My visit to Sri Lanka ( part-3) ( continued from part-2)
By Lokanath Mishra:
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After visiting Kandy , I found the old city Kandy is a lovely magical place with the lake as its mystical and misty heart. Wildlife and nature are in abundance there and it is a bird-watcher’s paradise. While coming from Sigiriya, in the road, I saw at least twenty elephants, which were crossing the road. In the early morning ritual for the public showing of the tooth in particular was packed with local pilgrims and devotees dressed in white, all coming to offer flowers and food to the relic.
Kandy, a city in central Sri Lanka, is a melting pot of cultures and faiths. The city is home to numerous Buddhist temples, including the iconic Temple of the Tooth, as well as Hindu temples, churches, and mosques. Despite the diversity of faiths, Kandy’s residents have learned to live in harmony, respecting each other’s beliefs and traditions.
Several factors contribute to the peaceful coexistence of different faiths in Kandy, some points which I found have been described as below:
Kandy’s residents have a deep respect for each other’s faiths and traditions. This respect is fostered through education, cultural events, and community activities that promote understanding and tolerance. Kandy’s residents actively participate in cultural events and festivals celebrating different faiths. For example, Buddhists participate in Hindu festivals like Diwali, while Hindus join Buddhists in celebrating Vesak. Regular interfaith dialogues and discussions help to promote understanding and resolve potential conflicts. These dialogues also foster a sense of community and shared responsibility. Educational institutions in Kandy emphasize the importance of religious tolerance, cultural diversity, and peaceful coexistence. This education helps to shape the minds of future generations, promoting a culture of acceptance and respect. Local community leaders, including religious leaders, play a vital role in promoting peace and harmony. They work together to resolve conflicts, promote understanding, and foster a sense of community. Finally I found that Kandy’s peaceful coexistence of different faiths serves as a model for the world. In an era marked by increasing religious tensions and conflicts, Kandy’s residents demonstrate that it is possible to live in harmony, respecting each other’s differences.
As you explore Kandy’s temples, churches, and mosques, you’ll witness firsthand the city’s remarkable spirit of tolerance and cooperation. This spirit is a testament to the power of education, cultural exchange, and community leadership in promoting peace and understanding.
The natural and material abundance of Kandy, compared to other parts of Sri Lanka I visited, seemed very much connected to the abundant reverence and devotion and offerings made there to the tooth relic by the local people.
Kandy and the tooth relic temple was certainly my favourite place in Sri Lanka to visit and stay as a Buddhist pilgrim, for the relic, the facilities and ease and comfort for day trips to other sites. It did not escape my attention that the word ‘Kandy’ in American English means ‘candy/sweets’, and it was almost like Buddha was smiling and having a laugh too with his sacred tooth relic being in the centre of the very sweet and lovely Kandy.
I have come to know further that,
the tooth of the Buddha is a revered relic in Buddhism, and its history is steeped in legend and controversy. According to tradition, the tooth was retrieved from the Buddha’s funeral pyre by his disciple, Khema, and later taken to Kalinga (present-day Odisha, India).
The legend states that the tooth was smuggled out of Kalinga by Princess Hemamali and her husband, Prince Dantha, who hid it in the princess’s hair. They sailed to Sri Lanka, where the tooth was received by King Kirthi Sri Meghavarna and enshrined in the Temple of the Tooth in Anuradhapura.
The Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, Sri Lanka, is believed to house the Buddha’s tooth. However, the tooth is not publicly displayed, and its existence is not conclusively proven. The temple authorities claim that the tooth is kept in a secure, secret location within the temple complex.
Some skeptics question the authenticity of the tooth, suggesting that it may be a replica or a symbol rather than the actual relic. Others point out that there are multiple claims of possessing the Buddha’s tooth, with similar relics allegedly housed in temples in India, China, and other parts of Asia.
While the legend of the Buddha’s tooth is deeply ingrained in Buddhist tradition, its historical accuracy and the current location of the relic remain a topic of debate. Regardless of the truth behind the legend, the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy remains a sacred site for Buddhists around the world, and the tooth is revered as a symbol of the Buddha’s wisdom and compassion.
