I was meaning to spend only a night in Kandy before heading out to Dambulla. However—after experiencing the flamboyant bustles of the city and fueled by capricious wanderlust whims—I decided to extend my stay. It wasn't a bad idea, especially with Kandy situated amid the plateaus of Central Sri Lanka. Surrounded by rolling hills and tea plantations, the place presented an ideal opportunity for me to slow down a bit. I quickly discovered that much of the activity centers on the man-made Kandy Lake. A walk around here will lead you to ample heritage establishments and another of Sri Lanka’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy
Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, or Sri Dalada Maligawa, houses the relic of the tooth of the Buddha. In Buddhism, this is revered—especially in Sri Lanka—as a cetiya relic, or a memorial piece of an object from Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.
The origin of Buddha's tooth relic dates back to after he died in 543 BCE. After his body was cremated on a sandalwood pyre at Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh, India—where Gautama Buddha attained Nirvana-after-death—his left canine tooth was retrieved by one of his disciples, Khema.
This tooth relic is among a total of seven relics composed of three bone fragments and four teeth. The tooth relic became the subject of major conflicts because of a belief that whoever possesses it earns a divine right to rule a kingdom. Over the span of more than eight hundred years and numerous changes of possession, the left canine tooth relic found its way to Polonnaruwa, then to Dambadeniya, and finally to Kandy.
The sacred relic of the tooth of Buddha is now kept inside seven gold caskets, all shaped like stupas and adorned with gemstones. Since photography isn’t allowed up close, I tried hard to look for it but saw nothing, since the sacred tooth relic isn’t entirely visible for regular display.
They only take the sacred tooth relic out in a jeweled casket when a Buddhism ritual called Tevava is held three times a day. I was unfortunate to come at the wrong time—thus missing out on an opportunity to view the sacred tooth relic.
Kandy Esala Perahera Procession
Also known as the Festival of the Tooth, the Kandy Esala Perahera is held for ten days every July and August in Kandy, Sri Lanka. A procession of colorful sacred caskets lights up the streets—one of which temporarily houses the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha.
