"I haven＊t been everywhere, but it＊s on my list＃" 每 Enjoying the feel of the soft, warm sands of a vast Kandy beach under my feet I smile remembering these words by an (unknown) traveller. And indeed, after a forced lull, courtesy Covid-19, when everyone was forced to hang up their travelling boots, my bucket list too was out.?
What better place to start ticking off the places one has always wanted to visit, than with Sri Lanka, we thought. After all, it nestles next door and is more than welcoming to all visitors, especially after its recent political crisis.
Having landed in Colombo, we head towards Kandy, a delightful little city that lies barely three hours away. Our chauffeur guide, Marcus Fernando, is a mine of information as he points to the mountain range up ahead. ※It＊s called Dumbara Kanduvetiya which can be translated to mean ＆mist-laden mountains＊ in the local language. But the Britishers called it ＆Knuckles＊ 每 the reason being that its peaks, they felt, look like the knuckles of a clenched fist.§
Legends talk about these mountains offering a safe hideout to a Robinhood-like character in the colonial era. He robbed the British and distributed their money to the poor. Today, Knuckles is a haven for hitchhikers. Its Conservation Forest was included in UNESCO natural world heritage list in 2010 as part of the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka.
A scenic drive offering gorgeous views of the Kandy Lake takes us towards the?raison d'etre?of the city 每 the Temple of the Tooth Relic. Also known as Sri Dalada Maligawa by the locals, it stands in the royal palace complex where the kings guarded the tooth relic with all their might.
Taking our shoes off near the entrance, and handing them to a man sitting behind a counter for safekeeping, we walk towards this imposing golden-roofed temple. Completed in 1595, it houses a great slice of history 每 the tooth of the Buddha. In 1988, it came to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The story goes that 800 years after the death of the Buddha, his left canine tooth (that had been retrieved from his funeral pyre) needed to be taken to a safe place, away from its enemies who were determined to destroy it. That＊s when Prince Dantha and his wife Princess Hemamali disguised themselves as merchants and set sail for Ceylon to bring the sacred tooth here. It is believed that the Princess hid the tooth in her hair ornament to keep it safe.
A Buddhist visitor here tells me that Sri Lanka was chosen as the home of the tooth by the erstwhile royal couple because the Buddha had said that his religion would be safe there for at least the next 5,000 years.
Besides statues of Madduma Bandara, a national (child) hero of Sri Lanka who was executed in 1814 by the then king for treachery, idols and paintings of Princess Hemamali and Prince Dantha, among others, can also be seen here. ?
In contrast to the outer fa?ade with its fairly simplistic octagonal architecture, the inside of the temple complex presents a different look. Ornate interiors fascinate with their carvings in wood, ivory, and lacquer. Stunning murals and marble statues greet you as you go up a solid wooden staircase towards a large hall where two large elephant tusks stand in front of a beautifully carved, heavy silver door that we＊re told guards the sacred tooth relic. It is encased in seven golden caskets 每 believed to represent a stupa.?
Monks in saffron robes and other devotees dressed mostly in white carry baskets and plates of flowers, praying as music on the drums and trumpets fills the air with divine energy. Prayers are performed thrice a day and on Wednesdays, the relic is bathed in a herbal solution. For those who wonder at the size of the tooth relic, Buddhists say it has grown because of its special powers.
The complex also houses a huge hall with several statues of the Buddha, and collections of palm-leaf manuscripts that go back almost two centuries. The second-generation Bodhi tree that was brought in from India is also part of the complex that incidentally managed to survive two terrorist attacks in 1989 and 1998.?
The temple witnesses a grand festival, Esala Perahara, around July/August. Other than offering prayers to the rain gods, devotees get to see a beautiful procession with the golden casket of the tooth taken around the city on beautifully caparisoned elephants.
Another must visit are a set of three compelling temples 每 Gadaladeniya Temple, Lankathilaka and Embekke -- that lie a little away from Kandy. You can either take a tuk-tuk or cab or walk the distance of about 7kms to this three-temple loop.
Going back to the 14th century, the Gadaladeniya Temple is famous for its beautiful stone paintings. Designed by a South Indian architect called Sathapati Rayar, the architecture of this temple was designed using Sinhalese elements from the Polonnaruwa era (1055-1212) together with some Dravidian and Indo-Chinese patterns.
Then there is Lankathilaka Vihara. Built on a large rock, it is believed to be a half-Buddhist and half-Hindu temple. Overlooking the Hantane Mountain Range, it is regarded as one of the most stunning edifices of the Gampola kingdom.
The third, Embekke Devalaya, built in the 14th century by King Wickremabahu III charms with its wooden pillars carved with animal and human figures. The guide here will tell you that on all special occasions, the courtyard of this Hindu temple once resounded with the sound of ceremonial drum beats. A local deity called Devatha Bandara is also worshipped here. ?
When in Kandy, don＊t forget to visit its well-landscaped Ranweli Spice Garden that lies in a picturesque corner of Matale. The well-informed guides here will take you on a tour around the garden talking about Sri Lanka＊s famed spices and its uses.
The king of spices here, of course, is the cinnamon that attracted traders even as far back as 6,000 years! From Egyptians and Romans in the early period to Arabs, Portuguese, Dutch and the British in the later ones, traders came lured by its smell, taste, and flavour.
Other than cinnamon, you can see lush trees and plants of a variety of spices 每 from cardamom to cloves. It＊s difficult not to be charmed by the aroma of the clove's tall trees with 'blossoms' that are really dried flower buds growing in clusters.
Besides the curry-leaf, there are also cocoa, vanilla, areca nut, pineapple, nutmeg, and bandicoot berry plants and trees. At the end of the tour, don＊t forget to pick up the choicest of spices and herbal?oils? to carry back home.?
Another must-do in Kandy is a visit to the Geragama tea factory. After all, the beverage enjoys a haloed history in Sri Lanka. It goes back to the 1800s, when a tea bush was planted by James Taylor, a Scotsman in Ceylon. The soil and climate proved to be perfect for the cultivation of tea, making it one of the largest producers of tea in the world.
A walk around the tea-processing areas is a learning experience wherein Chanuka, the guide here, talks about the sorting, grinding, drying, and packaging of tea that she says takes about three days.
At the end of the tour, you＊re led into a tea-tasting room where it＊s fun tasting the varieties of tea -- ? from black to green, silver, golden, and dust 每 with some freshly baked cakes.
Although the supermarkets sell a wide variety, it＊s a good idea to pick up a few packets from the colorful tea counter here itself.
Hearing stories (that, incidentally, have now become part of the city folklore), about the filming of some legendary films such as David Lean＊s?Bridge on the River Kwai?and?Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom?that were filmed in and around here 每 we head for the Botanical Gardens, another feather in Kandy＊s cap.
Dating back to 1371, it was first made as a retreat for the Kandyan queens, and for a short while, even served as the Allied headquarters for the Asian region during World War II.
Encircled on three sides by the Mahaweli River, the garden boasts of over thousands of trees, medicinal plants, spices, and flowers. While each area is a photographer＊s delight, it＊s difficult to tear yourself away from the garden＊s collection of orchids and the gorgeous avenue of gigantic palm trees.
While many prefer to walk through the park, buggy carts are also available for a price.
Kandy＊s culture chapter remains incomplete without an evening spent watching a performance by the Mallawarchch cultural show group. To the beat of conch shells and drums, graceful dancers in resplendent costumes take to the stage to present a variety of dances including peacock, ves, salupliya and acrobatics that come from different parts of the island. At the end of the performance in the auditorium, you walk outside for the concluding part of the show 每 the fire dance!?
The writer is a senior travel journalist.