The history

The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, also known as Sri Dalada Maligawa, is considered to be the most important Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka. It’s also one of the most famous in the world. It’s the most visited place in Kandy city which was the capital of the last Kings in the Sri Lankan Royal Dynasty. Located within the King’s palace complex, Buddhists around the world believe it’s the Buddha’s tooth encased in seven casks enshrined in a special chamber in the temple which is now sheltered by a golden roof.

The sacred tooth relic was smuggled into Sri Lanka in 377 AD by Prince Dantha and Princess Hemamala and they handed it over to the reigning King. The belief was that whoever possesses the tooth relic holds the right to rule the land therefore it was always under threat of being stolen. Due to this belief it became the Kandy Kings’ responsibility to safeguard the tooth and it came to be symbolic with government. This is very important and the reason Buddhism and Sri Lankan governance is so inextricably linked, even today.

In 1815 a treaty was signed between the British officials and the Kandy Chieftains accepting the British Crown as their sovereign. The royal family were imprisoned and deported which ended the Kingdom era of the island and Sri Lanka has been centrally governed since then.

Today

Today, temple ceremonies are performed three times daily: at dawn, noon and in the evening. Visitors can enter at anytime but attending a ceremony is significant as you can see the opening of the silver door and can witness the casket in which the tooth relic is held. Most visitors buy flowers to lay inside the temple to honour the Buddha, and it is mandatory to remove shoes and wear clothes that cover shoulders and legs.

In the month of August The Temple holds the largest Buddhist event in the world. For 10 days, up until the full moon, the relic casket, without the tooth inside, is carried on the back of a tusked elephant through the streets of Kandy city. This is called Esala Perahara.

Security

Security at the entrance and around the temple is high. You may remember the news in the late 1980s and then in the late 1990s reporting bombings at the temple by terrorist groups with the intent of destroying the temple? If they held the relic then technically they would have the right to govern the country but they didn’t so the power to govern remains in the hands of the Sinhalese government.

If you missed our last blog and interested in learning about the spice gardens in Matale then scroll below.

Next up: To Kurunegala to visit Rev. Ragama’s community and celebrate the beginning of the Sinhalese new year with them.

Further sponsorship – if you’d like to help me to help those in need in Sri Lanka at this difficult time, whilst being assured every penny will go to those who need it, then please donate by clicking on this link. I just need to raise a further 4% to reach my target of £20,000. Don’t forget that if you’re a tax payer to declare gift aid when doing so which will increase your donation by 25% at no cost to you. Alternatively, if you know of anyone or any organisation who may have an interest in this cause please share this blog link with them.