Traditions that could observed when you visit Kandy Sri Lanka

Services for the Sacred Tooth Relic

When you visit Kandy Sri Lanka you will find that tThe Sacred Temple of the Tooth Relic has various ‘poojas’ in which offerings are made to the sacred relic. If you visit Kandy Sri Lanka, you can observe that there is a change of shift services on full moon days in July every year. When you visit Kandy Sri Lanka you will find that this is carried out under the patronage of Rev. Chief of Malwatu and Asgiri temples together with Diyawadana Nilame. Those who visit Kandy Sri Lanka and arrive at the Temple of the sacred tooth relic would be allowed to see the material documents and goods of the upper floor of the Sri Dalada Maligawa. When you visit Kandy Sri Lanka and are present at the ground floor of the Temple, the Paththirippuwa and residences of Bhikkus who are in charge of duty shifts could be viewed. When you visit Kandy Sri Lanka you will find that the duties of the Bhikkus are accounted and duly handed over by the secretary of Sri Dalada Maligawa.

Following this, two venerable chief prelates place their signatures in the relevant register and conduct accepting and handing over accordingly. When you visit Kandy Sri Lanka you will find that it is considered a rare privilege passed on to Rev priests who accomplish such duties daily. Following the above, the Diyawadana Nilame tenders the invitation for "Vas rites" and the services and attention rendered by Rev. Ananda to Lord Budda are being repeated by priests who have been appointed to perform the services to Sri Dalada. When you visit Kandy Sri Lanka you will find that these Bhikkus gain the respect and assistance for these duties by a host of staff, attached to the temple. When you visit Kandy Sri Lanka you will find that particularly during the time of Sri Dalada procession, Dalada Siritha recital is chanted from the time the casket is taken out and replaced each day. In case travelers who visit Kandy Sri Lanka intend to observe the above rites, the following are times on which these traditional services are carried out:

The Relevant Service

*The Relevant Service*	*New Time*
1. Dawn services(Early morning alms giving)	6.00 am - 7.30 am
2. Day time service(Day time alms giving)	10.00 am - 11.30 am
3. Evening services(Evening tea service)	7.00 pm - 8.30 pm

These rites and rituals have been observed from ancient times and the tooth relic was held sacred by the ancient kings, who themselves carried royal food and placed before the palace of the tooth relic.

The Drum beating services

When you visit Kandy Sri Lanka you will find that the shifts for the traditional drum beating sessions are as follows:

1. Upper Dolospattuwa (Regious of Kurunegala and Mawathagama)
2. Lower Dolospattuwa (Hiriyala Hath Pattu associated regions)
3. Dambra
4. Matale

When you visit Kandy Sri Lanka you will find that these shift sessions for drum beating hail from representatives appointed by the royalty of Yaphuwa and Kandy kingdoms. At present these appointments are made by the Diyawadana Nilame of Tooth Relics temple. When you visit Kandy Sri Lanka you will find that the drummers who are so appointed are expected to be skilled professionals and are held in high esteem. In order to facilitate their duties regularly, these skilled drum beaters have been conferred with stretches of lands and it is considered their duty to engage in drum beating from early morning up to late evenings according to Buddhist rituals. When you visit Kandy Sri Lanka you will find that the drum beaters are suitably rewarded for the skilled performance carried out by them, particularly during the sessions of the Esala Perahera.

Handing Over Keys

When you visit Kandy Sri Lanka you will find that the bhikkus in charge of the traditional services make the necessary arrangements to hand over keys of the palace to the Wattoru Rala, who will in turn take charge of the keys and follow the Bhikkus to "Athdath Wahalkada" and subsequently place these keys in the possession of Pallimale Rala.

When you visit Kandy Sri Lanka you will find that the Bhikkus in charge of the services to the sacred tooth relic commence their morning duties as early as 5.30 am. Flowers are offered to the sacred relics and bells are sounded along with the beating of drums. When you visit Kandy Sri Lanka you will find that the morning alms are offered by 6.30 am, soon after which the keys are handed over.

Offering of alms

When you visit Kandy Sri Lanka you will find that at 9.30 am the appointed bhikkus clean the flower beds and worship the tooth relic by offering fresh flowers. Once this is done the curtain covering the sacred relic is lifted and the door is opened for the public to witness the tooth relic. Those who wish to observe the morning ritual when they visit Kandy Sri Lanka, should arrive before 10.00 am so that they are ready to witness the proceedings before the doors and the curtain are closed and a Blanket spread over the flowers to arrange the alms giving for the noon. When you visit Kandy Sri Lanka you will find that since the afternoon offering of alms will be conducted after 15 minutes the doors to the sacred shrine will be opened from 10.15 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. for necessary public homage and the doors would once again close by 11.00 a.m. When you visit Kandy Sri Lanka you will find that upon handing over the keys, the bhikkus will once again step into the temple.

Evening Tea Offer

This ritual is probably the most popular to be witnessed by those who visit Kandy Sri Lanka since the offering of evening tea commences at 6.30 pm when the doors to the sacred room are opened and the public is admitted around 7.00 pm. When you visit Kandy Sri Lanka you will find that a number of rituals take place before the doors are finally closed to the public at 8.00 pm.