The Sri Dalada Maligawa, or Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, is the holiest Buddhist shrine in Sri Lanka. Located within the royal palace complex of the last Sinhalese kingdom in Kandy, the temple houses the relic of the left canine tooth of the historical Buddha, brought to Sri Lanka from India in the 4th century CE. Possession of the relic was historically equated with the right to rule the island, and it remains a focal point of national religious life. The temple was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988 as part of the Sacred City of Kandy.
The tooth relic is housed in seven nested golden caskets within the inner shrine. Daily puja (devotional rituals) are performed three times â at dawn, midday, and evening â during which the shrine room opens to worshippers. Visitors may attend these pujas and view the outer casket. The temple complex also contains a museum, the Alut Maligawa (new shrine room), and the adjacent Audience Hall with its distinctive stone-columned interior. The annual Esala Perahera procession, held in July or August, is the most celebrated festival associated with the temple.
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