The Sacred Temple Of Tooh Relic In Kandy: Sri Lanka's True Essence Of Religion

"All that We are is the result of what We have thought. The mind is everything. What We think We become. " - Buddha


Though we came back to hotel completely exhausted and our energy meter seemed really low, none of us really wanted to miss the chance to visit the soul of not only Kandy, but also of the entire Sri Lanka, The Sacred Temple of Tooth Relic.

According to Sri Lankan Tradition no one was allowed to visit the temple or enter in its premises with sleeveless and excessive colorful dress, three-quarter pants or any kind of hats on. Rather appearing with long-sleeve, light-color, sober outfits was more appropriate. And, everyone was bound to enter the premise of the temple barefooted.

A calm and grayish evening was emerging when we set our journey to visit the Temple.

“You cannot travel the path until you have become the path itself”- Buddha - See more at: http://quotesnsmiles.com/quotes/calming-buddha-quotes/#sthash.doEWdzOY.dpuf

On the way to the Sacred Temple

“You cannot travel the path until you have become the path itself”- Buddha - See more at: http://quotesnsmiles.com/quotes/calming-buddha-quotes/#sthash.doEWdzOY.dpuf

"You Cannot travel the path until you have become the path itself" - Buddha

Still On the way ...

It was not a very long way from Hotel Mahaweli Reach and when we set our bare feet on the black-pitched road, the sun was already gone; Just the timid heat on the ground was left as its last reminiscence and the reddish glow in the atmosphere. The gorgeous temple and the palace came visible within our eyesight in a very short time.
   

“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.”- Buddha - See more at: http://quotesnsmiles.com/quotes/calming-buddha-quotes/#sthash.doEWdzOY.dpuf

Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense" - Buddha

The Sacred and Forbidden Premise

A statue was established on the way to temple and I found out that it was the monument of their Child National Hero. The story about this little boy I came to know from Gayan. 

This boy was a prince of South India and his father was a victim of misconception that he had sided with British Government in order to take the ruling position of the kingdom. Conspiracy evolved against the King and his entire family. His whole family was ordered to be executed. 
The queen was excruciatingly killed by the assassins. They tied up a giant stone with her neck and just threw her into the water to die.
It was time for the boys.
The only two princes of the King. 
The elder one was eleven years old and the younger one was nine. 
In absence of their father and having their mother killed already, they were hiding behind the couch and shivering with extreme fear. 
Seeing the fragile condition at this moment of ultimate crisis, the nine years old little boy kept his hands around her brothers arm, and said

"Don't worry brother. I will show you how to face death"

He unveiled himself in front of the assassins, and sacrificed his life with such an honor that no word is yet discovered to express his heroism.

It was a terrible story. 
Having even more terrible implications. 

Though the Picture is blur, this is only picture of the statue

 “The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you, depend on no one. Only the moment you reject all help are you freed.”- Buddha  

The Temple of Tooth Relic

The scared temple is situated in the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, which houses The Relic of the Tooth of Buddha. Since the ancient times, the relic has played a vital role in local politics. It is believed by the natives that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. 

As I already mentioned before that Kandy was the last capital of the Sri Lankan Kings, this city is resembling the last heritages of ancient kingdoms and hosting the precious relic of the tooth of Buddha.     

Sacred Flower

The Monks conducted worship on a daily basis in the inner chamber of the temple. Rituals are performed three times daily: at dawn, at noon and in the evenings. On Wednesdays there is a symbolic bathing of the Sacred Relic with an herbal preparation made from scented water and fragrant flowers, called Nanumura Mangallaya. This holy water is believed to contain healing powers and is distributed among people who came to visit.

The inner chamber of the Temple

We had the opportunity to attend the evening ritual and was fortunate to see the opening ceremony of the gate of the inner chamber which held the most sacred tooth relic of Buddha. Only Dan was missing among us. 
Later we found him on the prayer room, secretly devoting his respect and prayers. It was something I could never forget that how the total immersion of faith and soul could bring out realization, enlightenment and peace. 
Every believer offered prayer to Buddha by lighting oil lamp and offering flowers and beetle leaves. The whole scenario was peacefully mind-soothing and it was such an environment that whenever I took a long breathe, the essence of purity touched my spirit and calmed it down. 

I felt each and every moment individually which I spent there. Visiting such a place was a sort of meditation that enriches your soul, teaches you to think in an unorthodox way leaving behind all the materialistic consumption; It was a moment that opens up your insight and gently indicates to peer deep within your mind and makes you capable of judging; not the world or any other person, but you, and only yourself; which makes you feel absolutely free. 

It was nothing, still it was everything.

The Room of Prayers

"The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart"- Buddha 

It was a long night.
I don't remember it clearly.
Perhaps I fell into a longer sleep.

(To be continued)