The sacred Temple of the Tooth or Dalada Maligawa in Kandy is one of the most ancient, picturesque Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka. This iconic temple tops the list of best things to do in Kandy. Since the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha is protected inside the temple, it is deeply revered by Sri Lankan Buddhists. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most prominent cultural landmark not to miss in the country.
The great architectural and cultural value of this ancient temple continues to amaze the visitors. Not only Buddhists but also all the Sri Lankan communities respect the sacred Temple of Tooth. This glorious temple can consider as a history lover’s paradise to learn about the legend of sacred tooth relic. It is an awe-inspiring place filled with serenity, a completely worthy place to visit during your Sri Lanka tour.
There are many important places in the Temple of Tooth complex with historical and cultural interests. They include temples, museums, and ruins of the ancient Kandyan Royal palace. Here we are going to give you an ultimate guide of each attraction in the sacred Temple of Tooth complex.
History of Temple of Tooth Relic
The history of the sacred tooth relic is quite long, dating back to the 4th century AD. Indian Prince Danta and Princess Hemamala carried the tooth relic to Sri Lanka. From that time, the sacred tooth relic has played a very important role as the symbol of the sovereignty of Sri Lanka. Its location shifted several times with the change of Sri Lanka’s capital. Finally, it ended up the journey in Kandy with the last Kandyan kingdom.
Sri Lankan Kings continued to protect the tooth relic throughout history. Temple of Tooth in Kandy was first built in the year of 1595 during the reign of King Vimaladarmasuriya. These original structures were destroyed with the time and the current temple dates back to the early 1700s, the reign of King Vira Parakrama Narendrasinghe. After all, the last king of Sri Lanka, Sri Wickrama Rajasinhe added the octagonal structure call as Pattirippuwa. The sacred Temple of Tooth showcases the fine architectural skills of the Kandyan era.
Garden of the Temple
The Temple of Tooth spreads in a large area in the heart of Kandy city. It has an elegant large garden, which is bordered by Udawatta Kele Sanctuary and Kandy Lake. This lake was artificially constructed in 1807 by the last king of Sri Lanka, King Sri Wikrama Rajasinghe. It gives an additional aesthetic value to the Temple of Tooth complex. The unique wall around the lake is known as Clouds Wall and it further increases the beauty of the lake.
Entrance
Named as “Mahawahalkada”, the main entrance gate runs over the moat. Visitors can see the elaborate stone carvings on the walls next to these gates.
Continuously, the walls of the temple are adorned with stone carvings. The moonstones in the Temple of Tooth have a unique shape, quite different from the ones you find in the sacred city of Anuradhapura.
Pattirippuwa
Pattirippuwa is an octagonal structure that showcases the grandeur of the old architecture. When you walk towards the temple through the main gate, this magnificent octagonal structure is visible from a far distance. Above all, this gorgeous structure is often use as one of the main iconic symbols of Sri Lanka.
Ground Floor
On entering the temple complex, you step into the ground floor of the main shrine. You’ll go through an intricately decorated tunnel to enter this area. The curved ceiling and walls of the tunnel decorate with exceptionally beautiful paintings. Certainly, these ancient paintings are quite elegant and attractive with bright colors.
Continuously, the first floor is quite beautiful with painted walls and wood carving on the roof. Ivories and Buddhist flags are also used to decorate this floor.
Upper Floor
The sacred Tooth Relic protects well on the upper floor, inside the golden roofed chamber. The sacred tooth relic rests inside of seven gem-studded golden caskets in diminishing sizes. The door to that chamber is carved in ivory and normally it keeps closed. This door opens during daily puja rituals only.
You can offer flowers at the front table and respect the sacred tooth relic. Sri Lankan Buddhists used to sit on the floor and worship. This major shrine room is a calm and serene place, where anybody will find peace in mind.
Daily Rituals
Daily worship rituals of the Temple of Tooth conducts three times a day, at 5.30 am in the dawn, 9.30 am, and at 6.30 pm in the evening. These pujas are the time of offering and prayers to the sacred tooth relic. There is an amazing atmosphere during these pujas with traditional drumming and chanting. Visiting the Temple of Tooth during this puja times is an awe-inspiring experience for any visitor.
Ancient Royal Palace
Temple of Tooth is a part of the ancient Kandyan royal palace complex. Remnants of the Royal Palace are remaining on the temple grounds. Royal Palace is still not open to the public, because the renovation works aren’t completed yet.
Royal Audience Hall
The audience hall is where the Kandyan kings held their court. This hall is a marvelous building with beautiful ancient wood carvings. There are elegant carvings on the wooden pillars which support the wooden roof. This is the best place to admire the last authentic styles of Kandyan royal wood arts.
Four Devale
The temple grounds spread out many hectares and have 4 shrines or Devale that belong to different gods. These shrines are related to the Gods of Natha, Vishnu, Pattini, and Kataragama. They are important places that devotees respect a lot. Many visitors pay homage to these shrines to get blessings from the gods.
International Buddhist Museum
The International Buddhist Museum displays many statues and paintings related to Buddhism. This is the world’s first international museum dedicated to Buddhism. The museum has a collection of artifacts contributed from 17 Asian countries.
This place is quite informative for foreign travelers, where a series of informative storyboards display in English. These boards help to learn the history and legend of the sacred tooth relic.
Raja Tusker Museum
This is an important place not to miss in the Temple of Tooth complex. Raja (1913 -1988) was a Sri Lankan majestic tusker who belonged to the temple. Raja is considered the greatest tusker in history, having participated in the annual Esala Perahera parade for around 50 years. He was the sacred golden casket bearer of the final Randoli Perahera for 37 years, until passing away in July 1988. Raja, the great tusker’s stuffed remains are displayed in the Raja Tusker Museum.
Kandy Esala Perahera
Both Temple of Tooth and Esala Perahera are deeply related to Sri Lankan culture and history. Esala Perahera is a grand annual procession held to respect the sacred tooth relic. This extravagant festival lasts for ten days between July to August each year. There are parades of traditional Kandyan dancers and elegantly decorated elephants.
This grand Buddhist pageant attracts thousands of devotees and visitors to Kandy city. The major event in this procession is the final Randoli Perahera, where the majestic tusker carries the golden casket containing the sacred tooth relic. The traditional dancers play a major role in the procession.
Souvenir shop
If you like to buy some nice Sri Lankan souvenirs, there is a souvenir shop just beside the International Buddhist Museum. There are some elegant handicrafts such as decorated elephant figurines, and paintings which are completely worthy items to memorize your trip to the sacred Temple of Tooth.
How to Dress
Since the Temple of Tooth is a religious place, visitors need to select a dress that covers their shoulders and legs. Wearing short pants, short skirts, or sleeveless tops is something you should avoid while visiting the temple. If you wear a short dress, you may have to buy a sarong to cover the legs. You can avoid this hassle by selecting an appropriate long dress. Bringing a shawl to cover the shoulders is a good option.
Sri Lankans use to wear a white or light-colored dress, although there aren’t any rules about the color of the dress. All the visitors need to remove shoes and hats before entering the main shrine. There is a shoe corner where you can leave it safely.
What to bring
Sri Lankan Buddhists visit the temple with flowers and incense. There are flower shops at the entrance to buy them.
Visiting the calm and quiet Temple of Tooth full of serendipity is one of the best things to do in Kandy. Temple of Tooth in Kandy is not only a great historical place but also the best family-friendly destination in the country. Even if you aren’t a Buddhist, this is a worthy place to visit with great ancient grandeur. Without a doubt, you will be enchanted by the spiritual power and awesome scenic beauty that surrounds this sacred temple.
Text by Magnificent Sri Lanka. Images from Wikimedia Commons, Twitter, and Dreamstime. All copyrights reserved by original authors.
