Temple of Tooth Relic

Without a doubt, the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha is the most venerated object of worship for Buddhists.

Its present house, the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy, Sri Lanka (Ceylon) is considered the foremost sacred place of worship in the Buddhist world.

Dalada Maligawa occupies a unique position in the life of people of Sri Lanka.

Not only during festive days but through out the year the throb of drums, the wail of the fife, the clang of the cymbals and the call of the conch continues to resonate within the chambers of this hallowed shrine reminding us of oblations that have been performed throughout the ages.

Kandyan king Wimaladharmasuriya I (1592-1604 A.D) built a two storeyed Temple for the Relic which had been concealed in Delgamuwa near Kuruwita in Sabaragamuwa.

Vimaladharmasuriya II(1687-1707) built a three storeyed temple and Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe (1747-1782) built the existing inner temple and Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe built the Pattirippuwa.

King Narendrasingha re-built and had paintings of 32 jathaka stories of Depict of the wall of court yard.

Paththirippuva (octagan) is part of the royal palace. King used to come and address the people from there. It was constructed by Devendra Moolachari during the period of king Sri Wickrama Rajasingha.

Now its handed over to the temple of tooth relic, and uses as a library of ola leaves. In front of the Daladha Maligava you get the “diyarelibemma”. as soon as you come out side in the wall you get the diyarelibemma, in the shape of a waves get in the lake. When the electricity is not there you can keep the oil lamp and light in the “diyarelibemma”.

There are two walls. First one is calld “diyareli bema”. The one close to the temple calls “walakulu bema” at the entrance you get the “maha wahalkada” one of the entrances to the palace area.

At the entrance you get a moonstone and by both sides you get nicely carved elephant figures. When you enter the wahalkada you come through a door way, with makara thorana. And a figur of dhorotupala.(door man) When you pass through a cave called ambarawa.

Then you come to the hevisi mandapaya (drumers' courtyard) in front of the sacred tooth relic temple. The lower chamber of the temple calls pallemaluwa. Upper chamber call uda mahala or wedahitina mahala. To the right side of the octagon is aramudal ge in which you get the Buddha's image house. then you get pirith mandapaya. Lower chamber of this building have two rooms called dig ge, long house.

Other one is maha aramudhala. The treasure room, where the gifts offered are housed. The wooden doors framed over late with rich silver plates with the sun and moon symbol either sides. That is in the lover floor. In the upper chamber there are three rooms. handhun hunama, is the name given to first and second room, or sandal wood shed or gandhakutiya, or perfume chamber.

It is the first room that the exposition of the tooth relic takes place. The third room is called wadahitina maligawa, where the tooth relic resides. Door frames in these chambers are late with ivory. There are seven golden caskets enclosed for the tooth relic and each studded with precious gems. The outer most caster is embedded by jewels offered to the relic by various kings and other distinguished quest.

On the right hand of the tooth relic is the perahera karaduwa. There is a relic chamber presented by India with the Buddha's relic from dharmajika sthoopa in Thaksala the relic casket is covered with bullet proof glass frame. In front of it is the wooden alter mal asana in late with silver. Over it from the ceiling hangs lotus flower made out of gold with gems at the center.

Daily rituals are performed three times a day. One is early morning at 4.30 a.m. second is at 10.30. a.m. and the third is at 6.30. p.m. in the evening at 4.30 a.m. and 10.30 a.m. 32 measures of rice are cooked as offering for Breakfast and Lunch every day.

32 vegetables are cooked for alms and in the evening various medicinal drinks like “koththamalli”, tea, fruit juice, with beetle and banana are offered as Buddhist's believe treating Buddha's relic is like treating Buddha alive.

Dalada Maligawa

One of the chief objects of interests in Kandy is the 'Dalada Maligawa' or Temple of the Sacred Tooth. This is the heart of Kandy, and the Tooth of Buddha is the heart of it. The relic came from India sixteen centuries ago, and moved from capital to capital always with the king. It is rarely shown and never leaves the temple. The temple and the 'Pattirippuwa', which is the octagonal building on the right of the main entrance, are enclosed by an ornamental stone wall and a moat. Upon entering, you pass through a small quadrangle and turn to the right, up a flight of stone steps, to the temple. The most striking features that attract one's attention are the unusual carvings, brightly coloured frescoes representing torments for various classes of sinners, and many images of Lord Buddha. The flower-sellers are ranged on either side and the atmosphere is heavy with the perfume of the white blossoms. Yellow-robed priests flit here and there, whilst the music of the temple bells and the rhythmic beat of the tom-tom fill the air with strange melodies that harmonize with the nature of the city. At the entrance to the sanctuary which contains the Sacred Tooth is an elaborate door, inlaid with silver and ivory, with two pairs of elephants' tusks on either side. Within this chamber is the huge silver-gilt, bell-shaped shrine that protects the Tooth. Inside this shrine are six inner shrines ornamented with precious stones of rare value.

The Octagon or the 'Pattirippuwa' was built shortly before the Kandyan Convention of 1815, by which Kandy was ceded to the British. After being a British military prison, it is now a library, mainly for ancient "olas" - manuscripts on palm-leaves- many of which are magnificently bound and are held in due reverence by pilgrims as containing the teachings of Lord Buddha. The finest thing artistically is in the small shrine beside the stairway of the Octagon- a crystal statue of the Buddha in a most attractive shrine-case.

Next door to the Tooth Temple is the Audience Hall where the Kandyan kings held court with all pomp and ceremony. The rich carvings on the pillars and the wall plates are excellent examples of Kandyan architecture. It was in this Audience Hall that the last king of Kandy used to receive British ambassadors; it was also here that the submission to Britain was signed and Sri Lanka's (then called Ceylon) independence in 1948 celebrated.

Natha Devale

Situated opposite the Tooth Temple. The stone sanctuary is the oldest building in Kandy, built five centuries ago when Kandy was founded ; it is dedicated to the next Buddha to come to the world. The gateway from it to the north is old, with good sculpture. It has a dagoba and a Bo-tree, sapling of that at Anuradhapura.

Mahavishnu Devale

Situated opposite the gateway. Dedicated to Vishnu as the Protector of Sri Lanka (but it is a Buddhist temple, not Hindu).

Temple of the Sacred Tooth (Dalada Maligawa) Overview

Located in Kandy, an ancient religious center for Buddhism, the octagonal, golden-roofed Temple of the Sacred Tooth, built between 1687 and 1707, is a stunning sacred temple, which is believed to house the left upper canine of the Lord Buddha himself. According to legend, the tooth was taken from the Buddha as he lay on his funeral pyre and smuggled to Sri Lanka hidden in Princess Hemamali's hair, where it survived numerous attempts to capture and destroy it. Today, this famous religious relic attracts white-clad pilgrims, bearing lotus blossoms and frangipani, every day. The temple is joined to the Pattiripuwa (Octagon), built in 1803, which was originally used as a prison, but now houses a collection of palm-leaf manuscripts. There are many other attractions in this ancient city, including Natha Devale, a stone sanctuary and the oldest building in Kandy, and Mahavishnu Devale, a temple which is dedicated to Vishnu, the protector of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

Contact Addresses
For more information on the Temple of the Sacred Tooth, contact Sri Lanka Tourist Board (see Tourist Information above).

Transportation
Air: Colombo Bandaranayake International Airport. Rail: Train: Kandy Station (from Colombo). Road: Bus: Public services. Car: Colombo-Kandy road (from Colombo).

Tourist Information
Sri Lanka Tourist Board
PO Box 80, Galle Road, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka
Tel: (01) 437 059 or 437 060 or 427 055. Fax: (01) 437 953.
E-mail: tourinfo@sri.lanka.net
Website: www.srilankatourism.org

Sri Lanka Tourist Board
Clareville House, 26-27 Oxendon Street, London SW1Y 4EL, UK
Tel: (020) 7930 2627. Fax: (020) 7930 9070.
E-mail: srilankatourism@aol.com
Website: www.srilankatourism.org

Location
Sri Lanka

Kandy with its salubrious climes and the fascinating scenery’s, is a beautiful city, unique and unmatched. It was the capital of the Singhalese Kings form 1592 to 1815 when they reined supreme, fortified by the terrain of the mountains and the difficult approach. The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, popularly known as the Sri Dalda Maligawa is located in this beautiful city and was built within the royal palace complex itself which housed the Buddha's only surviving Tooth Relic, the hallowed object of veneration for the Buddhists the world over. It is needless to speak much about this city, but suffice to mention that it is a world heritage site declared by UNESCO.

This Sacred Relic has a long and unbroken history spanning over two and half millennia. When Buddha passed away, His body was cremated in a sand a I wood pyre at Kusinara in India and His left canine tooth was retrieved from the funeral pyre by Arahat Khema who handed it over to King Brahmadatte for veneration. Ever since then it became a royal possession and there grew up a belief that whoever who possessed the Sacred Tooth Relic had a divine right to rule the country. Thus there were wars to take possession of the Relic and finally when it was in the possession of King Guhasiva of Kalinga, fearing that his enemies would snatch it, he secretly sent the Sacred Tooth Relic to Sri Lanka through his daughter Princess Hemamali and her husband Danthakumara.

Having placed the Sacred Relic in a golden casket embedded with gems and after hiding it in her hair ornament, the royal couple disguised themselves as Brahamins and set sail in a ship which after facing the hazards of sea travel in those by-gone days, finally arrived in Sri Lanka when King Kirti Sri Megavanna (301- 328) was ruling this splendid island. The King was overjoyed when he heard the news and warmly welcomed the Royal Couple and received the Sacred Tooth Relic with great veneration. He built a beautiful palace within the Royal Palace Complex itself and enshrined the Relic in it. Thereafter, he ordered that and annual perahera be held in honour of the Sacred Relic. As time went on and being threatened with foreign invasions, the Kingdom was shifted from Anuradhapura to polonnaruwa and thereafter to Dambadernya and other cities. With every change of capital, a new palace was built to enshrine the Relic. Finally, it was brought to Andy where it is at present. During the annals of its long history, the Sacred Tooth Relic came to be regarded as a symbolic representation of the living Buddha and it is on this basis that there grew up a series of offerings, rituals and ceremonies. These are conducted under the supervision of the two Mahanayake Theros of Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters and the Diyawadana Nilame of the Maligawa. They have a hierarchy of officials and temple functionaries to perform these services and rituals.

There is daily in the inner chamber a ritual worship conducted by the monks of the two chapters of Malwatte and Asgiriya undertaken in rotation annually. They conduct these services thrice a day, at dawn, at noon and in the evening.

On every Wednesday, there is a symbolic bathing of the Sacred Relic with a herbal preparation made form scented water and flagrant flowers, called Nanumura Mangallaya. This holy water is believed to contain healing powers and is distributed among those present.

Ceremonies

There are special religious programs conducted in the Maligawa on every Full Moon Poya day where large numbers participate. Apart from these daily, weekly and monthly ceremonies, there are four major ceremonies held every year. They are;

(a) Aluth Sahal Mangailaya;
(b) Avurudu Mangallaya;
(c) AsalaMa ngallaya; and
(d) Karthika Mangallaya.

Of these the most important is the Asala Mangallaya. Asala, according to the Sinhalese Calendar, is the month of July/ August This is the months in which Kandy gets into a festive mood. Shop-keepers and hoteliers pile up their stock to cater to the massive crowds that throng the city. Maligawa and its premises are gaily decorated and are illuminated with strings of lights, including the esplanade.

These lights burn throughout the night. A few days before the Perahera, A Kapa, a sapling from a tree that sheds milky juice is erected in each of the four
Devales. On the 5th day, The Kumbal Perahera begins and goes on for 10 consecutive nights when the sacred relic casket is taken round the streets of Kandy accompanied by exotically costumed dancers and drummers.

These dance forms vary. The most popular dance froms are the Ves, Udekki, Pantheru, Naiyandi, Hewisi, Savang and Leekeli and the dancers with years of experience reveal their dexterity in the performance of their respective dances.

The most colorful Perahera is last Randoli Perahera which falls on the Asala Full Moon Poya day. On this day, at the auspicious time the Perahera starts. The Diyawadana Nilame in full traditional Kandyan dress will enter the inner chamber to receive the Perahera Karanduwa containing the Buddha Relics. The Mahanayake Thero will place the relics casket on the velvet cloth clonintricately embroidered with gold and silver, held by both hands by the Nilame. As he steps out of the chamber bearing the relics casket, the crowd with one heart and one voice starts chanting sadhu, sadhu, sadhu and the chorus will go on while the mini perahera begins. A red and yellow floor spread (pavada) embroidered with appliqués of different hues is laid before him, and two Temple functionaries will start strewing jasmine flowers on it while the Diyawadana Nilame, carrying the casket, will slowly tread over the pavada. In front of him two hand torches are held by bearers while the kavikaramaduwa sing songs in praise of the Dalada. The Nilame walks past the udamale and begin to descend the wooden staircase and go past the digge and ambarawa and, finally arrives the place where the tusker is waiting to carry the casket.

The casket containing the Buddha Relics is always carried by a tusker decorated with a is magnificent dress embedded with colored bulbs and generally looks more colorful then the other caparisoned elephants numbering over 75 who take part in the Perahera. The decorated “Ransivige” is placed on the back of this tusker and the relics casket is placed inside it on, a velvet cushion, by the Nilame. After the Nilame and the Mahanayake Thero strew jasmine flowers on the casket the tusker arrives at the wahalkada followed by the Nilame.

The Perahera proper begins as the canon booms. Leading the n Perahera is the band of whip crackers who crack their whips in rhythmic pattern announcing it that the Perahera is on. Immediately following are two o flag bearers carrying the two flags of the Sathara Korale (known as Ira Kodiya) embossed with the symbols of the sun and the moon indicating the wish that this Perahera be held until the sun and the moon last. Next comes the peramunerala, attired in the traditional white dress and riding a caparisoned elephant and carrying the sannasa, the royal charter to hold the Perahera. Following him is the Gajanayake, A the Maligawa official in charge of the elephants, elegantly dressed in traditional Kandyan dress carrying the “ankusaya” the instrument by which elephants are controlled.

The crowd is impatiently waiting to get a glimpse of the tusker carrying the relics casket. It's a wonderful sight to see the tusker r dressed in a decorated costume and brilliantly illuminated bearing the “Ransivige” in which the Perahera Karandawa rests on n velvet cushion, with garlands of jasmine flowers hanging dangling above it and strings of lights flickering all the time, tread over the pavada in easured steps under the canopy held over the ransivie by 16 able bodied men with poles and strings. As the karanduwa passes by, the crowd, stand up and with their hands clasped together chanting sadhu, sadhu, sadhu thereby paying their homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic.

The focus of the crowd then moves towards the Diyawadana Nilarne who, attired in his traditional Kandyan constume, slowly walks by under a large e embroidered umbrella held by a Vidane of the Maligawa and e flanked by two troupes of “Ves” dancers whose performance is a lovely sight to see.

Over 75 caparisoned elephants, 1000s of dancers and drummers, hundreds of flag bearers and torchbearers take part in each of the Peraheras. The Maligawa Perahera is followed by the Devala Peraheras in the order of Natha, Vishnu, Kataragama and Pattini under the direction of the respective Basnayake Nilames, who in their traditional Kandy an costumes, take part in the Perahera.

After the day perahera, it is e customary for the Diyawadana Nilame and the Basnayake Nilames of the four devalas to report to Her Excellency the President that the Perahera was satisfactorily Conducted.

As the Perahera draws to an end, the onlooker is apt to conclude that it is nothing but sheer ingenuity of the Bliddhists from ancient times to have organized the country's talents in arts and g crafts including drumming and dancing into a cultural pageant of such magnitude and offer it to the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord
Buddha as a form of veneration.