“Kandy's golden-roofed temple guards a tooth of the Buddha so revered that, for centuries, whoever possessed the relic was believed to hold the right to rule Sri Lanka.”
About Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
By tradition the tooth relic was smuggled into Sri Lanka in the fourth century CE, hidden in a princess's hair, and from then on it travelled with the seat of power, each capital building a temple to house it. It came to rest in Kandy, capital of the last Sinhalese kingdom to resist colonial conquest, where the present temple complex grew within the royal palace. The temple and the sacred city of Kandy are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The relic survived colonial upheaval and, more recently, a 1998 bombing that damaged the building, after which it was restored, and it remains the spiritual and political symbol of Buddhist Sri Lanka.
Overview The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, the Sri Dalada Maligawa, stands by the lake in Kandy and houses what is venerated as a tooth of the Buddha himself. For Sri Lankan Buddhists it is the holiest place in the country, and historically the relic carried such political weight that whoever held it was seen as holding the right to rule the island.
Overview The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, the Sri Dalada Maligawa, stands by the lake in Kandy and houses what is venerated as a tooth of the Buddha himself.
The Relic and Its Rituals The tooth is kept within a series of nested golden caskets in an inner shrine and is never displayed openly. Three times a day, drummers and pilgrims gather for the puja ceremonies, when the doors of the inner shrine are opened and offerings of lotus flowers pile up on the tables outside.
The Esala Perahera Once a year the relic's casket is paraded through Kandy in the Esala Perahera, a spectacular night procession of richly costumed elephants, dancers, drummers and fire-twirlers, one of Asia's great religious festivals.
A Royal Setting The temple sits within the old royal palace complex of the Kingdom of Kandy, the last independent Sinhalese kingdom, and forms part of the sacred city of Kandy.
A Royal Setting The temple sits within the old royal palace complex of the Kingdom of Kandy, the last independent Sinhalese kingdom, and forms part of the sacred city of Kandy.
The Experience
Timing a visit to one of the daily puja ceremonies transforms it: drumming echoes through the complex, the inner shrine opens, and a slow line of pilgrims files past with lotus offerings. Even outside the ceremonies, the painted halls, the scent of flowers and the reverence of the crowds are absorbing. If your visit coincides with the Esala Perahera, the night processions of caparisoned elephants and dancers are unforgettable, though the city is at its most crowded.
Why It Matters
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is the holiest Buddhist site in Sri Lanka and the centrepiece of the sacred city of Kandy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, historically tied to the very legitimacy of the island's rulers.
Why Visit
It is the spiritual heart of Sri Lankan Buddhism, alive with daily ritual and set in the last royal capital. Time your visit for a puja ceremony, dress modestly with covered shoulders and knees, and aim for the Esala Perahera if your dates align.
✦ Insider Tips
- 1
Time your visit for one of the three daily puja ceremonies, when the inner shrine opens.
- 2
Dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered, and remove shoes at the entrance.
- 3
If you can, visit during the Esala Perahera for the great night procession of elephants.
- 4
Expect security checks; the temple was bombed in 1998 and screening is thorough.
- 5
Combine it with a walk around Kandy Lake and the surrounding sacred-city sites.
