The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic or Sri Dalada Maligawa,[a] (Sinhala: ශ්‍රී දළදා මාළිගාව) is a Buddhist temple in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, which houses the relic of the tooth of the Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. The relic was historically held by Sinhalese kings. The temple of the tooth is a World Heritage Site mainly due to the temple and the relic.

Bhikkhus of the two particular chapters, the Malwathu chapters and Asgiri chapters, conduct daily worship in the inner chamber of the temple. Rituals are performed three times daily: at dawn, at noon and in the evenings. On Wednesdays, there is a symbolic bathing of the relic with a herbal preparation made from scented water and fragrant flowers called Nanumura Mangallaya; this holy water is believed to contain healing powers and is distributed to those present.

The temple sustained damage from bombings by Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna in 1989, and by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in 1998. However, it was fully restored each time.

History

Main article: Relic of the tooth of the Buddha

Wall painting at Kelaniya Temple of Princess Hemamali and her husband, Prince Dantha which she carried Gautama Buddha's tooth relic hidden in her hair to Sri Lanka. - Painting by Solias Mendis

After the Maha parinirvana of Gautama Buddha, according to the legend, the tooth relic was preserved in Kalinga and smuggled to the island by Princess Hemamali and her husband, Prince Dantha on the instructions of her father King Guhasiva.[1] Hemmamali hid the relic in her hair on the way to the island. They landed on the island in Lankapattana during the reign of Sirimeghavanna of Anuradhapura (301-328) and handed over the tooth relic. The king enshrined it in Meghagiri Vihara (present day Isurumuniya) in Anuradhapura. Safeguarding the relic was the responsibility of the monarch from then, therefore over the years, the custodianship of relic came to symbolize the right to rule the island. Therefore, reigning monarchs built the tooth relic temples quite close to their royal residences, as was the case during the times of the Anuradhapura Kingdom, Kingdom of Polonnaruwa, and Kingdom of Dambadeniya. During the era of the Kingdom of Gampola, the relic was housed in Niyamgampaya Vihara. It is reported in the messenger poems such as Hamsa, Gira, and Selalihini that the temple of tooth relic was situated within the city of Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte when the Kingdom of Kotte was established there.[1][2]

Paththirippuwa

During the reign of Dharmapala of Kotte, the relic was moved and was hidden in Delgamuwa Vihara, Ratnapura, in a grinding stone.[1] It was brought to Kandy by Hiripitiye Diyawadana Rala and Devanagala Rathnalankara Thera. King Vimaladharmasuriya I built a two-storey building to deposit the tooth relic and the building is now gone.[3] In 1603 when the Portuguese kingdom invaded Kandy, it was carried to Meda Mahanuwara in Dumbara. It was recovered in the time of Rajasinha II and it has been reported that he reinstated the original building or built a new temple.[1] The present-day temple of the tooth was built by Vira Narendra Sinha.[4] The octagonal Paththirippuwa and moat were added during the reign of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha. The royal architect Devendra Moolacharya is credited with building the Paththirippuwa. Originally it was used by the king for recreational activities and later it was offered to the tooth relic, it now houses the temple's library.

Attacks on the building

Main article: 1998 Temple of the Tooth attack

The temple was attacked in 1989 by the militant organisation Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP); it had the intention of capturing the relic.[5] And in 1998 by the militant organisation Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE); this attack damaged the front side of the royal palace.

Architecture

Inside the Temple of the Tooth

The brick wall which runs along the moat and the Bogambara lake is known as the water waves wall.[4] Holes in this wall are built to light coconut oil lamps. The main entrance gate which lies over the moat is called Mahawahalkada. At the foot of Mahawahalkada steps, there is a Sandakada pahana (moonstone) which is carved in Kandyan architectural style. Mahawahalkada was totally destroyed in a 1998 bomb blast and rebuilt afterwards along with Sandakada pahana other stone carvings.[6] Elephants are depicted in stone on either side of the entrance. A Makara Torana and two guardian stones are placed on top of the staircase. TheHewisi drummers' chamber is situated in front of the main shrine. The two storeys of the main shrine are known as "Palle malaya" (lower floor) and "Udu malaya" (upper floor) or "Weda hitina maligawa".[7] The doors of the Weda Hitana Maligawa are Ivory carvings. The actual chamber in which the tooth relic is kept is known as the "Handun kunama".

The golden canopy over the main shrine

The golden canopy over the main shrine and the golden fence which encircles the temple complex, was built in 1987 by then Prime Minister, Ranasinghe Premadasa.[8] The tooth relic is encased in seven golden caskets which are engraved with precious gemstones.[9] The casket represent a stupa; the procession casket which is used during the Kandy Esala Perahera is also displayed in the same chamber.

Associated buildings and structures

Royal Palace

Main article: Royal Palace of Kandy

Vimaladharmasuriya I of Kandy built the Royal Palace of Kandy

The royal palace is situated to the north of the temple.[10] John Pybus, who was on an embassy in 1762, gives a detailed description of the royal palace.[11] Vikramabahu III of Gampola (r. 1356-1374) and Sena Sammatha Wickramabahu of Kandy (r. 1469-1511) built royal palaces on this site. Vimaladharmasuriya I of Kandy undertook various decorations to the palace. The Dutch orientalist Philippus Baldaeus visited the palace with General Gerard Pietersz Hulft in 1656. The royal residence was known as "Maha Wasala" in Sinhalese starting in the Polonnaruwa period. The royal palace is also known as "Maligawa"[b] (Palace). There were three Wahalkadas and an 8 feet (2.4 m) high wall used as main entrances. The section of the palace facing the Natha Devale is said to be the oldest. During the beginning of the British period, it was used by the government agent Sir John D'Oyly, 1st Baronet, of Kandy.[10] Successors of D'Oyly have continued to use it as their official residence. Today it is preserved as an archaeological museum. Ulpen Ge and Queens Palace are the associated buildings of the palace.

Audience hall

Audience hall seen here from the northern façade of the temple

The audience hall or magul maduwa is where the Kandyan kings held their court.[12] It was completed during the reign of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha.[13] The carvings of the wooden pillars which support the wooden roof are an example of wood carving of the Kandyan period. Sri Rajadhi Rajasinha of Kandy built it in 1783. The hall was renovated for the reception of arrival of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales in 1872. Originally the hall was 58 by 35.6 feet (17.7 m × 10.9 m); after renovation, its length was extended by an additional 31.6 feet (9.6 m).[14] Other nearby buildings to the halls believed to be demolished during the British rule. The audience hall was the venue where the Kandyan Convention was drawn up, it was where the convention was read out to the people and where the conference, about the convention, was held on 2 March 1815. That space was later used to erect the Kandy Kachcheri and Kandy Supreme Court. Today it is used for state ceremonies and conserved under the department of archaeology.

Mahamaluwa

Mahamaluwa is public who came to see the annual Esala perahera.[6] Today it contains a statue of Madduma Bandara. The memorial which contains the skull of Keppetipola Disawe is another attraction. The statue of Princess Hemamali and Prince Dantha are also located here.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya are about 5.5 km to the west of the city of Kandy in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. In 2016, the garden was visited by 1.2 million locals and 400,000 foreign visitors.[1] It is near the Mahaweli River (The longest river in Sri Lanka).[2] It is renowned for its collection of orchids. The garden includes more than 4000 species of plants, including orchids, spices, medicinal plants and palm trees.[3] Attached to it is the "National Herbarium of Sri Lanka". The total area of the botanical garden is 147 acres (0.59 km2), at 460 meters above sea level, and with a 200-day annual rainfall. It is managed by the Department of national botanic gardens.

History

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The origins of the Botanic Gardens date as far back as 1371 when King Wickramabahu III ascended the throne and kept court at Peradeniya near the Mahaweli river. This was followed by King Kirti Sri and King Rajadhi Rajasinghe. A temple was built on this location by King Wimala Dharma, but it was destroyed by the British when they were given control over the Kingdom of Kandy.[citation needed]

Thereafter, the groundwork for a botanical garden was formed by Alexandar Moon in 1821. He used the garden for coffee and cinnamon plants.[4] The Botanical Garden at Peradeniya was formally established in 1843 with plants brought from Kew Garden, Slave Island, Colombo, and the Kalutara Garden in Kalutara. The Royal Botanic Garden, Peradeniya was made more independent and expanded under George Gardner as superintendent in 1844. On Gardner's death in 1849 George Henry Kendrick Thwaites became superintendent. He served until he resigned in 1879, when he was succeeded by Henry Trimen, who served until 1895.[5][6]

The garden came under the administration of the Department of Agriculture when it was established in 1912.

There are avenues in the River Drive such as Cook's Pine Avenue, Palmyra Palm Avenue, Double Coconut Avenue, Cabbage Palm Avenue, and Royal Palm Avenue.[7] The classical Avenue of Palms is in this Garden. One item with a significant history is the Cannonball Tree planted by King George V of the United Kingdom and Queen Mary in 1901. It is often laden with fruit, which are thought to resemble cannonballs.

During World War II, the Botanic Garden was used by Lord Louis Mountbatten, the supreme commander of the allied forces in the South Asia, as the headquarters of the South East Asia Command.

The gardens were used as a location in the 1957 film The Bridge on the River Kwai.

Ambuluwawa is a biodiversity complex and Sri Lanka’s first multi-religious sanctuary situated in the central highlands of the country. The Ambuluwawa Trigonometrical Station, in Gampola, consists of large winding tower resembling a stylized Buddhist stupa, a Hindu kovil, a Muslim mosque and a Christian Church. It is situated about 5 km from Gampola’s town centre.

Ambuluwawa Tower

Reaching the top of Ambuluwawa one can experience the most amazing views which could sometimes be covered by the ongoing mist. However, once the mist clears off the view can be scary and freak out climbers, especially those who have a fear of heights. Do note that hiking Ambuluwawa is not at all dangerous or risky, but it would not be the ideal kind of adventure for those with a fear of heights. Avoid leaning on the railing to capture photographs especially at the top as this is extremely risky and one could easily slip off from here. Ambuluwawa is a relatively easy hike to do which gives you 360 degree views of the surrounding mountains, forests, rivers and towns.

It is an area richly diverse, with evergreen forests, blossomed flower plants as well creepers and about 200 different kinds of plants from 80 plant families including a variety of medicinal plants. Ambuluwawa is surrounded by many mountains including Piduruthalagala from the East, Bible Rock (Bathalegala) from the West, Sri Pada (Adam’s Peak) from the South and Knuckles Mountain Range from the North. Apart from these mountains many other mountains are also clearly visible from here and adds to the beauty of the area. These are the Hanthana Mountain Range, Hunnasigiri Mountain and mountain ranges associated with Algalla and Kadugannawa. There is a cool mountain breeze in the area due to this reason.

Sri Maha Bodhi Viharaya[1] is a Theravada Buddhist temple in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in Bahirawakanda, approximately 2 km (1.2 mi) from the city centre. The temple is known for its giant Buddha statue. The statue of Buddha is depicted in the position of the Dhyana Mudra, the posture of meditation associated with his first Enlightenment, and can be seen from almost everywhere in Kandy. It stands at 26.83 m (88.0 ft) high and is one of the tallest Buddha statues in Sri Lanka.

The temple is built on land donated by the Minister of Lands, Hector Kobbekaduwa, to Ven. Ampitiye Dammarama Thero, a monk from the Amarapura Nikaya in the early 1970s. Initially Dammarama lived in a makeshift dwelling whilst soliciting funds for the construction of the temple. The temple was opposed by the senior monks of the Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic), claiming it would overshadow the centre of the Siyam Nikaya. In the 1980s a chief monk of the Amarapura Nikaya, Hinatiyana Dhammaloka, successfully petitioned President Ranasinghe Premadasa to intervene and legally grant the land to Dammarama.

In the late 1980s Dammarama began to build a statue of Buddha, with construction of the statue completed in 1992. It was officially opened on 1 January 1993 by President Ranasinghe Premadasa.[2] It is now a popular tourist attraction.

British Garrison Cemetery (also known as the Kandy Garrison Cemetery) is a British cemetery in Kandy, Sri Lanka, for British nationals who died in Ceylon. It was established in 1817 just after British captured the Kandy[1] and closed in 1873 due to a ban on burials within the municipal limits, although special provision was given to allow the burial of relatives of those interred in the cemetery, with last person buried there being Annie Fritz in 1951.[2] The cemetery contains 195 graves of men, women and children. The most common causes of death were tropical diseases such as malaria and cholera.

The cemetery was restored in 1998 using financial contributions from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and is currently maintained by a group called 'The Friends of the British Garrison Cemetery in Kandy'.[3] The cemetery is located within the land of the Sri Dalada Maligawa, the cemetery is maintained by the British while the Diyawadana Nilame and the Chief Prelates maintain the land.[4]

On 22 July 2011 it was declared as an Archaeological Protected Monument by the government.[5]

Prince Charles made a visit to the graves in November 2013.[4]

Notable graves

Sir John D’Oyly (1774–1824), a British colonial administrator and responsible for drafting the Kandyan Convention of 1815, which resulted in the British takeover of the Kandyan Kingdom.

Lady Elizabeth Gregory (1817–1873), the first wife of William Henry Gregory, Governor of Ceylon (1872–1877).

John Spottiswood Robertson (1823–1856), the seventh and last recorded death of a European in Ceylon killed by wild elephants.

William Robert Lyte (1846–1865), grandson of the Rev. Henry Francis Lyte, author of the hymn "Abide with Me"

Hiking Ella Rock is definitely for slightly more experienced hikers or at least for the more adventurous as the whole hike takes about four 4 hours. Ella Rock can be reached from the main town of Ella. 

Getting to the Peak

On your hike you will walk past tea estates, railway lines, a small eucalyptus forest till you finally make it to the cleared summit, where you can enjoy the stunning views. From the top, you will get a panoramic view of Ella Gap and Little Adam’s Peak, as well as Ella town. When visiting Sri Lanka, you must watch the sunrise from a mountain top at least once and there is no better place than from Ella Rock. Hike in the wee hours of the morning to watch the sunrise from the summit. It is an indescribable feeling watching the sky change colour from a deep purple to a pinkish-orange, especially for early birds as they catch the sunrise from the peaks – a recommended experience for those in Ella. 

Important Tips

The hike to the summit of Ella Rock is fairly difficult. Hikers are advised to wear appropriate footwear due to the uneven terrain in reaching the top. Pack snacks and water to keep you energized and refreshed during the entire hike. Comfortable clothing is advised, however, do pack a light jacket or scarf as it can get quite cold at the top.

If you love living green, then Ella is obviously a place to visit. Ella Rock is one of the place which proves it.

Trekkers would love the place. It’s bit tiring to do the hiking. But it is definitely worth it. Once you got to the summit you will realize why we said so. The panoramic views it provides with mist and cloud covering the area, especially in the early mornings and the late evenings are something you should witness and that would suffice enough to say that you visited Ella.

Total time for climbing up and down is 4 hours. Yes, sounds like a long journey. But the way up there is with full of diversity. If you are starting form Ella train station, you would enjoy the rail walk, and soon as you started climbing up, you will be passing a waterfall, the rubber tree forest and tea plantations.

On a rainy day, it can be slippery, so better be cautious with what you wear for the journey. Wear something suitable for a hiking and towards the end of the hike, route will get bit harder with the steep, still manageable.

The Kandy War Cemetery, formerly known as the Pitakande Military Cemetery, is a British military cemetery in Kandy, Sri Lanka, for soldiers of the British Empire who were killed during World War II as well as a soldier who died during World War I.[1]

There are 203 buried consisting of: 107 British, 35 East Africans, 26 Sri Lankans, 23 Indians, 6 Canadians, 3 Italians, 1 Frenchman and 2 unidentified persons,[2] Of the 203 dead, 151 were army, 32 were air force, 16 were navy, 2 were unidentified, 1 was merchant navy and 1 was from the national fire service.

The Ceylon Tea Museum is located in the former Hanthana Tea Factory,[1] which was originally constructed in 1925. It is situated 3 km (1.9 mi) south of Kandy.

Hanthana was one of the first successful areas to cultivate tea following the failure of coffee production on the island. In 1959 the Tea Research Institute of Ceylon established a sub station on land leased from the Hanthana Estate, similar to the Passara sub station established in the 1920s. The Hanthana Station was set up to cater to the needs of mid-country tea plantations with regard to the physiology, entomology of tea and in particular the identification of drought resistant clones and the insect pest shot-hole borer.[2]

The Ceylon Tea Museum was incorporated on 9 January 1998, under Section 21 of the Companies Act of 1982, in a move initiated by Clifford Ratwatte (Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tea Board). The museum was formally opened on 1 December 2001.[2]

The four storey tea factory had been abandoned for more than a decade before it was refurbished in 2001 by the Sri Lanka Tea Board and the Planters’ Association of Sri Lanka.[3] The museum contains exhibits on tea pioneers, including James Taylor[4] and Thomas Lipton, as well as much vintage tea-processing paraphernalia. The ground floor houses 19th century colonial generators, rollers, dryers, fermentation tables, sorting machines, etc. The second floor houses the library and museum. The third floor has a shop whilst the top floor contains a restaurant and tea rooms.

One of the best ways to understand the local pop culture is by looking at the film industry of a particular country, and the part of Sri Lanka’s popular culture can be seen in the Ranminithenna Tele-Cinema Village. The village has been a production site for many local TV series and movies. What makes this village a unique production sight is due to the many structures within it. Most of the structures are built to resemble colonial Bombay, as it was used to film the Bollywood hit, Bombay Velvet. Some of the structures and props were used in filming ‘Yasodhara’, which gained critical acclaim locally and internationally.

Home to Uncanny Replicas of Iconic Landmarks

Apart from the structures that resemble colonial Bombay, the village also comprises some other interesting sets that resemble some iconic attractions elsewhere in the island. Such buildings are the Cargills Millers building, the Queen’s Hotel in Kandy, and even the Nippon Hotel in Colombo. Although still in its development phase, the tele-cinema village is quickly becoming a place for many local filmmakers to make a name for themselves, as the production set has all the facilities. Any visitor who comes to this village is guaranteed to gain valuable knowledge on how the local film industry operates, how it has developed over the years, and how it might be in the very near future.

Riverston is a windbreak. It's a bit windy to climb this mountain. The climate here is similar to that of the Horton Plains. Here we have several places to visit. You can also see two beautiful waterfalls like Riverstone, Pitawala Pathana, Sera Falls and Bambarakiri Falls. Cold weather can reduce fatigue somewhat.

The white gentlemen who ruled Ceylon at that time named this area "re western" again because the climate of the area is similar to that of the western countries. Over time, this mountainous area, now known as Riverstone, has become a popular tourist destination.

Route: Matale - About 30km from Matale on the Girandurukotte road, you can reach Riverstone via Rattota.

Knuckles Reserve, located at 1265m above sea level, consists of three main sections of Riverstone.

Riverstone Gorge

Mountains

As the outside falls

There are two climates on either side of the mountain, the Pitawala Fall Dry Zone. Grass plants are abundant here. Waterfalls such as Sera Falls, Dust Falls and Bambarakiri Falls can be seen here. The climate of Riverstone is similar to that of Horton Plains, just as Horton Plains is the end of the world, and Riverstone is the end of the world.