Dalada Perahara Photos

History of Dalada Perahara

Ever since the four canine teeth of the Buddha after cremation came to be in the possession of devas, nagas and men, these were preciously guarded and received special veneration and worship.

A great war started in India around 371 A.D. against King Buhasiva to take the Sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha pocessed by the King.
The King handed over this tooth relic to his son in law Dhantha and instructed Dhantha  take the tooth relic to Sri Lanka where his friend King Mahsen was living.

The king lost the battle and his daughter princes Hemamali and son in law Dhantha brought the tooth relic to Sri Lanka, and it was hidden in her knot of hair foe safety.

When they reached Sri Lanka King Buhasiva’s friendly king Mahasen had died. So they handed the sacred tooth relic to king Megavan who was ruling in Anuradhapura.

The sacred tooth relic was then handed over to bikku, buddhist monk’s of Abayagiriya for safe keeping and also object of worship for Buddha’s.

Traditionally thereafter the sacred tooth relic was regarded as a royal treasure and symbol of kingship and was enshrined in the private shrine room of temple in the royal palace complex of Capital and protected by the king himself.

When the capital was shifted from Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa the tooth relic was taken to Polonnaruwa by king Vijayabahu 1 and he constructed “Atadage”and enshrined it. Aftertsome time Queen Sugala has taken the tooth to her fortress and it was hidden there.

After a long battle king Parakramabahu the 1st brought the tooth relic again to Polonnaruwa. lately king Nissankamalla constructed the tooth relic temple called "Hatadage" and enshrined it.

After that it was brought to Dmbadeniya,Yapahuwa, Kurunegala from Kurunegala they brought to Kotte. During the period of Mayadunna it was taken to Seethawaka.

During period of Rajasinghe 1, portugues power spread in the costal area and it was taken to Delgamuwa Viharaya, which is situated at Kuruwita in Rathnapura district, and it was taken to Kandy in 1593 and kept by king Wimaladharmasuriya. In 1753 the Kandy Perahara started to honour the tooth relic, and it was taken around the Kandy town.

After Sri Lanka was concord by British in 1815 the custody of the sacred tooth relic given over to three custodians. The venerable mahanayaka thero of Asgiriya and malwatta chapters and to the Diyawadana Nilame, the chief custodian, and continue even to day.

Fa-hsien, the Chinese traveller monk, who lived in this monastery in the 5th century AD, has provided in his records a graphic description of the Tooth Relic procession. According to him, an announcement of the perahara was made 10 days prior to the event and the whole route of the procession was decorated and life size Buddha images were lined up along the entire route for the occasion. After the exposition ceremony for 3 months, the Tooth Relic was taken back to the citadel in similar vein.

This procession was held every year by Buddhist Kings on a grander scale. The procession of the sacred tooth relic was the identity of the King. The procession was attended by numerous groups of musicians and drummers, female dancers, and flag bearers. The king himself rode on a caparisoned tusker accompanied by many elephants and horses.

The murals of the Tooth Relic Temple at Vijasundararama at Dambadeniya displays a procession when the Tooth Relic was brought to Dambadeniya from Beligala accompanied by the king.
During the Dalada procession at Dambadeniya the processions of the Devales of protective divinities added to the procession of the Tooth Relic.

During the Kurunagala period a code of regulations was formulated on the conduct of the procession. This colorful and significant event then regulated all procedures related to the Kady Dalada perahara of present day