The Temple of the Tooth - Kandy

The most sacred religious site of Sri Lankan Buddhists, the Temple of the Tooth, holds and protects a tooth relic from Lord Buddha. Sent to Sri Lanka during King Keerthi Sri Meghavanna's reign, the sacred relic was secretly passed over from India at the verge of a losing war. Originally enshrined in Anuradhapura, the sacred tooth was passed on from king to king, and has always been the subject of excessive veneration. The last king of Kandy, Sri Wickrama Rajasingha, converted the 'Vadahitina Maligawa' (the honoured-living palace) of kings, in to the current shrine of the sacred tooth.

In addition to the venerable significance of the temple, the historical palace is of importance to the visitor with an interest in arts, crafts and culture. The palace displays a large selection of unique paintings, ivory carvings, murals, Buddhist art and distinctive Kandyan architecture. The Pathirippuwa, an octagonal section in the palace, is an interesting area, with its golden roof and current library holding many palm-leaf manuscripts of the ancient times.