Written on November 15, 2010 at 7:41 PM by Lasith

Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa)

Filed under Kandyan & Colonial era (post-1500), Religion {one comment}

Location: Kandy, Central Province
Date of visit: 31st October 2010

The Temple of the Tooth, or Sri Dalada Maligawa (Maligawa) in Sinhalese, is the most venerated Buddhist site in Sri Lanka and is said to house a tooth relic of the Lord Buddha. The original structure of today’s Maligawa was built by King Vira Narendra Sinha in the early 1700′s and has since had several additions by subsequent kings, such as the prominent octagonal Patthirippuwa added by Sri Wickrema Rajasinghe, the last Kandyan Monarch. The Patthirippuwa and the front facade of the Maligawa was severely damaged by an LTTE terrorist bomb attack in 1998. Restoration projects supported through generous donations from the Japanese and Thai governments have since helped restore the Maligawa compound to its original state.

Parinirvana of Buddha

Legend has it that after the Buddha’s Parinirvāṇa (Sanskrit, meaning the death of the earthly body and attainment of Nirvana) sometime between 485 and 481 BC his remains were cremated in Kusinara, India (today called Kushinagar). All the Buddha’s ashes, except remains of his four canine teeth, were scattered in several directions while the canines are said to have been enshrined and worshiped since. The right canine is said to be in the heavenly domain of the king of gods, while another was with the King of Gandhara in what is modern day Pakistan. The third was taken away by the Nāga (a class of deities) and worshiped by them in a golden shrine room. The fourth, a left canine, was removed from the funeral pyre by one of the Buddha’s disciples, Arahat Khema.

Arahat Khema took the Buddha’s Tooth Relic to the King Brahmandatte who first protected it in his city Dantapuri (today known as Puri in Orissa, India). Over the years it was believed that whoever possessed the relic had the divine right to rule the lands, and thus gave cause to several wars fought over its possession. About eight hundred years later in the 4th century AD, King Guhaseeva was custodian of the tooth relic and when on the verge of defeat by a large army sent it with his daughter Hemamala for safe refuge in the island of Lanka.

The Sacred Tooth Relic in Sri Lanka

Travelers from India: Princess Hemamala and Dantakumaara

Accompanied by her husband, Dantakumaara (Danta), Princess Hemamala arrived to Sri Lanka with the tooth relic hidden in her hair ornament. To further avoid enemy discovery, they came under guise as traveling Brahmins and were warmly received by the Lankan King Kirti Sri Megavanna who was ruling in Anuradhapura. Overjoyed at the gift he received, the king built a shrine to house the tooth relic right within the grounds of the royal palace and ordered an annual Perahera or parade be held in its honor. A statue of the two travelers, Princess Hemamala and Danta, can been seen on the Maligawa grounds.

Unfortunately, the Sacred Relic did not escape conflict in Lanka. Over the centuries, war caused the Sri Lankan capital and the home of the Sacred Tooth to be moved from Anuradhapura to several other cities before reaching its current resting place in Kandy. It is rumored that during this period several replicas were made to protect the Sacred Relic from theft. In 1560, the Portuguese claimed to have captured it in a temple at Jaffna. However, Jaffna was an outlying port away from the strongholds of Sinhalese kings and the relic found by the Portuguese is said to be one of these duplicates. For a few decades during British occupancy, the Tooth Relic remained in custody of the British Government. However it was returned to the Sinhalese people in 1853 under the charge of the Diyawadana Nilame (lay custodian) and the chief monks of Malwatte and Asgiriya monasteries in Kandy.

Daily Offering of Tevava

The tradition of the Perahera started by King Kirti Sri Megavanna continues to this day during the months of July and August with an elaborate ceremony involving elephants, fire-breathers, dancers and many others. Historically the Sacred Relic used to be private property of the King and the Perahera was the only opportunity for the masses to see and venerate it. Today, although the Buddha’s Tooth Relic is housed in a closed shrine room, the public is daily offered a chance for viewing.

Each day at 9:30 am and 6:30 pm the shrine room is opened for a special Dana or offering of prayers called the Dalada Tevava where few of the public also participates. Only Sri Lankan’s along with tourists from Japan and Thailand (with special permission in advance) are allowed to view the Tooth Relic and participate in the Tevava. Sri Lankan Buddhists believe they must complete at least one pilgrimage to the temple in their lifetime.

Entrance Fee & Dress Code

The entrance fee for tourists visiting from SAARC countries is LKR 100, and alternatively LKR 500 for other foreign nationals. As with most religious sites in Sri Lanka, decent attire is expected of all visitors; below-knee length pants or skirts, shoulder covered tops and no head gear.

Four Maligawa Devales

In close vicinity to the Maligawa are four devales (Hindu temples) in homage to Hindu gods who are said to be followers of the Buddha and protectors of Sri Lanka. The oldest is the Natha Devale, built in the early 14th century and located right in front of the Maligawa within its compound. As you make your way from the Maligawa lookout for the Natha Devale’s splendid stone sculptured entry-way, called a vahalkada. Adjacent is the Pattini Devale, dedicated to the goddess of chastity. The Hindu god Vishnu is said to be the guardian of Sri Lanka and the Vishnu Devale, dedicated in his honor, is located on the opposite side of Raja Vidiya. The Fourth Kandyan Devale is the Kataragama Devale located on Kotugodelle Vidiyaand dedicated to Murugan, the god of war.

Goto main Kandy page: The Sacred City of Kandy, UNESCO World Heritage