Eassy about my favorite place in Sri Lanka
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My guidebook states that Kandy is ‘the most beautiful city in the world’, and I’m inclined to agree. On my second visit, it was as enchanting as ever.
Buddha statue
Nestled among verdant hills and on the banks of the Mahaweli river, Kandy is full of fragrance and colour with temples, markets and traditional rickshaws weaving their way through heavy traffic. When you reach the heart of the city, you are greeted by the beautiful Kandy lake. The lake was created in 1807 for the pleasure of the cruel King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe. A few years later, he surrendered the last Sinhalese kingdom to the British, and today everyone can enjoy the lake.
Small boats beckon, ready for a cruise, but I preferred to walk around. I walked just over 3km, along the Cloud Wall – a white parapet left unfinished after the take over – and the cool shaded trails. Walking past the queen's bathhouse and creeks ablaze with flowers, I spotted white egrets and Indian cormorants. I sat on a bench to gaze at the views from the lonely palm trees to the hills. It was so peaceful; the city seemed a world away. You could feel the vibes rippling across the water from the Temple of the Tooth, Sri Lanka's most holy shrine. The 17th-century temple was named after the relic of the tooth of Buddha, which has played an important role in the history and politics of Kandy. Whoever has the tooth has governance of the country.
Temple of the Tooth
So, we joined the many pilgrims, laden with offerings. We headed across the moat and up the majestic stairway towards the drummers' courtyard. The relic is kept on the upper floor of the building opposite but only believers can imagine what it looks like! The tooth is locked away within seven gem-studded gold caskets, tucked inside each other like Russian dolls. Yet, when you set eyes on the main shrine, draped in ivory and gold, it may well send shivers down your spine. I’d recommend allowing plenty of time to look around because there are so many generous donations to see; a world heritage site that is amazingly rich in paintings, wood carvings and sculptures.
We then watched the traditional Kandyan dancers in a nearby hall who put on a fabulous show. Merely a glance into what you might see during the summer’s Perahera festival. During this festival, a replica of the tooth casket is paraded around town after dark, among decorated elephants, dancers, whip crackers, fire eaters and more. On the final day, a water ceremony is held by the Mahaweli river.