Why Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Kandy will steal your heart
In the heart of Kandy, beside a tranquil lake and framed by green hills, stands a temple with a golden roof and a remarkable story. Inside, protected behind layers of gold caskets, lies a tooth relic of the Buddha, the most precious treasure in Sri Lanka.
According to tradition, the tooth was taken from the Buddha's funeral pyre in India and smuggled to Sri Lanka in the 4th century AD, hidden in the hair of a princess. From then on, whoever held the relic held the right to rule the island. Kings carried it from capital to capital and built a temple for it wherever they reigned. Its final home, Sri Dalada Maligawa, the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, stands within the old royal palace complex of Kandy, the last capital of the Sinhalese kings. The sacred city of Kandy is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The most magical time to visit is during a puja, the daily ceremony of offerings. As the drummers begin their thunderous rhythm and the horns wail, the doors of the inner shrine open, and a stream of worshippers files past carrying lotus and jasmine flowers. The air is thick with incense, and the atmosphere is electric. You won't see the tooth itself, which stays hidden in its casket, but you'll feel the depth of devotion around you.
Take time to explore the rest of the complex: the beautiful painted ceilings, the carved ivory and wooden doors, the octagonal pavilion overlooking the lake, and the museum that tells the relic's long story. Outside, the white walls of the temple and the old royal buildings glow in the afternoon light.
If you're lucky enough to be in Kandy in July or August, you may witness the Esala Perahera, one of Asia's greatest festivals. For ten nights, a spectacular procession of drummers, fire dancers, whip-crackers and richly decorated elephants parades through the streets by torchlight, with a replica of the relic casket carried high on the back of a magnificent tusker. It's an unforgettable sight, and we'll help you plan around it.
