Sri Lanka, the so-called Pearl of the Indian Ocean, is a country that’s been predominantly Buddhist for thousands of years. Due to this reason, there are many spectacular ancient Buddhist sites scattered across the country and each is a wonderful representation of Sri Lanka’s impressive architecture, culture, skill, and devotion. Of the many you find here during your travels here, there is none other so iconic as the magnificent Temple of the Tooth in Kandy.
Nestled between the central mountains of Sri Lanka, Kandy is a wondrous city that’s situated about 3 to four hour’s away from the commercial capital of Colombo where the Bandaranaike International Airport is. Because of the long drive and the abundance of things to do and see here, many travellers prefer to stay over at a conveniently located hotel in Kandy the likes of the Oak Ray Regency; so that they can explore in comfort and ease.
Once you’ve settled down in Kandy, you really need to visit this majestic structure and you are required to do dressed in only ‘decent clothing’ avoiding any shorts or sleeveless clothes. Also, you can only enter the temple grounds in barefoot.
The Temple of the Tooth is thus named because it houses the sacred tooth relic of the Gautama Buddha. Since of ancient times, this relic has not just been the subject of devotion but it’s also of great political importance as it is believed that whoever holds the relic, holds rule over Kandy. Due to this the relic was secretly smuggled into the country hidden in the hair of an Indian princess! After many battles, and disappearance the sacred tooth relic was housed within this spectacular temple complex by the King Vimaladharmasooriya 1st in 1592 AD. today when you pay visit here, you can see the impressive golden casket which enshrines the tooth relic. Every year during the months of July and August, this casket is taken out of the temple and paraded around Kandy is a truly amazing procession known as the Dalada Maligawa.
So, if you are in Sri Lanka, make sure to visit Kandy and its iconic Temple of the Tooth or Dalada Maligawa as it is called in Sinhalese. The temple consists of stunning ancient Sinhalese architecture and a wondrous array of Buddhist murals.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, Joanna James ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought. Her interests include Politics, law and Philosophy. Google+