Seenigama devale — known for helping pilgrims place curses on their enemies.
Here is a brief account of what happens to the offerings at Kataragama.
There are 10 Kapuwas who conduct poojas (rituals).
Each get one month a year to conduct rituals. Two months of the year is set aside for the Basnayaka Nilame, the lay custodian. He can employ anyone of his choice for this period and all offerings are at the disposal of the Nilame.
All cash, jewellery and any other valuables offered to Lord Murugan becomes the property of the Kapuwa who conducts the pooja.
Each Kapuwa is also responsible for the upkeep of the shrine during his month of poojas. He also must pay the 30 to 40 helpers he may employ. Monies that get collected in tills at the shrine come under the administration of the Basnayake Nilame.
It is not clear whether the Kapuwas, Basnayake Nilame have to declare the income for tax purposes and whether there are records of the offerings made by the faithful devotees.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
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