Temple of Tooth

The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic aka Dalada Maligawa Temple is on one of the most pious place in Sri Lanka. It is a highly revered place by the followers of Buddhism as this temple houses the sacred Buddhist relic which is said to be the left upper canine tooth of Lord Buddha himself. The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is the grandest temple in entire Island nation with an imposing pink-painted structure, encircled by a deep moat. It took nearly 100 years to build. The construction commenced in 1687 and ended on 1782.

Location : Located in the royal palace complex, next to the manmade lake named Kiri Muhuda in Kandy city, the Holy temple of Tooth is the central attraction of the town. Kandy city of Sri Lanka is a UNESCO World Heritage Site partly because of the Temple of Sacred Tooth Relic.

History : According to a legend, the tooth was taken from Lord Buddha as he lay on his funeral pyre. It was smuggled to Sri Lanka in 313 AD, hidden in the hair of Princess Hemamali who fled the Hindu armies besieging her father's kingdom in India. After bringing it to Sri Lanka, the tooth immediately became an object of great reverence. The temple was originally built under Kandyan Kings between 1687 and 1707 A.D. Even the temple suffered severe damages during the 18th century colonial wars against the Portuguese and Dutch.

Activities At The temple:

Monks of the two chapters of Malwatte and Asgiriya conduct daily worship in the inner chamber of the temple. Rituals are performed thrice daily- at dawn (4.30 a.m), at noon (10.30 a.m) and in the evening (6.30 p.m). Every Wednesday, there is a symbolic bathing of the Sacred Relic with an herbal preparation made from scented water and fragrant flowers known as Nanumura Mangallaya. It is believed that this holy water contains healing powers and is distributed among the worshippers.

Festivals and Events:

The Perahera procession was inaugurated giving birth to the most colourful festival of the island. It is the spectacular Kandy Esala Perahera pageant (parade + pageant + procession + celebration + veneration + rainwater conservation ritual) held in the month of July each year for a fortnight. This event is quite popular among both local and foreign tourists.

The Sri Dalada Museum:

Another attraction of this temple is its museum which is a repository of beautiful silk Buddha footprint. It was offered to the temple by King Kirti Sri Rajasinha (1746-1778) of Sri Lanka. Other attractions of the museum are classical Buddhist Paintings. These paintings are hung high on the walls of the museum that narrates the travel of the Sacred Relic of Tooth during last couple of millenniums since the final extinction of Buddha in 543 BC. This museum also displays the modern photos of damage caused by the 1998 terrorist bombing, bringing home the remarkable scale & skill of the restoration carried out since then. The Octagon was damaged while the main shrine stood unharmed.

Remember:
1. Shoes must be put off before entering.
2. One should be properly dressed.
3. And should be well-behaved inside the temple.