Kandy is a city crowned with rugged hills, and a picturesque lake adorns its grounds, making it a haven of relaxation and enjoyment. Even today, it is considered the cultural capital of Sri Lanka due to the presence of the ancient temple of the Holy Tooth. This holy place and its quiet and romantic atmosphere make it an important and unrivaled highlight of Sri Lanka.
Sri Dalada Maligawa, also known as the Temple of the Holy Tooth, is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex of the ancient kingdom of Kandy and contains a sacred relic of the Buddha's tooth.
The origin of the relic is legendary and says that the tooth was extracted from the Buddha's funeral pyre and was sent to the island in the hair of a princess. Kandy was the last capital of the kings of Sri Lanka and its temple is a UNESCO heritage site.
The temple is still one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the world. Legend has it that when Gautama Buddha died, his body was cremated, but his left canine tooth was restored unchanged. Since then, kings have been tasked with guarding the holy relic, but this also made it a symbol of power so much so that widespread belief wanted the possession of a sacred tooth to guarantee the king the right to rule his land.
This made this sacred remnant of Buddha a sought-after and controversial enough warfare enough to secure its possession while it was in the city of Dantapuri (now Puri). In the fourth century, the tooth belonged to King Guhasiva of Kalinga, who entrusted it to his daughter, fearing that they might capture her enemies. Princess Hemamali, along with her husband Dantakumara, secretly transferred the tooth to Sri Lanka, hiding it in their hair.
Promotional video:
The brick wall that runs along the moat and lake Bogambara is known as the water wave wall. The holes in this wall are made to illuminate the coconut oil lamps. The main entrance gate above the moat is called Mahavahalkada. At the foot of the Mahavahalkada steps is the Pahana Sandakada, carved in the Kandyan architectural style. Mahavahalkada was completely destroyed by a bomb explosion in 1998, and then rebuilt along with other stone engravings of the Pahan sandakada. On either side of the entrance, there are two stone elephants guarding the entrance. Makara Torana and two Guardian Stones are at the top of the stairs.
Drummer Hughes's chamber is opposite the main sanctuary. Its two floors are known as Palle malaya (lower floor) and Udu malaya (upper floor) or Weda hitina maligawa. Weda Hitana Maligawa doors are carved from ivory. The actual chamber in which the tooth relic was preserved is known as the "Handong Kunama".
The relic of the tooth is enclosed in seven gold chests with engraved gems. The boxes are in the shape of a stupa, and the procession that is used during the Kandy Esala Perahera is displayed in the same room.
The Royal Palace is located north of the temple. The Royal Palace is also known as "Maligawa" and was used as the main entrance three vakhalkadas and a 2.5 meter high wall. The part of the building facing Natha Devale is considered the oldest. In the early British period, it was used by the government agent Sir John D'Aulie. D'Oly's successors continued to use it as an official residence and today it is used as an archaeological museum.