Temple of the Tooth

If you are a Buddhist, you don’t go to Kandy to see the dancing, but Sri Dalada Maligawa – the Temple of the Tooth. Buddhists believe that one of Buddha’s teeth was taken from his funeral pyre and smuggled into Sri Lanka in the hair of a princess. From the time of its arrival in the 4th century, the tooth was placed in a series of nested and jeweled reliquaries and displayed on special occasions. Since Sri Lankan kings believed that whoever held the relic would be the true governor of the country, they moved it with them from capital to capital as the centuries passed. The Tooth reached its permanent home in Kandy -- the last capital of the Kings --in the 17th century. The old wooden temple, severely damaged during the colonial wars against the Portuguese and Dutch, was rebuilt in stone afterwards. This is the temple that Buddhist pilgrims – and Western tourists – visit today.



To my surprise, we had to go through security outside the Temple – not only opening our bags but being patted down by security agents. This was because some Tamil Tigers had placed bombs here twelve years ago, damaging the façade and the roof. These have since been rebuilt but the security remains. The agent inspected my bag and patted me down quite seriously, but I was amused that she also took time to admire my Sri Lankan necklace.



Perhaps a sign that peace has come after the long civil war.
After we took off our shoes, the crowd of tourists and pilgrims flowed into the temple. Evening is one of the three times daily worship services take place and it's a favorite time to visit.
Drums and lights add to the spectacle for the tourists, though I imagine the tourists detract from the experience of the pilgrims who come at the same time.



We made our way through several corridors richly decorated with the story of the Tooth’s arrival in Sri Lanka, and rooms containing Buddhist relics and holy books



until we reached the reliquary itself which is shown to the faithful (and the tourists) during the worship period.



Pilgrims and tourists who have made reservations, sometimes months in advance, can get a better view.



After visiting a few more rooms in the temple, it was time to leave.



Our walk back to the car was peaceful compared to the hustle and bustle inside.



A last goodbye to Buddha and it was back to the hotel to rest before the next day’s adventures.