Temple of the Sacred Tooth

ශ්‍රී දළදා මාළිගාව (Sri Dalada Maligawa)

Located by the misty lake of Kandy, Sri Dalada Maligawa houses the sacred relic of Lord Buddha. Daily drumming ceremonies and the grand illuminated Esala Perahera procession with regal tusker elephants.

Central Province • KandyUNESCO World Heritage Site (Kandy)

Living Cultural TreasureLiving Tradition

Best TimingDuring Daily Thevava Pooja (5:30 AM, 9:30 AM, or 6:30 PM)

Historical EpochCentral Province • Kandy

PreservationUNESCO World Heritage Site (Kandy)

Admission GuideForeign Visitor Counter at Main Entrance (LKR 2,000)

Historical Chronicles & Living Lore

Sheltered beside the royal lake of Kandy, Sri Dalada Maligawa is the most venerated shrine in the Buddhist world. Housing the sacred left canine tooth relic of Gautama Buddha, the temple has historically been the divine symbol of royal sovereignty in Sri Lanka: whoever held the relic held the divine mandate to govern the island. The multi-tiered gilded palace with golden canopy roof resonates daily with traditional Hewisi drumming and the scent of sweet jasmine and lotus offerings.

Dynastic Origin & Ancient Lineage

Smuggled to Sri Lanka in the 4th Century AD concealed in the hair of Princess Hemamala, the relic was enshrined in Kandy by King Vimaladharmasuriya I in 1595.

Heritage Summary

Recognition: UNESCO World Heritage Site (Kandy)
Best Hours: During Daily Thevava Pooja (5:30 AM, 9:30 AM, or 6:30 PM)
Access: Foreign Visitor Counter at Main Entrance (LKR 2,000)
Category: Living Tradition

Dossier & Essential Visitor Guidelines

Click to expand

Golden Canopy Relic Chamber

Inner Sanctum

The innermost two-story chamber crowned with a solid gold roof donated in 1987, housing seven nested jewel-encrusted golden caskets containing the tooth relic.

Magul Maduwa (Royal Audience Hall)

Woodcraft

A masterpiece of Kandyan carved timber architecture with 64 carved halmilla wooden pillars where the historic Kandyan Convention was signed in 1815.

Paththirippuwa (Octagonal Pavilion)

Royal Pavilion

The iconic octagonal tower built by royal architect Devendra Mulachari where the King of Kandy addressed his kingdom.

Esala Perahera Pageant

Living Festival

Sri Lanka’s most spectacular annual July/August pageant featuring 50+ decorated tuskers, hundreds of Kandyan fire dancers, drummers, and whip crackers.