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The Temple of the Tooth Relic

About The Sri Dalada Maligawa

The Most venerated temple in the Island of Sri Lanka for honouring the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha. The Sacred Tooth, which is Buddha has left canine brought to Sri Lanka during the reign of King Kithsiri Megawanna (301-328 B.C) by Prince Danta and Princes Hemamala from the Kingdom of Kalinga, India. Since then it was protected and kept inside a shrine in the royal palace and honoured as palladium of Kings. The possessor of the relic believed to have the right to rule the country. The relic was shifted wherever the kingdom shifted, from Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa, Dambadeniya, Yapahuwa, Kurunegala, Kotte, Gampola and finally Kandy. After the signing of the Kandyan convention in 1815 to date the Tooth Relic was under the custodian of the chief monks of the Malwatte and Asgiriya chapters and Lay custodian is the Diyawadana Nilame (designated official).

Sri Dalada Maligawa (The Temple of the Tooth relic) which today houses the Tooth Relic is a world Heritage site and a large number of local and foreign visitors visit every day.

 

Maligawa Complex

 

New Wahalakada (New Gateway)

Wahalkada or Wasalkada was and entrance (gateway) to a special premises ( eg: Palace, Temple). The Temple of the Tooth Relic had two of them, Maha (main) Wahalkada (gateway) and Nawa (New) Wahalkada( gateway). The Nawa Wahalkada has been constructed in the recent times.  Nawa Wahalkada is situated when you enter the Temple from the Centre of the Kandy city in front of the famous Queens Hotel. This gateway is constructed accordance to the Kadyan architectural features.

 

Maha Maluwa (Great Compund)

Entering through the Nawa Wahalkada, you could enter the great Compound or Maha Maluwa.This great compound has been used to fulfil three purposes.

  • As a waiting place for the common masses to submit their grievances, complaints before the King.
  • As a place of displaying local martial arts like Angampora before the King.
  • As a place of viewing the Perahara mangallaya (Perahara festival)

When you are proceeding towards the temple, you could see few statues of outstanding personalities. Naming them Rt. Hon. D S Senanayake (First Prime Minister of Independent Sri Lanka), Weera Madduma Bandara the child hero, monument of Weera Keppetipola Maha Adikaram Dissawe, who led the first fight of liberation of Sri Lanka in the 1818, Statue of Venerable Wariyapola sri Sumangala Thero, who put down the British flag which was hoisted before the scheduled time after signing the 1815 agreement, Statue of Prince Danta and Princess Hemamla who brought the sacred Tooth relic to Sri Lanka.

 

The Moon Stone ( Sandakadapahana)

Before entering the main gateway of the Tooth Temple, will find a moonstone in front of the main gateway. This moonstone is different from the ancient moonstone in Anuradhapura. This moonstone is a triangular shaped one and has removed the cattle due to Hindu influence and added to these creepers, two figures of mythical fish or Makara, two sprigs of flowers spread from the mouth of the two fish, at the middle is a lotus in full bloom. The ancient moonstone was destroyed in 25th January 1998 by bomb blast and replaced with the one lying at the main gateway.

 

 Maha Wahalkada or the main Gateway.

This is the main entrance to the Tooth Temple or Maligawa. The maha wahalkada has been built on four main columns and there are four arches in the four main directions. The either sides of the walls carved with Elephants and Mahouts. The maha wahalkada has been a common gateway to the temple of Tooth (Dalada Maligawa) and to the Royal Palace (Maha wasala).

 

The Moat

The King Sri Wickramarajasinghe built this moat running from the Dalada Maligawa up to Vishnu devalaya filled with water from the nuwarawewa (Kandy Lake)  done for the protection and beauty of the temple tooth. The outer wall of the moat  has been built to the shape floating clouds, the upper part access has been provided for keeping lighted clay lamps and the wall take the shape of the waves of the Sea.

 

Makara Thorana

Makara Thorana ( Pandal made out of a mythical fish shape) could be seen at the entrance to the Ambarawa (Tunnel) to  Dalada Maligawa main premises. A doorframe made out of stone. This doorframe is nicely decorated with figures of gatekeepers, petals of leaves and creepers, moving swans and some mythical fish. In front this pandal , a Kandyan period moonstone is visible.

 

Ambarawa (Tunnel)

Through the Makra Thorana ( Pandal) you will enter the Tunnel to the main Temple premises. The length of the tunnel 29 feet and attractively decorated with Kandyan style paintings done in the recent past. This is the entrance to the Hevisi Mandapaya (Drummers Platform).

 

Hevisi Mandapaya (Drummers Platform)

When proceeding through the Ambarawa one could reach the Hevisi Mandapaya or the drummers platform. During the Thevawa ( great offering) Hevisi Pooja or offering of Hevisi (sound of five kind of musical instruments) done here.

 

Vada Sitina Maligawa (Chamber of the Tooth Relic)

In front of the Hevisi Mandapaya is the ancient Vadasitina Maligawa (Chamber of the Tooth Relic).

It had two storeys naming upper and lower storey. In the lower storey antiques, curios and stuff carried during the Perahara ( Processon)  are kept here. This was named as “ Maha aramulada” or store room. Entering this chamber are only for the Mahasanga (Buddhist Priests) and assisting staff to the Thevava for special guests.

 

Ghandhakuti or Chamber where the Sacred Tooth Relic placed.

Ghandhakuti  the chamber or the incensed  house where the Sacred Tooth Relic has been placed. The Tooth Relic is covered by seven caskets and held under the custody of the two Mahanayake Theros  (The chief Priest of Malwatte and Asgiri Chapters)  and the Lay custodian the Diyawadana Nilame.

 

The Dagaba of the Temple of the Tooth Relic.

When ascending to the left of the Hevisi Mandapaya a small Dagaba could be seen.  Some believe that the Sacred Bowl Relic had been placed inside this Dagaba but there is another thought or most accepted view is that valuable items which was offered to the temple is kept inside this Dagaba.

 

Image House in Pallemala

This image house is attractive with the outstanding paintings in the walls and in the ceiling. There is a big Golden colour  Buddha statute and a small crystal Buddha statute place in a beautiful box or Manjusa was well known as the one used to bring the sacred tooth Relic from Delgamuwa Temple to the Dalada Maligawa. This Image house, Paththirippuwa and the Wedasitina Maligawa are open only during the Thevava (great offering) time.

 

Paththirippuwa (Octagon)

Paththirippuwa a masterpiece of the Kandyan architecture built in 1802 under the instructions of the last King of Kandyan Kingdom King Sri wickrama Rajasinghe. The name Paththirippuwa derived from Tamil language meant as the place of bending and looking down. The King used this place for four main objectives, to spend his leisure time, to watch traditional wresting called Angampora, to listen to the grievances of the common masses and to watch how the Perahara Mangallaya was organised. Paththirippuwa now used as a library, among the books written on Ola leaves are had been preserved, an ola leaves book written in the time of the  Kurunegala Kingdom containing of 1600 pages is conserved and protected here.

 

The New Shrine House.

The three story building of the Image house constructed in 1937, are placed with many Buddha statues gifted from many other countries are kept here. There are paintings around the walls and the most famous one is the painting, which depicts Buddha’s birth to present day Tooth Relic.

This hall is equipped with requirements to offer alms giving for hundred Bhikkus at once.  This shrine room is used for holding special Dhamma sermons and Pirith Chanting. Devotees can leisurely worship from here.

 

Magulmaduwa or Mahanaduwa (Royal Assembly Hall)

Famous Devendra Moolachrya who constructed the Paththirippuwa (Octagon) had constructed the Magulmaduwa or the Mahanaduwa according to the woodcarving and sculpture of the Kandyan architecture. Originally, there were 48 wooden columns with pillar caps (Pekada)

And in 1875 it was extended by the British rulers with another 16 columns which were removed from the Pallewahala (Lower Palace) and the number of columns at present is 64 in number.

This is also called as Mahanaduwa or the highest court during the Kandyan kingdom period. King used the place as his courts, to meet special guests and state officials. In 1815, the Sinhala and British agreement signed in this historic building.