On January 25, 1998, when the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy was seconds away from destruction, a young policewoman’s split-second bravery saved Sri Lanka’s most revered shrine. Her name, Geethani Jayawardena, remains etched in silence rather than celebrated in history.
A lorry carrying over 400 kilograms of explosives exploded in front of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy, marking one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka’s three decades of violence. The massive bomb killed 14 people, injured scores of others, and inflicted severe damage to the temple’s interior. The blast was so powerful it was heard in Gampola, more than 20 kilometers away.
But the attackers’ plan was not only to detonate the bomb. As the blue Elf-type lorry stopped near the Moonstone in front of the inner gate, a terrorist jumped out and opened fire on Constable Jayasinghe, the officer on duty at the entrance. Amid the chaos, one young constable, just 23 years old at the time, realized instantly what was unfolding.
That officer was Geethani Jayawardena. As Constable Jayasinghe ran inside, Geethani quickly jumped to the other side of the gate and slammed it shut. Her quick decision thwarted the terrorists’ plan to storm the temple, kill devotees and monks, and seize the sacred Tooth Relic itself.
Moments later, the ground shook as 400 kilos of TNT exploded, sending shockwaves across Kandy. Worshippers who had gathered to offer alms perished in the blast. Amid the carnage, a heavy brass plate fell on Geethani, shielding her from harm. She survived, though deeply traumatized.
If not for her courageous act, terrorists could have entered the inner chambers, murdered the chief monk in charge of daily rituals, and desecrated the Dalada Kaanduwa. It could have been one of the darkest chapters in Sri Lankan history. Instead, the temple and the relic it holds was saved by the bravery of a single young officer.
When the blast reverberated miles away, Geethani lay shocked but alive under the fallen brass plate. She had protected Sri Lanka’s most sacred shrine at the cost of her peace of mind.
Her story, however, faded into obscurity. In 2019, during research into the Temple bombing, she was found still serving as a police constable at the Kegalle Headquarters Police Station two decades after her heroic act, still in the same position. When asked about her experience, she refused to speak, saying she did not want to relive that day. The trauma, it seemed, lingered even then.
Now about fifty years old, Geethani remains a silent guardian of history. Few who visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic know that it was she who prevented it from being drenched in blood that day. Her name deserves a place in Sri Lanka’s history books alongside its greatest defenders.
The nation remembers the tragedy, but it must also remember the bravery. The Temple of the Tooth Relic stands today not only because of stone and faith, but because of the courage of Constable Geethani Jayawardena.
Original Post from Mr. Nimesha Thiwankara Senevipala
