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All Sri Lanka Kandy Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
AO Edited

Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic

This elaborate temple was built around one of the Buddha's teeth.

Kandy, Sri Lanka

Added By
esme
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  Apocalypse Yana / Atlas Obscura User
  Apocalypse Yana / Atlas Obscura User
  Mal B/CC BY-ND 2.0
Inside the temple   Claudia Schillinger/CC BY-ND 2.0
Temple of the Sacred Tooth   Koshy Koshy/CC BY 2.0
  Apocalypse Yana / Atlas Obscura User
  Apocalypse Yana / Atlas Obscura User
  Alexey Komarov/CC BY 2.0
  Konstantin Zamkov/CC BY 2.0
  Rebecca W/CC BY-SA 2.0
  Rebecca W/CC BY-SA 2.0
  Mal B/CC BY-ND 2.0
  Mal B/CC BY-ND 2.0
  Jorge Lascar/CC BY 2.0
Inside the temple   Claudia Schillinger/CC BY-ND 2.0
Around the Internal part of the Temple   Dabill / Atlas Obscura User
Offerings to Buddha outside the casket   Dabill / Atlas Obscura User
Temple of the Tooth   esmetravels / Atlas Obscura User
Offerings   Rebecca W/CC BY-SA 2.0
  A.Savin/Free Art License
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About

Located in the appropriately-named-to-Western-ears town of Kandy in Sri Lanka, the Temple of the Tooth offers some sweet Eastern architecture surrounding a religious relic. 

According to local tradition, the Buddha's tooth was given to the Sri Lankan monarchy in ancient times. Whoever holds the relic is said to hold the governance of the country. The tooth was passed around through various kings and holy men who hid, moved, and relocated the sacred relic across centuries.

Now the tooth is housed in a dedicated temple inside the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy. Worshipers can visit the relic, which is held in a golden stupa inside the two-story shrine. The relic is encased in seven golden caskets which are engraved and inlaid with precious gemstones.

Although parts of the shrine were destroyed and rebuilt over the years in various bombings and acts of war, the building still retains its opulent style of gold and moonstone, surrounded by Buddhist carvings and offerings.

This piece of peace may be small, but the Temple of the Tooth makes it seem as important as the Buddha himself.

Related Tags

Buddha's Tooth Shrines Buddhism Relics Teeth

Community Contributors

Added By

esmetravels

Edited By

Rachel, Apocalypse Yana, ZoeSparks, Dabill...

  • Rachel
  • Apocalypse Yana
  • ZoeSparks
  • Dabill
  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

November 2, 2012

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Sources
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_the_Tooth
  • http://www.esmetravels.com/category/travel-blog/sri-lanka/page/8/
  • http://www.buddhanet.net/sacred-island/temple-of-the-tooth.html
  • Travel Guide ->https://www.thingstodoinsrilanka.lk/top-5-things-to-do-in-kandy-sri-lanka/#stot
  • Travel Guide ->https://www.thingstodoinsrilanka.lk/top-5-things-to-do-in-kandy-sri-lanka/#stot
Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
Sri Dalada Veediya
Kandy
Sri Lanka
7.293078, 80.637166
Visit Website
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