Kandy, Sri Lanka: The most beautiful city in Sri Lanka
Many locals and tourists like to call Kandy the most beautiful city in Sri Lanka. It is located in the middle of the country, surrounded by a picturesque hilly landscape that is covered by forests. The landmark of Kandy is the so-calledTemple of the Sacred Tooth. The city’s attractions also include the Botanical Garden, which is famous all over the world. There is a lovely lake in the middle of the city. Kandy is also the religious and spiritual center of the country that many religious communities live together here. The university opened in 1835 and is the largest in Sri Lanka. The man-made Kandy Lake gives the city a very special flair. A walk around the lake takes just under an hour.
On the south bank of Kiri Muhuda, as the lake is also called, is the Malwatta Vihara Temple, one of the most important Buddhist monasteries in Sri Lanka. The high priest is the highest representative of all holy cities in the south of Sri Lanka and one of the protectors of the sacred tooth relic. The complex of the temple consists of two parts. From the worth seeing residential building of the monks and the houses that contain the sanctuary of the temple. If you ask the monks politely, you can even visit their apartments. The picture house is the most important building in the second part of the complex. Sculptures made of stone, which look very lively, decorate the east side of the lower floor. The walls of the upper floor are decorated with paintings in the so-called Kandy style. In the main hall there are statues of Saman, Vishnu and Buddha. The sanctuary, the so-called bot, is lined with boundary stones.
Attractions
The best way to get to know Kandy is by strolling through the city center. The city center is characterized by closely packed restaurants and shops. The liveliest district of Kandy is located around the Queen’s Hotel. Most of the houses date from the 19th century and exude a lovely flair. There are also two mosques and several Christian churches in this part of the city. The most famous temple in the district is the Kataragama Devale, in which the Hindu gods Ganesha and Vishnu are particularly venerated. You shouldn’t miss it on this walk, the market hallto pay a visit. The range of fruits is simply overwhelming. One of the sights of Kandy is the National Museum, which has found its home in the former royal palace. The award-winning collection includes around 5,000 exhibits. The objects shown include carvings made of ivory, ritual objects, ceramics, weapons, textiles and jewelry.
Every student who visits Kandy has to go to Dalada Maligawa, the Temple of the Tooth, have been. One of the Buddha’s teeth kept here is considered to be the largest Buddhist shrine on the entire island. The temple complex can be visited throughout the day, while the shrine, a two-story wooden structure in the courtyard, can only be viewed during sacred ceremonies. Drum rolls and loud beats of the gong open these religious acts. The “Temple of the Sacred Tooth” is located within the former palace district. Visitors to the actual sanctuary reach the upper floor via a staircase. A corridor leads to a door adorned with precious ivory and mother-of-pearl inlays, which is also studded with silver. Behind this door is the holy of holies, the relic of the tooth.
The relic itself consists of seven golden containers that fit into one another. The vessels are set with precious gemstones and pearls. The container, which has the highest value and is the last in line, is made of ivory. In it is the sacred tooth, which is about five centimeters long and about 1.5 centimeters in diameter. However, this extraordinary sanctuary is only shown to the public every four years as part of a special celebration. Of course, it is also worth visiting the other magnificent halls of the Tooth Temple.
