Kandy

From Buddhist Encyclopedia

For alternate meanings see Kandy (disambiguation)

Kandy (මහ නුවර in Sinhala கண்டி in Tamil) is a city in the centre of Sri Lanka. It is the capital of Central Province and Kandy District. It lies in the midst of hills of rare vegetal species. The Kandy Valley crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea.

Quick Facts

• Historical Function : Administrative and religious.
• Administrative Status: Capital of the Central Province (which encompasses the districts of Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya) and also of the administrative district of Kandy.
• Foundation: 14th century.
• Population : 110,049 (2001 census).
• One of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka
• The name Kandy is derived from the Sinhalese 'Kanda Uda Pas Rata', literally 'the five districts on the mountain. The Portugese shortened this to 'Candea', using the name for both the kingdom and its capital Senkadagalanuwara.
• In Sinhala, Kandy is called "Maha Nuwara", meaning, "Great City" (or capital).

History

In the 6th century BC, Indo-Aryans from the Ganges Valley invaded Sri Lanka. Ancestors of the Sinhalese, they ruled the island for more than 2,000 years. Beginning in the 3rd century BC, the country was converted to a pure form of Indian (Theravada) Buddhism that continues to be practised till this day. The famous tooth of Buddha, a relic symbolising a 4th-century tradition that is often linked to royalty (he who protects the sacred relic is fit to rule the land), was brought to Sri Lanka. From this time on, the Royal Palace and the Temple of the Tooth have been associated with the administrative and religious functions of Sri Lanka's capital city.

Anuradhapura enjoyed the status of capital city from the 4th century BC until the 8th century AD, when it was replaced by Polonnaruwa, which was capital until the 13th century. From 1592 until the 19th century, Kandy was the capital city and thus the home of the Royal Palace and the Temple of the Tooth. Surviving invasions of coastal regions of Sri Lanka by the Portuguese in the 16th century, by the Dutch in the 17th century and having successfully repelled an attack by the British in 1803, Kandy preserved its independence until it finally submitted to the British in 1815 when its chieftains submitted to British rule, after the last King of Kandy, Sri Vikrama Raja Singha (Raja Wickramasinghe) had been deposed after a reign spanning from 1798 to 1815. Since then, Kandy has preserved its function as the religious capital of Sri Lanka and a place of pilgrimage for practitioners of the original form of Buddhism.

See also: Invasions of Kandy

Urban morphology

The small city of Kandy, located 500 m above sea level, is filled with trees. Its plan developed around two open spaces: an elongated square at the end of which are the administration buildings of the old capital, and an artificial lake that is quadrangular in form. A public garden adds to the openness of the city's spatial organisation.

On the north shore of the lake, which is enclosed by a parapet of white stone dating to the beginning of the 19th century, are the city's official religious monuments, including the Royal Palace and the Temple of the Tooth, known as the Dalada Maligawa. Reconstructed in the 18th century, the Dalada Maligawa is built on a base of granite that was inspired by the temples of Sri Lanka's former capital city, Anuradhapura. An array of materials - limestone, marble, sculpted wood, ivory, etc. - contribute to the richness of this temple. Throughout this small but holy city, a number of recent Buddhist monasteries can be found.

Kandy has now grown out to encompass Peradeniya, home to the University of Peradeniya and the Botanical Gardens, Katugastota to the north, and east to Kundasale, Tennekumbura and Gurudeniya.

Demographics

Kandy is a Sinhalese majority city; although other ethnic groups do reside, such as the large presence of Moors in areas such as Tennekumbura and due to historical reasons such as the Moors settling in the upland valley areas. There are also a sizeable minority of Tamils living in Kandy.

Source: [1]

World Heritage Site

(inscription criteria from the World Heritage List 1988)

The monumental ensemble of Kandy is an example of construction that associates the Royal Palace and the Temple of the Tooth. It was one of a series of temples built in the places where the relic, the actual palladium of the Sinhalese monarchy, was brought following the various relocations of the capital city.

The Temple of the Tooth, the palace complex and the holy city of Kandy are associated with the history of the dissemination of one of the most important religions of humanity, Buddhism. The Temple of Kandy is the product of the last peregrination of the relic of the tooth of Buddha and the testimony of a cult which continues to be practised today.

Inside the Temple of the Tooth

Festivals

Kandy is also popular because of the annual festival known as the "Esala Maha Perahera" in which the tooth relic of Buddha is taken in a grand procession through the streets of the city. The tooth relic is taken on a royal tusker. The procession includes traditional dancers and drummers, flag bearers of the provinces of the old Kandyan kingdom, the Nilames(temple custodians) wearing their traditional dresses, torch bearers and also the grandly attired elephant. This ceremony which is annually held in the month of July, attracts large crowds from all parts of the country and also many foreign tourists.

Sport

• The Sri Lanka cricket team plays international Test matches at the Asgiriya International Stadium.
• The Singer/Srilankan Airlines International Rugby 7's tournament is an annual sporting highlight held at the Bogambara Stadium in Kandy.

Shopping

For a city with a population of only 110,000 Kandy offers a variety of shopping destinations. From colourful and vibrant markets, to exquisite boutiques, and currently in construction - the Kandy City Centre - Sri Lanka's largest Commercial Shopping Complex, which will offer 6 floors of shopping, cinemas, entertainment zones, food courts, tourist floor and day and night bus and taxi service for visitors. The complex will also be the island's largest horizontal commercial building.

Culinary

Kandy has a vibrant range of restaurants and fast food outlets. Just like most urban centres in Sri Lanka, food from around the world can be explored in some of Kandy's exciting restaurants, especially Chinese, European,Sri Lankan, Indian and some American fast food outlets.

Nightlife

For its size Kandy offers a reasonable nightlife. Most nightclubs are still mainly found in Hotels, but there are numerous Bars and Pubs in the city that bring out its real atmosphere.

Botanical garden

The Botanical Garden Peradeniya is situated about 4 miles north of Kandy at Peradeniya and is visited by 1.2 million people per annum.

See also

• Esala Perahera
• Esala Mangallaya
• Official UNESCO website entry

External links

• Kandy city website.
• Sri Dalada Maligawa Website
• The Mary B. Wheeler Collection, University of Pennsylvania Library
• Kandy
• Official website of the Sri Lanka Tourism Board