Kandy - Buddha's Tooth and 'the holy oasis of peace and enlightenment'.

We are staying in the heart of Kandy, within walking distance to the attractions, and we are happy to have found a nice hotel with a rooftop bar. There we meet Jasmin and Phillip and spend lively evenings together. An insane amount of traffic surrounds us, and we opted out of the 'city tour' by car - after all, you experience more on foot ;-).

One must visit the 'Temple of the Tooth', which houses a relic of Buddha's tooth - well, from time to time the question arises of how many thousand little pieces Buddha is distributed in, as many temples hold a piece of him sacred.
It is Saturday and quite busy, many pilgrims and tourists are streaming through the halls, and we join this flow. We have no other option as one path leads up to the holy hall, and another leads down. Guards sensibly prevent us from stopping; although we don’t see the tooth relic, we enjoy a dense atmosphere, participate in the devout mood, and merge with the happenings around us.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_the_Tooth

The UNESCO World Heritage site Sri Dalada Maligawa, commonly known in English as the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, is a Buddhist temple in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the Royal Palace Complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, where the relic of Buddha's tooth is kept. Since ancient times, this relic has played a significant role in local politics, as it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. Historically, the relic was held by Sinhalese kings. Rituals are performed three times a day: at dawn, noon, and in the evening. On Wednesdays, there is a symbolic bathing of the relic with an herbal concoction of fragrant water and fragrant flowers called Nanumura Mangallaya; this holy water is said to contain healing powers and is distributed among those present.

Our walk afterwards, along the lake, takes us past the Queen's Bath, through underpasses with political statements, and through winding, lively alleys. And we have already found a good roti maker for breakfast and dinner.

To get away from the hustle and bustle, we decide to visit Nelligala - an international Buddhist center near Kandy. On our journey there, we see the damage caused by the cyclone in December. Houses that were torn down, destroyed bridges, and uprooted trees along the banks clearly show how high the now quite small river had been raging.

Nelligala, with few visitors, spacious, is a time to pause and the opportunity to have rituals, rooms, and relics explained. A wonderful view rounds off our day; from the holy oasis of peace and enlightenment, we take something with us.

https://nelligala.lk/

Nelligala International Buddhist Centre

A sacred oasis of peace and enlightenment.
A tranquil sanctuary where wisdom meets serenity and hearts are guided toward peace and enlightenment.