Kandy
Architecture and details embody the spirit
of the ancient Kingdom of Kandy. The entrée
to the hill country of Island Paradise situated
150 kilometers form the capital Colombo, cool
retreat perched high above a town renowned as
the most beautiful in Sri Lanka for its beauty,
tranquility and of course romance. You can travel
to Kandy by train in 5 hours and by private
transport in 3 to 4 hours.
Known as
the ‘Royal City’, Kandy is the laidback
capital of Sri Lanka’s beautiful hill
country. The second biggest city in Sri Lanka
next to Colombo, Kandy has much to offer. From
the golden Temple of the Tooth to the heaving
street side stalls, the smells of aromatic spices
and the hectic clutter of city life are in stark
contrast to the drowsy village existence out
of town.
A vast lake
forms a centre piece of the town and throughout
the year several fascinating festivals are held
in Kandy. If you want to experience the passed
down cultures and tradions of the Buddhist religion
look no further. This is the town to see traditional
Sri Lankan dancing and the Kandy festival in
July is an experience not to be missed. Elephants
in traditional dress parade the streets and
the town ignites with music and dancing and
general Sri Lankan mayhem! Bus and Train routes
from Kandy connect you to the rest of the island.
Kandy’s main attraction is the Dalada
Maligawa, the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
of the Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. Brought
to Sri Lanka in the 4th c. A.D., the sacred
relic has ever since been the symbol of sovereignty
for its rulers and always enshrined in great
splendor. Kandy’s Dalada Maligawa is a
magnificent shrine, with decorative walls, moat,
turrets, golden roof and fine wood-work and
its 16th – 19th century ambience vividly
alive. Three religious services (pooja) with
traditional music, held daily at dawn, mid-day
and in the evening, can be viewed by visitors.
The laidback 'capital' of the hill country,
and the historical bastion of Buddhist power,
is built around a peaceful lake and set in a
picturesque bowl of hills. It has a distinctive
architectural character and the town centre
is a delightful compendium of old shops, buses,
markets and hotels. Its standout attraction
is the octagonal Dalada Maligawa, a temple which
houses Sri Lanka's most important religious
relic - the sacred tooth of Buddha. There are
daily ceremonies of homage to the Tooth Relic,
each attracting white-clad pilgrims carrying
lotus blossoms and frangipani.
Kandy was the last stronghold of the Sinhala
kings. The glory of the past is still manifest
in the splendid audience chamber, palace and
court-yards. The laidback "capital"
of the hill country and the historical bastion
of Buddhist power is built around a peaceful
lake. It has a distinctive architectural character,
thanks to its gently sloping tiled roofs. The
town center is a delightful compendium of old
shops, noise, buses, markets and hotels.
Every year in August or late July, depending
on the phases of the moon a replica of the Relic
is taken in procession round the city accompanied
by exotically costumed dancers, drummers and
over 80 elephants. The event marks one of the
most spectacular pageants in Sri Lanka, the
Kandy Perahera.
The Kalapuraya in the beautiful Dumbara Valley
situated 8 kilometers from Kandy town, is where
the descendants of the ancient craftsmen still
continue to create items of rare elegance in
both metal and wood. There are many shrines
and temples in and around Kandy, where you will
see rare paintings, frescoes, wood and stone
carvings.
Four miles away from Kandy, is Peradeniya which
houses the famous Botanical gardens and the
Peradeniya University which is held as one of
the best educational institues in the local
context. The world famous Royal Botanical Gardens
- the most beautiful in the world was a pleasure
garden for one of the Sinhala King. Yet today
this magnificent and spread out garden has a
variety tropical and temperate tree and flowers
that are cultivated here and special houses
with orchids and cacti that are beautiful to
be true. This garden is famous amongst the students
of the local schools as they enjoy a picnic
in this well preserved forestry whilst learning
the numerous names of the exhibited floras of
the garden. You could feast you eyes on the
excellent wide stretch of palm groves that line
the path and the huge plain ground with green
grass that stretch far out in the centre of
the garden.
Kandy is an exciting place for shopping with
souvenirs in wood, copper, silver, brass, ebony
and bronze. Ceramics, lacquer work, handlooms,
batiks, jewellery and rush and reed-ware can
also be purchased. The Kandyan Art Association
& Cultural Centre beside the lake has good
displays of local crafts and an auditorium for
popular dance performances.
You must visit the University campus, tastefully
laid out amidst the hills. There are plenty
of lovely scenic walks around Kandy, one of
which leads to the Mahaweli, where you may see
elephants being bathed. The Mahaweli Ganga the
longest in the country runs through ths beautiful
town making it enriching and more bountiful.
There are also many places of attraction around
the Kandy area which could be easy accessed
if traveling with a local guide. The town also
hosts of accommodations from moderate stays
to luxury hotels both in and around the area.
Therefore make a stop at Kandy on your way to
the hill country to taste what you are to experience
further up.
