Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic

This golden-roofed Temple of Tooth is also called as Sri Dalada Maligawa is a Buddhist temple situated in the city of Kandy. The temple is located in the Royal Complex of the ancient Kingdom of Kandy where the relic of the Buddha’s tooth has been housed since centuries. The room in which the tooth is kept is heavily guarded and you can visit that room only during prayers but you cannot see the tooth as it is kept in a golden casket shaped Stupa containing a chain of 6 other Stupas of diminishing size and engraved with valuable gemstones. Apart from the main Buddha shrine, the complex has many smaller shrines and museums too. Kandy is a world heritage site along with Temple of Tooth declared by UNESCO due to the astonishing beauty of this golden-roofed temple. Thousands of white-clad tourists flock at this place every day.

History

This relic of the tooth of Buddha has been playing an important role in local politics as since centuries it has been believed that the governance of the country goes in the hands of those who rule the relics. The temple was constructed by the Kandyan Kings from 1687-1707. The construction was done in order to show the respect and to house the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha. Dating back to the 18th century, the temple got destroyed during the colonial wars between Portuguese and Dutch. In recent years the temple again destroyed by Hindu Tamil separatists, however, fortunately, the tooth relic remained unharmed again.

Architecture

The roof of this revered tooth relic temple of Lord Buddha is painted red which makes it more striking and appealing from a distance. The beautiful overlook view of the white walls of this temple in the Kandy Lake and the simple carvings on the low walls of the temple gives a fretwork effect. They are also being used during festivals as a coconut oil lamps holder and a candle holder too. The interior region of the temple is well adorned with exotic woods, lacquer, and ivory. All the daily rituals are carried out in the beautifully designed ground floor chamber.

Festivals and Events

If you are in a mood to experience the entire charm of Kandy then you must visit this place during the celebration of Esala Perahera. It is one of the most famous festivals of Buddhist which is celebrated in the month of July and August. The festival continues for 10 days in which Buddhists do a torchlight parade leading with a colorful procession of drummers, musicians, jugglers, fire dancers, dignitaries, acrobats, and elegant finery of 100 elephants moving around the city.

Temple Timing

• 5:30 am. to 8:00 pm.
• Entry Fees- SKR 1500 per head

Things to Do

• If you are visiting the temple on Wednesday then you can take a symbolic bath in healing water which has medicinal value to cure the skin diseases and others.
• You can explore Ambarawa which is located before the first floor of the temple. The walls of this magnificent tunnel are painted with beautiful colors.
• Inside the complex of the temple, you can find Maha Vahalkada which offers some sort of lane heading towards the temple and offering a splendid view on the temple structure.

Places to Visit

• Royal Palace of Kandy: The palace was constructed during the 14th century but the glory and the charm of the palace are still striking and stupendous. The palace has been attacked and destroyed in several wars many times and so it is left with many scars. The outer walls of the temple are however renovated but the interior is still the same. It held a great significance in ancient times as the King used to hold many meetings here.
• Bahiravokanda Vihara Buddha Statue: This splendid place of Kandy showcases an awe-inspiring beauty of the entire Kandy city. The 88 feet tall statue of Lord Buddha is not a place to be missed out if you are in Kandy. This white-colored statue of Lord Buddha can be seen from any corner of the Peradeniya city and is located on the top of the Bhairava Kanda Hill. The Night is the ideal time of the day to visit the place as the glory gets doubled by lighting lamps.
• International Buddhist Museum: Located inside the royal palace complex which is situated close to the Temple of the Tooth. This Buddhist Museum beautifully showcases the spread of Buddhism all across the Asian continent. You can find many gigantic statues, models, and photographs which portrays the influence and spread of Buddhism at various places. There are different sections inside the museum which showcases the different places where Buddhism was spread.

Best Time to Visit

The beauty of this temple changes with the time of the day. In the evening it looks more stunning when the temple is beautifully lit up. You can enjoy wandering around the lake, the fruit bats circling overhead, and the raucous sounds of the roosting egrets add more to the atmosphere of the temple.

Food and Accommodation

Kandy houses many places of accommodation near to the Temple of the tooth which includes normal to deluxe hotels like The Radh Hotel, SWP Eco Lodge, Temple View, Sarvodaya Samma Vaasa Residence, etc. Food is a basic necessity of our body which one should never miss out in the excitement of the journey. Kandy is known for its mouth-watering dishes offered by numerous restaurants.

Travel Tips

• Dress modestly which means wear long loose trousers or a long skirt that properly cover your legs.
• It is advisable not to carry black or anything dark. The tourists must carry a white color dress if they are visiting the temple.
• Be sure to cover your shoulder or cleavage properly.
• There is a proper cloakroom for shoes where tourists need to remove their shoes before entering the temple.