Kandys Sacred Tooth

View at dusk, the best time to visit the temple

White washed, Red Tiled simplistic architecture

Kandy is a small town and visitors typically flock here for a glimpse of the world heritage Buddha Tooth temple, other than this it has numerous malls and gem shops to keep a casual tourist busy. My first view of the temple was from the balcony of the Hilltop Kandy Hotel where I was spending the last day of my Ceylon tour. Our guide had suggested evening to be the best time for the temple visit as they brought out the relic for a brief period of worship around 6.30pm. 

Flower vendors at the Entrance

Intricate motifs at the Entrance

The evening visit to the temple coincides with a Ceylon culture event which takes place in a nearby ground every evening. We decided to give the event a skip and headed straight to the temple which turned out to be a good decision as it was relatively deserted. At around 6pm most of the tourists were occupied in the cultural event and we could spend some good time photographing the exquisite interiors. While entering the temple there are rows of shops selling flowers and you could buy your offerings here. The entry ticket is reasonably priced for SAARC Nationals and it has separate entries for males and females.   

Motifs like these are seen everywhere and also on the ceiling

On the exterior the Temple buildings are rather simple, White in color and red roofs. The interiors are however in striking contrast to the plain exterior, richly carved and decorated with wood, ivory, and lacquer. The murals, wall carvings and idols can keep a shutterbug extremely busy. The entire complex is surrounded by a low white stone wall, delicately carved with openings that give it a filigree effect.  

Intricately carved pillars and ceilings

 Once you enter the sacred precincts you are taken in by the intense religious fervor. The relic is kept in a shrine fronted by two large elephant tusks. The relic rests on a solid gold lotus flower, encased in jeweled caskets that sit on a throne. The worship of the relic happens behind closed doors (typical of Hindu customs in India), accompanied by a team of 4 musicians playing drums and cymbals to the tune of Buddhist chants. The temple is opened for a very brief duration lasting a few seconds, a cursory glance or peek for a tourist who may have traveled miles for it.  

The spacious interiors gradually start filling up as the time for the worship begins and if you are expecting some time or space for meditation then you are in for a major disappointment.  

  

The ceremony when the tooth is displayed to the Public

Monks waiting for their turn to worship