.jpg)
You may want to recall your memories about the famous Esala Perahera. Esala Perahera is held in order to show case the famous and sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha. Located at the popular city Kandy in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, Temple of Tooth Relic is visited by thousands of travelers, visitors, devotees and explorers everyday. The Temple complex includes Temple of the Tooth building complex, Mahawahalkada (The main entrance), Moat, Pattirippuwa (Octagon), Handun kunama, Golden canopy, New Palace, Royal Palace of Kandy, National Museum of Kandy, Old courts building, Kandy Lake, Biso ulpen ge (Queens bath), Diyathilaka mandapaya and Udawatta Kele Sanctuary.
The tooth relic is important in many ways to the Sri Lankans. Temple of the Tooth Relic is the major Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka. Since the very ancient times, it has been a tradition that to become the ruler of the country, the candidate has to have the tooth relic. This shows that tooth relic is important not only religious wise but also politically too.
What is this Tooth relic actually??? When Lord Buddha was cremated, his four canine teeth were taken from the ashes and distributed all over the world to the countries who sought them. It is famously said that one of the tooth relics is located in Gandhara or modern-day Pakistan, another is with king of the gods; Sakra and another is with Nagas and the last one, the left canine was with the King of Kalinga in India. This tooth relic was worshipedby many and shown great respect earned many enemies from other religions and other countries and finally Guhasiva, the Kalinga king who ruled in 4th century AD had to sent it to a safer place in order to protect it.
Sri Lanka was chosen as the next home for the tooth relic because Sri Lanka was a Buddhist country at that time and many Sri Lankan rulers maintained connections with the Indian rulers. So the king sent the tooth relic with two guardians Princess Hema Mala and Price Dhantha. They handed over the tooth relic to King Kirti Sri Meghavanna who was the ruler of Anuradhapura kingdom at that time and he placed it in a special palace. After his reign, the tooth relic was kept at Abhayagiri Vihara in northern Anuradhapura and then in Atadage in the Sacred Quadrangle in Polonnaruwa. During king Nissankamalla's reign, he built the Relic Shrine Hatadage and at times of great miseries, the tooth relic was safe kept in Kotmale.
King Vijayabahu II enshrined the relic on the hill top of Beligala and after that King Parakramabahu II placed it near his palace at Damabadeniya. King Bhuvanekabahu also built a shrine for the tooth relic in Yapahuwa and Mulgirigala Vihara, Ridivihara in the Kurunegala and Delgamuva Vihara are last temples where the tooth relic was safe kept before bringing it to Kandy.
King Vimaladharmasuriya I was the ruler in Kandy who built the present day complex in 1595 to place the tooth relic. During and after his time, the Portuguese who came to Sri Lanka became such a menace that they disturbed the rituals and festivities held to honour the tooth relic.
The tooth relic is regarded as royalty and there are Buddhist monks responsible for the Temple of the tooth relic. They are Mahanayaka Thera of Asgiriya and Mahanayaka Thera of Malwatta and also Diyawadana Nilame is the safe keeper of the tooth relic. In 1987, a golden canopy was built over the main shrine. The tooth relic rests in a golden casket of the shape of a stupa in this main shrine.
Travellers' Guide
If you are planning to visit the temple of the tooth relic, you can reach Kandy straight away from Bandaranayake International Air Port by Tour buses, Taxies, or even trains from Fort Station. Kandy city has many other temples and beautiful scenic views you can enjoy such as the Bogambara Lake drive. There are plenty of hotels and restaurants in the city too like the Queen's Hotel, Dalada Mw, Kandy View Hotel and Chaaya Citadel. You can do some festival shopping at Kandy City Centre.
.jpg)
