GS History and Culture

Sri Dalada Maligawa

Today afternoon I visited the The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple at Kandy, Srilanka. It is one of the holiest places of Buddhism in Lanka. However, the building housing it is not very old, it was constructed hardly a few centuries ago.

Notwithstanding, there is a long story of the chain of custody of Buddha's tooth relic. How it kept on changing hands from Khema to some Odiya King then finally it reached Srilanka. The role of Dantha and Hemamala, the Odiyan royals, who took it from India to Srilanka in the 4th century, sometime during the beginning of the Gupta era, is well remembered in this respect. The reason for this transfer is cited to be local rivalry, both political and religious.

Interestingly, after reaching Srilanka the story doesn't end. It rather takes a new lease of life. Many new episodes were added to it. The most recent episodes in the life of the tooth relic are from British era who added some new content to it. Its worth reading from it's very scratch.

This entire story/history/myth is very central to the identity of Srilanka Budhhism and Buddhists here. Everyone knows about it. Its a popular story. As recent as in 2014, there was even a movie on this named Siri Daladagamanaya.

Visit for Photos:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DCWqj75NDia/?igsh=ZW5ldmh5OGRlYmhm

www.tgoop.com/nikhilhistoryculture/8124

3.8K viewsedited  Nov 14 at 13:56

Sri Dalada Maligawa

Today afternoon I visited the The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple at Kandy, Srilanka. It is one of the holiest places of Buddhism in Lanka. However, the building housing it is not very old, it was constructed hardly a few centuries ago.

Notwithstanding, there is a long story of the chain of custody of Buddha's tooth relic. How it kept on changing hands from Khema to some Odiya King then finally it reached Srilanka. The role of Dantha and Hemamala, the Odiyan royals, who took it from India to Srilanka in the 4th century, sometime during the beginning of the Gupta era, is well remembered in this respect. The reason for this transfer is cited to be local rivalry, both political and religious.

Interestingly, after reaching Srilanka the story doesn't end. It rather takes a new lease of life. Many new episodes were added to it. The most recent episodes in the life of the tooth relic are from British era who added some new content to it. Its worth reading from it's very scratch.

This entire story/history/myth is very central to the identity of Srilanka Budhhism and Buddhists here. Everyone knows about it. Its a popular story. As recent as in 2014, there was even a movie on this named Siri Daladagamanaya.

Visit for Photos:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DCWqj75NDia/?igsh=ZW5ldmh5OGRlYmhm

BY GS History and Culture