By Parrot Newspaper 
Sri Lankans Gather in Kandy for Rare Buddhist Relic Display
By Parrot Newspaper Correspondent
Kandy, Sri Lanka — The hill city of Kandy has become a sea of saffron robes, incense smoke, and quiet reverence as tens of thousands of pilgrims pour into Sri Lanka’s spiritual heart for a momentous occasion — the public display of the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha, a revered artifact shrouded in legend and guarded tradition.
The relic, enshrined in the Temple of the Sacred Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa), is being shown to the public for the first time in 16 years. For devout Buddhists, this is more than a religious event — it’s a rare chance to witness a symbol believed to embody the living presence of the Enlightened One himself.
As early as Thursday night, streams of pilgrims began staking out space around the temple grounds, braving the cool mountain air with blankets and prayers. By Friday morning, the UNESCO-listed site was surrounded by a swelling crowd of worshippers — young and old, rural and urban, barefoot monks and camera-clutching tourists — all drawn by the same pull of spiritual devotion.
“This is the moment we’ve waited years for,” said Ananda Rajakaruna, a 52-year-old farmer who journeyed for two days from the southern Matara district. “To see the relic with our own eyes is a blessing that generations dream of.”
According to Sri Lankan police, the ceremonial unveiling was scheduled for Friday afternoon, with a live police map tracking foot traffic around the temple complex. Authorities estimated that more than a million people viewed the relic during its last exposition in March 2009 — a number expected to be rivaled, if not surpassed, this year.
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth is no stranger to history’s harsh touch. In 1998, a brutal bombing by Tamil separatists severely damaged the structure, blowing out walls and shattering windows. But in a strange twist of fate, the explosion unearthed something unexpected: 18th-century murals long hidden beneath layers of plaster.
Those once-forgotten paintings — vibrant scenes dating between 1707 and 1739, when Kandy served as the island’s royal capital — are now part of the temple’s guarded museum collection, offering visitors a glimpse into both spiritual and artistic heritage. The murals, like the relic itself, are silent witnesses to the city’s layered past of devotion, monarchy, and resilience.
“This isn’t just about religion,” said a temple historian, speaking under condition of anonymity. “It’s about continuity — of culture, of faith, of memory. The tooth relic connects today’s pilgrims to centuries of Sri Lankan identity.”
For many, the journey to Kandy is a pilgrimage not only across geography, but time — an echo of ancient footsteps, royal processions, and whispered prayers that have carried through the ages.
Lankans Gather in Kandy for Rare Buddhist Relic
As the sun dips behind the green hills and golden light floods the temple courtyard, thousands wait in hushed anticipation. For a brief window, history steps out from behind the curtain of legend — and for Sri Lanka’s faithful, the moment is nothing short of sacred.