Way back in 483BC at Buddha’s funeral, some clever dude pinched one of Buddha’s teeth – an incisor they reckon. This relic has been sacred to Buddhists ever since and been closely guarded through the centuries, give or take a few invasions by the Indians, Portuguese, Dutch and the British. The Portuguese catholics say they took it and burnt it back in India, but the Sri Lankan Buddhists say they only stolen a replica. Ha! To the Portuguese.
The real thing is still right here in Kandy! It lies inside seven caskets, inside a two storey temple, inside a compound surrounded by a moat. This is serious “cover your shoulders and legs” territory.

Entry to the Temple of The Sacred Tooth Relic

At puja (daily offerings and prayers) they open the heavily guarded inner room for 15 minutes three times a day. You file past a small window, along with hundreds of others, and quickly look at the casket containing the other six caskets and, apparently, the actual tooth relic of the real deal Buddha. It was all a bit surreal. Anyway, if you’re a Buddhist this is a big deal and a must-do pilgrimage. A bit like Haj for the Muslims.

Gifts for Buddha

All the items here are gifts to Buddha, including the elephant tusks. These are from deceased elephants that perform in an annual religious parade through Kandy that sounds bigger than Texas.
This is the exterior of a secondary temple within the complex of the Temple of The Sacred Tooth Relic. The fence is gold they say.
Most people offer flowers to Buddha which are laid out on a big table just near the tooth room. Outside the temple gates where the Appropriate Clothes Police will get you, there are numerous stalls selling beautiful flowers.

We walked away with bucket loads of good karma. How could you not?