Temple of the Tooth, Sri Dalada Maligawa, Kandy

While travelling I often get into conversations with people waiting to board planes, during flights, in restaurants, on buses . . .  everywhere, my nearest  and dearest would say. It seems that in these circumstances the likelihood of meeting people with similar experiences and interests, outlook on life and so is greatly increased and a good number of these conversations have led to continued contact and subsequent meetings. 

Olivia at Olu Ella Inn

It was one such conversation four years ago that led to Olivia and her mother, Leona, making a quick visit to us at Olu Ella Inn. Our meeting with Olivia and Andrew in an airline check in queue at Kuala Lumpur led to, among other things, their generous assistance in getting a new website for our guesthouse and also to rapid up skilling of my knowledge of the world wide web, website production and blogging.

Leona

Olivia and Andrew have recently expanded their business in Software Development and Management, based in Sydney to Kuala Lumpur. What they do seems very complex to me so here's their website.

http://sakurasky.com/

Olivia is a gifted painter, among other things, so I wanted to arrange a mini tour for the remaining two nights of their visit with this in mind. First up was a visit to the Temple of the Tooth, Kandy and our timing for our interests was perfect with few people around, amazing late afternoon light and tranquil atmosphere.

We entered by the back gate next to the Royal Baths on Kandy Lake. From here, in the late afternoon sun the gold coloured roof of the Library building stood out against the white of the buildings and parapets. 

Temple of the Tooth Library building

For Olivia and Leona's benefit I was thinking of engaging a guide so when we were approached at the ticket office by a energetic man who responded cheerfully and helpfully to my questions regarding his authentication and certification, the decision was made. What a good one it was! Ajith gave us the perfect tour for us with his enthusiasm, knowledge and preparedness to do that extra bit that makes a good tour a great one.

Ceiling at the Entrance

The last time I visited the temple [ posted in February 2011] it was a Poya day and the place was packed with devotees making offerings, listening to sermons, meditating in corners everywhere. It was one huge crush of bodies all trying to get to see the Tooth casket which, accompanied by drummers and horns, had been brought out for a few minutes. We were squeezed and jostled so much that we made a hasty exit. This time we were able to take our time, could pause to enjoy and admire the architecture, murals, statues and carvings that were invisible to me earlier.

Decorated Tunnel Entrance leads into Drummers' Hall and the Shrine Room 

Tooth casket is kept securely behind this beautiful curtain

To give some context to this account : The Sacred Tooth is believed by Buddhist devotees to have been retrieved from the ashes of Buddha's funeral pyre in India by Arahat Khema who gave it to King Bramadatte who was a Buddhist. The King venerated the Tooth and it became an important Royal possession. As time passed, the belief arose that whoever held the tooth had the divine right to be King. Buddhism was a new religion and so had many enemies and of course wars were fought to gain possession of the Tooth and to destroy it. Its time in India came to an end when King Guhaseeva held it. He had become Buddhist and worshipped the Tooth so when he heard that a large army was being organised to attack him with the aim to destroy it, he sent it to Sri Lanka with his daughter Hemanmala and her husband. The story goes that she hid it in her hair. 

Once in Sri Lanka, the belief that whoever held the Tooth was the divine ruler of the island so the Tooth was held by different Kings until lastly, it was held by the Kandyan King. It is brought out briefly three times daily - dawn, noon and in the evening during which times many people come to worship and make offerings. It is kept here in seven gold caskets, engraved with jewels and shaped like a stupa.

Beautiful motifs, murals and art decorating the eaves and pillars                   of the Shrine Room

 Ajith was fascinated with the ipad and keen to take photos with it!

Moonstone

 This moonstone at the foot of the stairs that lead to the Library where manuscripts etched on papyrus are kept. This room is open only at certain times so we were unable to see it this time. Unlike the Moonstones of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Mihintale, those in this Temple do not have rings of animals.

Hindu aspect

Devotions

Bronze Standards

 After a leisurely look around the Drummers' Hall and Casket Shrine area we went up to the upper level - I believe this is the place where the Tooth is shown. Alongside this is the Chanting Place which I have seen so very packed and heavy with an electric atmosphere. Today, however, only a few people came quietly to offer flowers so it was a calm, peaceful place.

Upper Level, above Casket Shrine

For once, there was no Buddhist Statue. The devotees come here to worship the enshrined Tooth.

Flower Offerings

Slowly, guided by Ajith, we made our way outside into the courtyard . . .

Eaves intricately decorated

. . .past the two guardstones

. . .on the left, and . . .

. . .on the right

. . . up the steps . . .

Holding up the steps

to my favourite part of the Temple complex which is sometimes called the New Palace which is confusing because the upper levels house wonderful museum items such as the King's robes, jewellery, religious and war artefacts. The lower level is simply beautiful and I loved to being able to just be to appreciate its beauty.

People come quietly to offer a prayer from behind the decorative fence, however there is very much more . 

The hall is stunning with the gold elephants guarding each pillar between which are pictures telling the story from the retrieval of the tooth from the Buddha's funeral pyre, its journey to Sri Lanka, various kingdoms where it was held right through to its delivery into the hands of the Kandyan Kings and the coming of the British.

One of the descriptive murals

Between each pillar, a white Buddha sits in dignity, each one different in several ways.

One of many Buddhas - each with different hand gestures

After a considerable time here, Ajith was able to entice us to leave to go upstairs to see the museum. Here there were two floors of ancient artefacts including jewellery, ancient weapons, money clothing and so on. Then he quietly beckoned to us to follow him as he opened a heavy wooden door and we found ourselves outside on a small balcony!

Royal Bath house on Kandy Lake

I would never have imagined that I would be taking this shot - and due to the second day death of my real camera - with my handbag point and shoot one! Ajith seemed so very pleased with our appreciation of this treat that he then took us to another door from where we could get another perspective of the place.

View down the Main entrance to the Temple

On the balcony of the Museum building

Ajith excitedly pointed out the gold roof of the Temple.

Golden Temple Roof

The sun was getting low, time to leave but not before Ajith got to take another photo. How he loved doing that!

 

 The last part of our visit was a bit sad really, as we went to see Raja, the Temple's main elephant, who had performed his religious duties with such dignity for several decades. My memories of him were of seeing him standing inside the Temple compound watching everyone with his intelligent eyes.
     
I wish now that I had left it at that.

Raja