Kandy, the Hill Capital was the last bastion of the Sinhala kings and is a charming city offering a living record of a magnificent past.
Centre of attraction in Kandy is the Dalada Maligawa, the temple housing the sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha. Kandy Lake enhances the charm of the City.
Kandy is a romantic city any time of the year, but in August, this ancient capital becomes the venue of one of the most legendary festivals in Asia, the Festival of the August Moon when thousands of people from all parts of the country and from foreign countries throng to the Hill Capital to witness the magnificent spectacle.
The King's palace, audience hall, King's bath, the archaeological museum must not be missed by any visitor to Kandy.
Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the sacred Tooth Relic)
Dalada Maligawa or the Temple of the sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy is the most venerated place of worship for Buddhists throughout the world. Built in the 16th century this temple houses the sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha brought to Sri Lanka from the Kalinga province in ancient India in the 4th century AD. Several buildings have been added to the temple complex by successive rulers, the latest being the Golden Canopy over the inner shrine where the Tooth Relic is placed. Originally the Temple was within the King's palace complex as it was the symbol of Royal Authority.
Festival of the August Moon or the Kandy Esala Perahera
For ten successive nights ending on the full moon day of the month of Esala (July/August) a spectacular procession with hundreds of gaily caparisoned elephants, Kandyan dancers, drummers, trumpeters, whip crackers, torch bearers with all the pomp and glory of the past parade the streets of Kandy. On the back of a majestic tusker the sacred relic casket is carried in procession. Kandyan chieftains led by the lay custodian of the Temple dressed in their traditional ceremonial attire participate in the procession. It is a memorable spectacle that cannot be and should not be missed by any visitor to the Island. Thousands of people throng to the City every year to witness this pageant.
"But the best is the pera-hera, at midnight, under the tropical stars flambeaux aloft in the tropical night, of blazing coconut"
- D. H. Lawrence, 1922
The Royal Botanical Gardens
The Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya (109 km. from Colombo) near Kandy was laid out in 1821 by the British colonial rulers. Prior to that it was the Royal Pleasure Garden of the Kandyan Kings. It is located in a beautiful setting with the longest river of Sri Lanka, Mahaveli bordering on one side. This attractively laid out garden displays many varieties of floral and green plants. Special features are the Orchid House which displays a fine collection of Sri Lankan orchids, the fernery, spice garden, and the trees planted by distinguished visitors to the Island.
Other Attractions in Kandy
King's Palace : At the far end to the north of the Temple Complex is a long building that was the Palace of the last King of Kandy. Only a part of the Palace is now left with a section of the Palace destroyed by fire.
The Audience Hall : Within the Temple complex is an open building with timber pillars, a fine example of the timber architecture of the Kandyan era. The building (called the Magul Maduwa) was the Audience Hall of the Kandyan King where he met his Ministers and also foreign dignitaries. It was here that the famous Kandyan Convention was signed on the 2nd March 1815 between the Adigars of the Kandyan Court and the Representatives of the King of England handing over to the British the right to govern the country.
King's Harem : This building is situated on a small hillock behind the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. It is presently used as the Kandy Museum.
Ul-Pan-Ge (Queens' Bath) : Opposite the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic on the edge of the lake is a building enclosing a stone pond used by the Queens of King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe for bathing. The building has been altered by the British making it two stories.
Kandy Lake : Kandy Lake or the Kiri Muhuda (Milky Ocean) as it was then called in the city centre enhancing its beauty is the work of the last King of Kandy. The King had a pleasure house on the little island in the lake.
