Sri Dalada Maligawa or Sacred Tooth Relic is a Buddhist temple located in the city of Kandy. There are relics on the tooth of the Buddha. Since the sacred relics have played an important role in local politics, it is believed that the relics will rule over the country. Kandy is the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings and is a World Heritage Site.
Bhikkhus of the two chapters of Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapels worship daily in the inner chamber of the temple. Rituals are performed three times daily: morning, afternoon, and evening. Wednesday is symbolically a relic bath with a herbal preparation made from fragrant water and fragrant flowers. It’s called “Nanumura Mangallaya“.This holy water is believed to have healing powers and is distributed among those in attendance. After the death of Gautama Buddha, the Tooth Relic was preserved in Kalinga and Princess Hemamali and her husband, Prince Dantha, took the relic to the island on the advice of King Guhasiwa.
The Architecture of the temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
- Temple of the Tooth building complex.
- The Main Entrance. Moat.
- The Octagon – Pattripuwa.
- Handun kunama.
- The Golden Canopy.
- The Temple of the Tooth Museum – New Palace.
- The Royal Palace.
- The National Museum of Kandy.
- International Buddhist Museum – Old Courts.
- Kandy Lake.
- Queens Bath.
- Diyathilaka mandapaya.
From the tiled roofs to the white walls with large wall windows, the entire temple complex is built with classic Candian architecture. The two floors of the main chapel are known as “Palle Malaya“ (lower floor) and “Udu Malaya“ (top floor) or “Veda Hitina Maligawa“. The doors of the Veda Hitana Maligawa are ivory carvings. The actual chamber where the tooth relic is kept is called the “Hundun Kunama”.The tooth relic is encased in seven golden caskets which are engraved with precious gemstones. The caskets have the shape of a stupa. The procession casket which is used during the Kandy Esala Perahera is also displayed in the same chamber.
If you come here in July, you can witness the most beautiful colorful Esala Perahera. It is a must-see procession. The procession consists of traditional local dances such as fire-dances, whip-dances, Kandyan dances, various other cultural dances, and elephants.
