Tooth Temple (Dalada Maligawa) – Kandy
The Sacred Tooth Relic, which is housed at the Dalada Maligava in Kandy , is the most precious and venerated object for Buddhist in Sri Lanka . It is treated with the same reverence and dignity as a living Buddha.
The Tooth is believed to be a left incisor of the Buddha. It is said that Khema Thera retrieved this relic from the Buddha’s funeral pyre and handed it over to King Bambadath of Dantha, Kalinga. It continued to be honoured and venerated under the many kings that followed. During the era of King Guhaseeva, a king of neighboring city waged war to claim ownership of the relic. Guhaseeva, who was fearful of the Sacred Tooth Relic falling in to enemy hands, instructed his daughter Princess Hemamala and her husband Price Dantha to smuggle it to Sri Lanka . So the relic arrived in Sri Lanka hidden inside the Princess’ hair and was handed over to Bhikku residing at Meghagiri Vihara. The Bhikku informed then the king of Anuradhapura , Krithisena Mevan of it , and the king received the Tooth Relic with much pomp and pageantry and built special premises to house it.
It remained in Anuradhapura for over 700 years and removed to Polonnaruwa when the kindom saw a foreign invasion. The relic was moved each time a new kingdom was established and special premises were built to accommodate it. It moved from Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa and thereafter to Dmbadeniya, Kurunegala, Gampola, Sri Jayawardenapura and Kotte before making its way to Kandy .
The present Temple was of the Tooth in Kandy was constructed by King Wimaladharmasuriya I and was renovated by Wimaladharmasuriya II.
The inner palace was created by King Kreethi Sri Rajasinha who carried out special Dalada Poojas without a break and also introduced the Dalada Maligawa Perehara to the annual Kandy Perehara.
He protected it during Dutch invasions too. The Tooth Relic was under King Sri Wickrema Rajasinha when the British invaded and was removed to various safe places outside the main city for protection.
It is said that Wariyapola Sri Sumangala Thera kept the relic hidden in his robes to protect it from foreign invaders. The British, hearing of this, arrested the Thera and took the relic under their wing.
When they finally took over Sri Lanka on March 2, 1815, the Sacred Tooth Relic was brought back to Kandy and was reinstalled at the Dalada Maligawa with full honours on April 25, 1815.
After Sri Lanka regained independence, the Tooth Relic was put under the charge of the Malwatte and Asiri Theras and the Diyawadane Nilame.
The Sacred Tooth Relic is now placed under seven protective golden caskets.It is brought out only during special public viewings held once every couple of years. Ever since the sacred Tooth Relic arrived in Sri Lanka, it had been afforded pried of place by the country’s rulers and there have always been strong links between the rulers and those in charge of the Dalada Maligawa.
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