Sunkissed in Sri Lanka (Part 3): Kandy's Sacred Tooth and More!

- April 15, 2025, Tuesday.

- As one of the most important historical cities of Sri Lanka, Kandy is surely home to many national treasures. One driving force that brings people to Kandy is the Buddha's tooth relic housed in the Sri Dalada Maligawa Temple, also known as the Temple of the Tooth Relic.

- The temple was built in 1595 and is one of the most important Buddhist temples in the whole world today. The tooth relic was said to be brought to Sri Lanka after Siddhartha Gautama's passing. It is also one of the few temples in the world that claim to have Buddha's tooth.

Queen's Hotel. One of Sri Lanka's oldest hotels, it was built originally as a residence for the Kandyan king, before being converted to a hotel in 1869. It is located across the Temple of the Tooth Relic. 

At the temple. Most devotees wear white, so while there is no strict dress code (apart from nor wearing revealing or improper clothing), wearing white is most advisable.

There were already devotees flocking the temple, so it was nearly impossible to get photos without people in the background (but you can actually see part of the crowd at the back, entering the temple.)

- I got to the temple up and early in order to beat the crowds. While there were already some devotees in the temple, most of the tourists had yet to arrive. I also chose the perfect day to visit the temple. I visited a day or two before the Exposition of the Tooth Relic Celebration. The city was preparing for a massive crowd in the coming days, with devotees all over Sri Lanka and abroad; on these days, the tooth relic will be open to the public the whole day. Normally, just like the day I went, the tooth relic is only open to the public twice a day for one hour each, during the designated viewing times. Then, the tooth relic will be kept away from public eyes until the next viewing schedule.    

Shrine at the temple's ground floor.

Tooth relic shrine at the second floor before opening.

A glimpse of the tooth relic (I was not allowed to take photos up close). The tooth is inside that gold thing.

- Within the temple grounds, there are also many things to see and do, such as visiting the Sri Dalada Maligawa Museum (photos not allowed), the Raja Museum, the audience hall, the old palace (which is not a small history museum), and the International Buddhist Museum across the temple.

Audience Hall.

Pillars of the Audience Hall.

Raja Museum. This is the now-stuffed elephant named Raja. He was the carrier of the relic casket since it was donated to the temple in 1937 until its death in 1988.

Inside the old palace which is now a small history museum. This one shows the Kandyan king on the throne. 

Outside the International Buddhist Museum. (Photos not allowed inside). The museum is a comprehensive guide to Buddhist cultures all around the world.

Entrance to the International Buddhist Museum.

Queen's Bathing Pool just across the temple.

The actual pool (which obviously isn't used anymore.)

- Within the vicinity is also the Kandy National Museum. Although opened in 1942, the building that houses the museum used to be part of the Kandyan royal palace, particularly, the harem. Today, the small museum shows various artifacts on the royal heritage of Kandy.

Various Kandyan attires.

Royal.

Kandyan dance.

The museum.

- After my whole morning at the temple grounds, I had brunch at the Mlesna Tea Centre Restaurant. It is a Sri Lankan tea brand that started in 1983. In Kandy, this particular restaurant is in the downtown area. It has an old British feel, and has local and international food. I had a lovely brunch there especially with their signature Ceylonese black tea.

I was the only person there.

I had Sri Lankan a samosa (which has a softer wrapping than Indian samosas), then I had sambol (coconut relish) and egg sandwiches, and black tea. 

I had an eclair for dessert too.

This is what it looks like outside.

- I freshened up a bit at the hotel before going to the Kandy Municipal Central Market. It opened in 1959 and is the perfect place to find both wet and dry goods. There are also many souvenir shops at the second level. The ground level has tea and spice shops which may also carry souvenir items. However, because of the holidays, only a handful of stores were open. Be sure to haggle well too! 

Saw this at one of the underground passes. I wasn't sure what this elephant-octopus is supposed to be.

Central market.

Market from the inside.

- Later that afternoon I rode a tuktuk to the Sri Maha Bodhi Viharaya temple. It is one of the most recognizable landmarks because the large white Buddha on the hill can be seen from the town. It was consecrated in 1972, but only finished in 1993.

It was nearly impossible to have this without people as there were some tourists around.

Looking at this white Buddha statue brings some kind of peace to one's mind.

Another temple, another bodhi tree.

View of Kandy Lake from the hills.

- My last agenda for the day was to go to the other side of Kandy Lake to visit the Kandy Lake Club. I hailed a tuktuk that took me from the hill and around the lake. I was actually in a hurry to catch my cultural performance show. Because of traffic, and the fact that I had to hail a second tuktuk because my first tuktuk suddenly decided he couldn't take me, I thought I was going to be late. Thankfully I also had a reserved seat which I bought from their website (click here). 

- The Kandy Lake Club started in 1982 and performs Sri Lankan dances daily.  The dances range from classical to folk forms. The whole performance lasts around an hour.

Puja natuma - invocation dance.

Devol natuma - dance for healing and warding off evil.

Mayura natuma - the peacock dance; a personal favorite.

Raksha natuma - raksha mask dance, particularly ones depicting a cobra and a bird.

Rabana natuma - the hand drum or the rabana is not just played but also used for particular stunts.

Gini natuma - fire dance.

Ves natuma - Kandy's most iconic dance form with men wearing the traditional Kandyan outfit.

Fire walking.

The Kandy Lake Club's choreographer.

- Going back to the hotel was also a bit of an adventure because no car or tuktuk would pick me up from the Kandy Lake Club as it is a bit off way. The Kandy Lake Club had a tuktuk that brought me downhill to the main street, and helped me hail a proper tuktuk there. Thankfully the tuktuk we found was familiar with my hotel and asked for a price that wasn't too far off from what I would've been charged via the PickMe App.

- Because I was quite tired from my (mis)adventures for the day, I just decided to have food ordered at the hotel for dinner. Though I covered much of Kandy, the real adventure was just beginning. I had to make sure that I had enough rest for one of the most challenging days of my week in Sri Lanka: hiking up Sigiriya and the Dambulla Caver Temple!

Sunkissed in Sri Lanka (Part 2): I Want Kandy!

- April 14, 2025, Monday.

- Many travelers often treat Colombo as a jump-off point, mainly because it's the main city of Sri Lanka and where the international airport is located. But it is often suggested that the best way to experience and learn the real Sri Lanka is to go to any of the other cities of the country. One city that holds much cultural and historical significance is Kandy. Kandy is located in the center of the country, and was home to the last kingdom of Sri Lanka before colonial rule.

- Getting to Kandy from Colombo is easiest done by train. Book through the government's official website (click here) and choose from several seat classes. Although the unreserved seats give the most authentic Sri Lankan experience, I opted for the airconditioned carts with reserved seating. The trip can be between 2.5 hours to 4 hours depending on the train line and station of origin, so I knew I needed a bit of comfort, especially because of the summer heat. I had no regrets!

Colombo Fort Railway Station.

Inside the station.

SO CROWDED.

Thank you for the comfort. The AC was blizzard-level as well, something that I truly, truly appreciate especially during summer.

Sri Lanka has a lot of interesting looking mountains.

Arrived!

Kandy Railway Station.

- It took me 2.5 hours from Colombo Fort Station to Kandy Railway Station. Upon arriving, I walked a couple of blocks to my hostel, called Dumbara Peak Residence. I loved this hostel a lot and I was fortunate enough to get a private room for a good price. It is in the middle of Kandy's downtown too! (Very convenient!) The hotel has its own as well at the roof deck, with affordable continental and Sinhalese food.

I love my room so much!!

- That afternoon, I asked my hostel if they could help me rent a tuktuk (with driver) for a couple of hours since the places I wanted to visit were outside the city proper. I had to pay the driver 10,000LKR, which is around 40USD, because it was a holiday and at the last minute. Otherwise, it would be cheaper. It was still within the reasonable range, I feel, as the places I wished to go were far from each other and involved going up several steep mountains.

- I first visited the Ambuluwawa Tower in the town of Gampola. It was built in the early 2000s as a statement of religious harmony in Sri Lanka; it has Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, and Christian shrines in its vicinity. The most notable feature of the tower is the tower itself, and its stairs that become narrower and narrower as one goes up. I did not go all the way up anymore, just midway, because I don't think I would be wide enough to fit in the narrower steps, and because there was a thick fog.

It was too foggy I really had to max edit the brightness and shadow of this photo.

It looks like something from a fairytale book!

It was hard to see Gampola from above the mountain because of the fog.

- My next agenda was to visit the three temple loop, which consists of three temples (that are no where near each other!). The closest to the Ambuluwawa Tower is the Embekke (or Embekka) Temple in Udunuwara. Built in the 1300s by King Vikramabahu III for the god Kartikeya, who is also known as Murugan. The temple is recognized for its well-preserved wooden pillars with different carvings.

A simple-looking wooden temple with plenty of history.

This carving shows the angampora, a local martial art style.

Kartikeya/Murugan.

Between pillars.

Pillar locks. with the pekada or pillar heads.

Shrine for Buddha at the side.

Old door knob and lock.

To the main shrine.

A kinnari, or a bird-human, holding a veena.

A bodhi tree, something seen in most temples, but often Buddhist rather than Hindu. I noticed that many Hindu or Buddhist temples accommodate aspects the other religion in their premises. 

- The second temple in the loop is the Lankatilaka Temple, and is a Buddhist temple. It was built by King Bhuvanekabahu IV in the 1300s. As it was built on a natural rock, one needs to be careful when walking on the temple premises, especially on a scorching day while barefoot. I think this temple was the most interesting among the three in the loop. 

Lankatilaka Temple.

Wall painting.

Look at the dogs!

I felt at peace in this hall, although I am not Buddhist.

More wall paintings.

Guardians of the shrine. Plus two carvings of the actual guardians.

The door to the Buddha shrine was an artwork in itself. 

This temple had more details even on its facade.

See the elephants?

Another temple, another bodhi tree.

As I was leaving the temple, I saw these people spending the Tamil/Sinhalese New Year by playing cricket on the street.

- Finally, the third temple in the loop is Galadadeniya Temple. Also built by King Bhuvanekabahu IV in the 1300s, this Buddhist temple is a prominent rock temple in Sri Lanka, merging Indian and Sinhalese architectural styles. Unfortunately it was being renovated when I went, although it was still possible to visit the main shrine.

Restoration works :( :( :( :( but hey, at least it's being restored.

Bodhi tree.

This is where the main shrine is.

Closeup of the door.

Peeking Buddha.

Main shrine, made mostly of stone!

Historical inscriptions on a big slope, which describes the construction process of the temple.

- After a full afternoon outside downtown Kandy, I went back to the downtown area and did some errands before having dinner at the Kandyan Muslim Hotel (which, as mentioned, means a restaurant rather than an actual hotel). This humble Muslim-run restaurant and sweets store has been around since 1907!

I had my chicken cheese kabul, which is a crepe-like dish with so much filling. I also had fresh avocado juice, and for dessert, a slice of watalappam (spiced coconut custard pudding).

Hope you get to visit them! They're at the city center!

- I was so happy that I was able to maximize whatever time I had on my first day in Kandy. It felt totally different from Colombo as it was more relaxed and more "spiritual" as a rural city and a site of many temples of national significance. However, there is still much more to see and do in Kandy!