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    Temple of the Tooth [Sri Dalada Maligawa]


    Sri Dalada Maligawa - the final abode of the Sacred Tooth Relic
    The Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy, Sri Lanka, the temple which houses the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Lord Buddha, is possibly the most sacred Buddhist shrine in the world. It is venerated not only by Buddhists in Sri Lanka but also by Buddhists all over the world.

    A UNESCO designated World Heritage Centre, millions of pilgrims and Buddhists and non-Buddhist visitors from all countries of the world visit this historic centre in Kandy, Sri Lanka.

     

    The sacred Tooth Relic was brought to Sri Lanka from India during the reign of King Sirimeghavanna (303 - 331 AC) and has been protected by successive kings and the Buddhist monastic order through the centuries. The archaeological remains of earlier Tooth Relic temples exist at a number of earlier capitals, such as the World Heritage Sites of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. The shrine in Kandy is the last in a long, historic succession. The Tooth Relic Temple is one of the finest examples of architecture associated with the Second Kandyan Kingdom (1592-1815 AC). It is two-storeyed structure, last re-built in the early 18th Century by King Narendrasinghe (1707-1739 AC). The temple preserves an architectural form that goes back more than a thousand years. It is constructed of stone, and timber, with a tiled roof and elaborate paintings, wood and stone carvings and metal reliefs.

    History-
    After the parinirvana of Gautama Buddha, the tooth relic was preserved in Kalinga and smuggled to the island by Princess Hemamali and her husband, Prince Dantha on the instructions of her father King Guhasiva. They landed in the island in Lankapattana during the reign of King Kirthi Sri Meghavarna (301-328) and handed over the tooth relic. The king enshrined it Meghagiri Vihara (present day Isurumuniya) in Anuradhapura. Safeguard of the relic was a responsibility of the monarch, therefore over the years the custodianship of relic became to symbolize the right to rule. Therefore reigning monarchs built the tooth relic temples quite close to their royal residences, as was the case during the times of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Dambadeniya, Yapahuwa and Kurunegala kingdoms. During the era of Kingdom of Gampola the relic was housed in Niyamgampaya Vihara. It is reported in the messenger poems such as Hamsa, Gira, and Selalihini that the temple of tooth relic was situated within the city of Kotte when the kingdom was established there.Inside the Temple of the Tooth

    During the reign of King Dharmapala, the relic kept hidden in Delgamuwa Vihara, Ratnapura in a grinding stone. It was brought to Kandy by Hiripitiye Diyawadana Rala and Devanagala Rathnalankara Thera. King Vimaladharmasuriya I built a two storey building to deposit the tooth relic and the building is now gone. In 1603 when the Portuguese invaded Kandy, it was carried to Meda Mahanuwara in Dumbara. It was recovered in the time of Râjasimha II and it has been reported that he reinstate the original building or has built a new temple. The present day temple of the tooth was built by Vira Narendra Sinha. The octagonal Patthirippuwa and moat was added during the reign of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha. Famous Kandyan architect Devandra Mulacharin is credited with building the Patthirippuwa. Originally it was used by the kings for recreational activities and later it was offered to the tooth relic. Now it is an oriental library. Although it was heavily damaged in the 1998 terrorist attack it has restored to its previous state.

    Inside The Temple of Tooth-



     



    The Audience Hall-



    Audience hall or the Magul maduwa is the where the Kandyan kings held their royal court. It was completed during the reign of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha. The carvings of the wooden pillars which support the wooden roof is an example of wood carving of the Kandyan period. Sri Rajadhi Rajasinha built this in year of 1783. The hall was renovated for the reception of arrival in Kandy of Prince Albert Edward, Prince of Wales in 1872. Originally the hall of the size of 58*35.6 of feet and after the renovation length was extended by additional 31.6 feet. Other nearby building to the halls believed to be demolished during the British rule. The audience hall was the venue where the Kandyan Convention was drawn up, it was where the convention was read out to the people and where the conference, about the convention was held on 2 March 1815. That space later used to erect the Kandy Kachcheri and Kandy supreme court after that. Today it is used for state ceremonies and conserved under department of archaeology.


    am on 25th January 1998, suicide carders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) exploded a massive truck bomb at the entrance to the Sri Dalada Maligawa killing 8 persons including 2-year old infant and injuring about 25 others, all peaceful innocent civilians, who were on their way to offer alms at the temple that morning.
    Source - Wikipedia

    Comments
    2 Comments

    2 comments:

    1. I love its architectural design. I really find it so amazing on how people use their wide imagination in creating a splendid work of art.

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      Replies
      1. Thanx my friend. yeah its amazing what they did. Sadly people these days have no that talent...

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