Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic

불치사

The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, called Sri Dalada Maligawa in Sinhala, is a Buddhist temple in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It sits in the Royal Palace Complex of the old Kingdom of Kandy and keeps a tooth relic of the Buddha. The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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At a glance

Country: Sri Lanka
Location: Kandy, Sri Lanka
Built: 1595
Type: Religious building

Quick answers

Where is Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic?

Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is in Kandy, Sri Lanka.

When was Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic built?

Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic was built in 1595.

Temple in Kandy's royal palace housing the Buddha's tooth relic, with its moat, cloud-pattern wall and octagonal pavilion.

For centuries people in Sri Lanka believed that whoever held the relic held the right to rule the island. That is why kings built tooth temples close to their palaces, and why the relic has played a big role in local politics. The temple and the relic are the main reasons it is a World Heritage Site.

The story of the tooth

According to legend, after the Buddha died his tooth was kept in Kalinga. When Kalinga was attacked, Princess Hemamali and her brother Prince Dantha brought it to Sri Lanka, with the princess hiding it in her hair. They arrived during the reign of King Sirimeghavanna (301 to 328), who placed it in a shrine in Anuradhapura. Over the years the relic moved with each new capital, until it was brought to Kandy.

Daily rituals and the great parade

Monks of two chapters, the Malwathu and the Asgiri, worship in the inner chamber three times a day: at dawn, at noon and in the evening. On Wednesdays the relic is bathed in scented water and flowers. Each year the Esala Perahera parade honours the relic, and an elephant carries a casket through Kandy. The herbal water from the Wednesday ritual is shared among the people who are present.

Fun facts

During the Esala Perahera festival an elephant carries the relic casket through Kandy.
Legend says a princess hid the tooth in her hair on the way to Sri Lanka.
On Wednesdays the relic is symbolically bathed with scented water and flowers, and people believe the water can heal.
During the Esala Perahera festival an elephant carries the relic's casket through the streets.