Kandy Esala Perahera How the Sacred Tooth Relic made its way to Kandy

The Sacred Tooth Relic being carried by an elephant during the Kandy Esala Perahera

Pic by Kushan Sangeeth Pathiraja

According to Dheeganikaya, various relics of the Enlightened One have been enshrined in stupas built in various countries. However, the four Danta Dhatu (canine teeth) of the Buddha have been enshrined separately. The canine tooth on the right is believed to be worshipped by the king of gods, Sakra, and other heavenly beings. The other Danta Dhatu was taken by the king of Gandhara in modern Pakistan. Nagas of Nagaloka had taken away the third Tooth Relic which is believed to be worshipped in a golden shrine room. The canine on the left, which was removed from the funerary ashes by a monk, was handed over to the king of Kalinga. Generations of Kalingas venerated this Tooth Relic as the greatest religious object, and by virtue of this Relic, the kingdom of Kalinga became the most powerful state in the region. The hostile rulers attempted either to own the relic or to destroy it.

ARRIVAL OF TOOTH RELIC IN SRI LANKA

For a period of about eight centuries, the sacred Tooth Relic was in possession of Kalinga rulers. Kalinga ruler Guhasiva had to defend the kingdom and the Sacred Tooth relic from the rulers of neighbouring kingdoms who waged war against the Kalinga kingdom.

King Guhasiva who was in imminent danger of losing the battle decided to send the sacred Tooth Relic to the king of Sri Lanka who was a descendent of Kalingas. King Guhasiva took this decision because he did not want the Sacred Tooth Relic to fall into the hands of the enemy. According to the Dalada Siritha, and chronicles Dhatuwansa and Mahawansa, King Guhasiva had sent the Sacred Tooth Relic to his contemporary and friend in Sri Lanka, King Mahanama through his daughter, Princess Hemamala and son-in-law, Prince Dantha.

SRI DALADA HIDDEN IN THE HAIR KNOT OF HEMAMALA

Princess Hemamala who had hidden the Sacred Tooth Relic in her hair, boarded a ship at the port Tamrapitti with her husband, Prince Dantha and reached Sri Lanka at the port Lankapatuna. However, by the time they disembarked in Sri Lanka, King Mahanama had died, but his son King Kithsiri Mevan who was pious, had well received the Sacred Tooth Relic and proceeded to the Sri Lankan capital, Anuradhapura. The Relic was placed on the throne with much veneration. Sri Dalada was then enshrined in the edifice called Dhammcakkageha, originally built by King Devanampiyatissa. The king built a separate shrine room.  

SRI DALADA-PALLADIUM OF KINGSHIP

The Chinese traveller monk, Fa-Hsien, who lived in Abhayagiri monastery has given an account of worship and rituals connected with the Sacred Tooth Relic. According to him, the procession instituted during the period of King Kithsiri Mevan has continued on a grand scale. The Sacred Tooth Relic was taken in procession from the Tooth Relic Temple to Abhayagiri Temple, and the exposition continued for a period of three months. According to literary texts and chronicles, it can be taken for granted that the Sacred Tooth Relic was guarded and protected by kings and considered to be the palladium of kingship.

ATADAGE BUILT BY KING VIJAYABAHU

Mahapali Alms Hall built by King Devanampiyatissa to provide Dana to Maha Sangha from the royal palace was used to house the Sacred Tooth Relic until the time of shifting the country’s capital from Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa. After liberating the country from Cholas, King Vijayabahu constructed a two storied building called Atadage to house the Sacred Tooth Relic and the bowl relic. King Nissanka-Malla had stated in a rock inscription that he had constructed and improved the building.

DALADA PERAHERA

According to the Mahawansa, the Sacred Tooth Relic was shifted to Siriwardenapura, which is supposed to be the village close to their capital Dambadeniya, and later to the capital itself, and processions (Perahera) were carried out by both of these kings with devotion. 

According to chronicles, Sri Dalada Perahera had been conducted throughout history except during the period when Yapahuwa was the capital of Sri Lanka.

‘Dalada Siritha’ provides an account of the rituals performed in honour of the Sacred Tooth Relic during the Hastishallyapura (Kurunegala) period. During the Kotte period, rituals had continued in order to pay reverence to the Sacred Tooth Relic, although most of the structures of Sri Dalada Maligawa had been destroyed in spite of the last ditch of attempts made by devoted rulers and Maha Sangha to save the sacred places. 

SACRED TOOTH RELIC BROUGHT TO KANDY

King Vimaladharmasuriya who was enthroned in 1590, brought the Sacred Tooth Relic to Kandy from Delgamuwa – where it was kept hidden – and then performed the Esala Perahera. King Senarath moved the Sacred Tooth Relic to Medamahanuwara for its safety from the Portuguese aggression, but King Rajasinha II brought it back to Kandy and housed it in a storied building. King Vimaladharma converted the building to a three storied one. King Weeraparakrema offered land at Gurudeniya and also got a barn constructed to store paddy.  

SATARA MANGALYA

The world famous Esala Perahera, Aluth Sahal Mangalya (New Rice festival), Bak Maha Ulela (Sinhala New Year festival) and Karthika Mangalya conducted in November for the distribution of coconut oil are the four main festivals of the Sacred Tooth Relic temple.

SRI DALADA PERAHERA

Combination of the deep and buzzing sound of the large drum (Daula), bipartite sound of the double drum (Tammattama), and the hissing sound of the trumpet (Horanewa) produces a melodious music which invariably brings Esala Perahera of the Sri Dalada Maligawa to our minds. This is the most colourful and attractive Buddhist cultural pageant of the hill capital which has drawn the attention of not only Sri Lankans but also those across the world.

ORIGIN OF THE ESALA PERAHERA

According to information available, Esala Perahera as we know it today, with Hindu Devalaya Peraheras participating in it, had its origin in 1775 AD in the reign of King Kirti Sri Rajasinha. The Perahera inaugurated by this king was confined to the four Hindu Devalayas because by then the Hindu practices and rituals had crept into Theravada Buddhism owing to the influence of Mahayanism as well as the kings’ consorts who were Hindu princesses from India. However, on the advice of Siamese priests who came for the restoration of Upasampada, the king ordered a procession of the Sacred Tooth Relic to head the four Devalaya Perahera. Since then, the Esala Perahera of Sri Dalada Maligawa followed by the Peraheras of four Devalayas, Natha, Saman, Kataragama and Pattini paraded the streets of Kandy.

SATARA DEVALAYA PERAHERA

Satara Devalaya Perahera parade the streets following Sri Dalada Maligawa Perahera led by Natha Devalaya Perahera which is given preference because the deity of this devalaya is the Buddha to be.

Sakra, the chief of the celestial beings, has entrusted the custody of Buddhism in Sri Lanka to God Vishnu. Therefore, Maha Vishnu Devalaya comes next. Basnayake Nilame of Vishnu Devalaya is accompanied by Basnayake  Nilames of Lankatillake, Gadaladeniya, Alawathugoda Hanguranketha, Morape and Medirigiriya Devalayas. Kataragama Devalaya perahera follows. Basnayaka nilames of Embakke and Ganegoda devalayas accompany the Basnayake Nilame of Kataragama Devalaya. Last comes the Pattini Devalaya Perahera.

KAP SITUWEEMA

This is the first ceremony in connection with the Esala Perahera in which Dalada Maligawa does not participate. A Kap or pole  is erected at each Devalaya as a vow to perform the Perahera.

Ethul Perahera (inner Perahera): is conducted by four devalaya to traverse the golden weapons of deities who are believed to haunt the Devalayas. It is believed that the deities haunting Devalayas protect the Kaps.

Kumbal Perahera: is paraded by the Devalayas believing that the Kap was originally planted on an ant hill- Humbaha. 

Randoli Perahera: begins after five nights of Kumbal Perahera and continues for another five nights. Randolis literally mean queen’s palanquins. Palanquins are symbols of deities, consorts or queens of reigning kings. Randolis or palanquins with queens seated on them were carried alongside the elephants. King Keerti Sri Rajasinghe decreed that it is not proper for females to walk along the Sacred Tooth Relic and that the palanquins should be carried at the end of the Perahera.

Water cutting ceremony: is conducted at Gatambe at the end of the Randoli Perahera. Kaps of Satara Devalay are floated on the Mahaweli River. 

At the end of the rituals, the Diywadana Nilame and the Basnayake Nilames go to the President’s House in Kandy and hand over a memorandum to the President. After a tea party, the President attends to any issues of those who are responsible for the conduct of the Perahera.

The final ritual relating to the Esala Perahera is the seven day long Waliyakun Mangalya held at the Vishnu Devalaya.