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Sri Dalada Maligawa / Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic,
Kandy -
Sri Lanka
The Sri Dalada Maligawa or
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a temple in the
city of Kandy in Sri Lanka. It was built within the
royal palace complex which houses the only surviving
relic of Buddha, a tooth, which is venerated by
Buddhists. The relic has played an important role in the
local politics since ancient times, it's believed that
whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the
country, which caused the ancient kings to protect it
with great effort. Kandy was the capital of the
Sinhalese Kings from 1592 to 1815,fortified by the
terrain of the mountains and the difficult approach. The
city is a world heritage site declared by UNESCO, in
part due to the temple.
Monks of the two chapters of Malwatte and Asgiriya
conduct daily ritual worship in the inner chamber of the
temple, in annual rotation. They conduct these services
three times a day: at dawn, at noon and in the evening.
The Kandy
The Sri Dalada Maligawa or
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a temple in the
city of Kandy in Sri Lanka. It was built within the
royal palace complex which houses the only surviving
relic of Buddha, a tooth, which is venerated by
Buddhists. The relic has played an important role in the
local politics since ancient times, it's believed that
whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the
country, which caused the ancient kings to protect it
with great effort. Kandy was the capital of the
Sinhalese Kings from 1592 to 1815, fortified by the
terrain of the mountains and the difficult approach. The
city is a world heritage site declared by UNESCO, in
part due to the temple.
Its
present house, the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Dālada
Māligāwa) in Kandy, Sri Lanka (Ceylon) is considered the
foremost sacred place of worship in the Buddhist world.
t
Kandy Esala Perahera
The historic Esala
Perahera in Kandy began on July 18, with the usual
installation of the 'kapa' (sanctified log) at the
devales dedicated to the four guardian gods Natha,
Vishnu, Kataragama and goddess Pattini. It will be
followed by the Devale peraheras from 18 to 21, and by
the Kumbal perahera from 22 to 26.
The Randoli perahera, the most grandiloquent of the
peraheras will parade the streets from 27 to 31. The
ritual of the water-cutting ceremony will be held on
August 1, followed by the Day perahera on the 2nd thus,
bringing the grand spectacle to an end.
Seven days after the Day perahera, as tradition holds, 'Waliyaknetuma'(an
abridged form of Kohomba-kankariya) is danced at the
Vishnu devale, by people of the 'balibat' caste, for
seven more days, with masked dancing, to avoid malignant
influences.
This is a general account of the Esala perahera in
Kandy, which has changed in detail down the ages, e.g.,
during the Kandyan period two peraheras were held, one
by evening and one by night, preferably during the
Randoli perahera.
The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. (ANCL), will
illuminate the Dalada Maligawa, during the perahera
season, with due honour to the 'Dantadhatu'(the sacred
Tooth Relic of the Buddha).
The Esala perahera in Kandy, we see today, dates back to
the reign of Kirti Sri Rajasinha (1747-1780). It is a
combination of the Dalada perahera, and the four Devale
peraheras dedicated to the guardian deities of the
island.
Earlier, the Esala perahera was conducted exclusively to
appease the divinities, and patronized by the Malabari
kings of South India, who ruled the Kandyan provinces.
They were Hindus. The month of Esala is reminiscent of 'Esala
Dev-keliya' (play of the gods).
How the band wagon of the Dalada perahera came to be
merged with the four devale peraheras, has an
interesting story. When the bhikkus from Siam
(Thailand), headed by the Most Ven. Upali Maha Thera,
came to Sri Lanka, to bestow the defunct 'Upasampada'
(the highest ordination qualifying a bhikku), their
arrival coincided with the Esala festival in Kandy, when
preparations were under way to hold the Devale peraheras
invoking the blessings of the gods for the king and his
subjects.
The Maha Thera Upali, having heard the noise of jingalls
(a kind of large Indian swivel musket), inquired from
the king the reason for all that noise the king told the
Maha Thera that arrangements were being made to hold the
Devale peraheras, during the month Esala, to appease the
gods and to receive their blessings.
The Maha Thera immediately took umbrage over the news,
and at the attitude of the king in giving preference to
Hindu customs, in a land where orthodox Buddhism has
gained ground for more than one thousand years.
The king, realising his mistake and using his wits, not
to offend the Maha Thera, informed him that Dalada
perahera will lead the procession followed by the Devale
peraheras, in their order of importance. There had been,
throughout history, processions of great magnitude which
could be considered as the precursors of the present day
Dalada perahera.
When the 'danta dhatu' (Tooth Relic of the Buddha) was
brought to the island by prince Danta and princess
Hemamala of Kalinga (Orissa), during the reign of Kirti
Sri Meghavarna (352-377), the three Buddhist
fraternities in Anuradhapura (Mahavihara, Abahayagiri
vihara and Jetavana vihara), claimed to possess it as
the most revered object of worship.
The king, wishing not to displease the bhikkus of the
three viharas, placed the Relic in a golden reliquary,
and keeping it in his royal chariot, allowed to go to
one of the three viharas.
The chariot unguided went to the Abahayagiri vihara, and
the bhikkus thera accepted it and enshrined it in a
gaily decorated 'dhatugruha' (relic chamber). It later
became the palladium of regal authority.
The Mahaviharavasins and the Jetavanavasins did not
claim it. Before the transfer of power from Anuradhapura
to Polonnaruwa in 1058, the Tooth Relic was annually
taken in procession from the vihara to the city of
Anuradhapura and back to the vihara, with great pomp and
ceremony. It was the beginning of the Dalada perahera in
the island.
The significant and widespread belief regarding the
origin of the Esala perahera is woven into the fabric of
mythology, especially in regard to the water-cutting
ritual. During the reign of Vankanasika Tissa alias
Kasubu (109-112), a band of Cholians from South India,
invaded the island, and having slain the king, took away
12,000 Sinhala captives to South India. His son, king
Gajabahu, along with his herculian soldier Nila, crossed
the Indian Ocean to India, by cleaving the waters of the
sea with his massive iron rod.
After peaceful negotiations with the Colian king
Senguttuvan, king Gajabahu was able to bring back the
captives, along with an equal number of Cholians, in
recompense. Later, they settled down in the villages of
Hewaheta, Tumpane, Udunuwara, Yatinuwara, Alutkuruwa
etc. The water-cutting ritual at the Getambe ferry
reminisces the exploit of Nila in cleaving the sea to go
to India.
King Parakramabahu I (1153-1186) of Polonnaruwa, held a
Dalada perahera, when there was a severe drought in the
country threatening a famine. The following day, rains
came down in torrents inundating the low-lying areas,
and filling the lakes that had gone dry.
In the Dalada Siritha, a treatise on the Tooth Relic, it
is said: "Vesi novasnakala mama lesin Dalada pooja
karanawa isa". (When there is no rain, make offerings to
the Tooth Relic in this manner). There is belief among
the Buddhists that whenever there is severe drought, the
Tooth Relic should be carried in procession.
History tells us that during the governorship of Sir
Edward Barnes (1824-1831), a Dalada perahera was held in
Kandy in 1829, on the advice of the Kandyan chiefs, to
avert a severe drought. It resulted in a heavy downpour
when the flood waters spilled over the Kandy lake
submerging the low-lying areas, and making roads
impassable.
The flood waters came to be known as the Dalada Watura
(Relic water). The governor was surprised over the
miraculous power of the Tooth Relic, about which a
despatch was sent to the Colonial Secretary in England.
The Esala perahera ritual complex begins with the
installation of kapa, a pole about four feet in height,
within each devale. A few days before the new moon in
August, the Basnayaka Nilames of the four devales, along
with the kapuralas, go in search of a young jak tree (Artocarpus
integrifolia), that has borne no fruit, and clear the
ground around the tree. it is then fumigated with the
smoke of burning resin and sprinkled with specially
prepared sandalwood water.
Flowers, betel leaves and a lighted lamp are placed at
the foot of the tree, and the deity, whose abode,
perchance, it may be, is implored to leave the tree,
before it is felled. Earlier an asala tree (Cassia
fistula) was selected, instead of the lactiferous jak
tree, to make the kapa poles.
Once the tree is felled, it is cut into four equal parts
and distributed among the four devales, the Natha devale
getting the first kapa. The traditional procedure
followed in felling the tree is mentioned in the Sinhala
text Maimataya (Skt. Mayamata). Each log is carried in
procession and planted inside the devales.
Earlier they were installed outside the devales, but now
having reduced in size, they occupy an elevated ground
inside each devale, specially built for the purpose. It
is known as kap-situweema.
For five days from the date of installation of the kapa,
the kapurala of each devale take around the log every
evening (formerly twice a day), accompanied by music and
drumming, flag and canopy bearers and spearmen and the
sacred insignia of the gods (ranayudha).
This takes the form of a little procession in each of
the devales, and is known as Devale perahera. On the
fifth day, the insignias are taken out of the devale
premises and borne inside a dome like structure, known
as the ranhilige, on the back of an elephant,
accompanied by the Basnayaka Nilame and his retinue.
The Devale peraheras come at the appointed hour and
assemble in front of the Dalada Maligawa. The Relic
casket, which is a substitute for the Tooth Relic, is
placed inside a ranhilige, which is tied on to the back
of the caparisoned Maligawa elephant.
The Maligawa perahera joins the waiting Devale peraheras
in front and gives the lead in moving on. The perahera
consisting the Maligawa and Devale peraheras march
through the prescribed streets, and it is called the
Kumbal perahera.
Randoli perahera is an expanded version of the Kumbal
perahera, to which are added palanquins (randoli) of the
four devales. These contain the ornaments of the
goddesses, sword and pitcher of each devale. On the 5th
day of the Randoli perahera, after a short break up,
reassembles and makes its way to the Asgiri vihara,
where the casket is placed, and the Devale peraheras
return to their respective devales.
Later in the night the four Devale peraheras make their
way to the water-cutting site at Gatambe ferry. At the
river the kapuralas of the devales are led in a
decorated boat to some distance, from where they cleave
the waters with the sacred sword, and collect a pitcher
full from the place where the sword touched the water,
to be stored in the devales for one year, to be fed back
into the river, at the next water-cutting ceremony.
On their way, the peraheras stop at the Ganadevi Kovil,
Kandy, where the assembled crowds received the blessings
of the gods, in the form of a tilaka (prasada) of
sandalwood paste on the forehead.
In the afternoon, the peraheras of the four devales form
into one unit and go to Asgiri vihara to join the
Maligawa perahera. Thus, the full procession is formed
again and the Day perahera, takes a prescribed route and
goes back to the Maligawa, where at the prescribed
auspicious moment, the casket is replaced at the sanctum
sanctorum.
The introduction of Ves dancing to the perahera is of
recent origin. Ves is a sacred dance. The ves-tattuwa
(the magnificent head dress of the Kandyan dancer) is a
sacred object guarded by a system of taboos and
traditions. As a form of dancing Ves is considered fit
for the gods. The Diyawadana Nilame, Punchi Banda
Nugawela Nilame (1916-1937), who introduced it to the
Maligawa section of the perahera, has made this great
change.
In 1828, when Governor Barnes participated in the Dalada
perahera, the Maligawa perahera consisted of the
following: (1) Peramune Rala riding the Yahalatanne
elephant. (2) Gajanayaka Nilame carrying the symbolic
goad. (3) Kodituwakku Nilame and his retinue. (4) Disava
of Four Korales. (5) Disava of Seven Korales. (6) Disava
of Matale. (7) Disava of Sabaragamuwa. (8) Disava of
Walapone and (9) Disava of Udapalatha, each carrying
their respective flags.
Today, the provincial representation has been forgotten.
The Kodituwakku department is absent. The Peramune Rala
and Gajanayaka Nilame are solitary representatives. The
extinction of old elements and the substitution of new
elements have, doubtless, harmed the original integral
symbolism of the Esala festival.
The elephants are less in number than in the old days,
when more than one hundred elephants participated in the
perahera. The winds of change have affected the old
customs and rites to a reasonable degree.
Its
present house, the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Dālada
Māligāwa) in Kandy, Sri Lanka (Ceylon) is considered the
foremost sacred place of worship in the Buddhist world.
