Kandy
Visitor statistics prove the point that no visit to SriLanka is complete without a visit to Kandy. After CoIombo citty, Kandy is the most popular destination for foreign visitors and with good reason too. The last seat of the Sinhalese kings, who ceded power to the British in 1815 B after many a battle with the western colonial forces, Kandy retains much of the old charm and tradition of the Sri Lankan life style.
Among the most picturesque cities in the island, the importance of Kandy is mainly due to it being the home of the Dalada Maligawa or Temple of the Tooth which houses the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha. Here visitors can observe the ancient traditions of drumming and sacred chanting in honor of the
Tooth Relic, being performed several times each day. Kandy is also the venue of the Esala Perehera, easily the most colorful pageant of Asia, held in July/August each year, in honor of the Tooth Relic. As the pageantry of the Esala Perehera unfolds through ten nights each year, the city takes on the air of a torch-lit dreamland, complete with a hundred or more colorfully caparisoned elephants, drummers and dancers, and chieftains in the rare colorful trappings of the old kingdom.
The city is a monastic center of Buddhism with two biggest monasteries the Malwatte and Asgiriya temples located here. Around the city are several other Buddhist temples with special attractions for the visitor looking for the cultural traditions of Sri Lanka. The rock temple at Degaldoruwa, has beautiful Buddhist frescoes of the 17th Century, while the Lankatilleke and Gadaladeniya temples are unique examples of the Buddhist instruction in brick and stone during the same period. The shrine to a Hindu deity at Embekke is the best extant example of the wood carvings of the Kandyan period. Another temple well known for its frescoes is the one at Ranawana.
The Kandy areas are where the crafts of the Sinhalese have been best kept alive. From the art of mat weaving at Dumbara, to the silver craftsmen of Nattaranpotha, and wood carvers of Embekke, the Kandyan craftsmen produce the exquisite material which makes up the most sought after souvenirs of Sri Lanka. Y our progress through the winding streets of Kandy could often be obstructed by a tame elephant, carrying its load of palm leaves for its daily lunch, or an elephant stopping at a wayside tea kiosk for a bunch of bananas. The Elephant Bath, at the Mahaweli River at Gatambe where the many domesticated elephants of Kandy come for their daily bath, a must to keep the elephant happy. (One word of caution though If you wish to have your photograph taken on an elephant's back at this place, make sure to agree on the price first and better still, have your local guide with you. The elephants are friendly enough, but the mahouts [or elephant handlers are much more calculating). After the Temple of the Tooth, the most famous landmark of Kandy is its lake, in the center of the city. The old building at its edge near the Temple of the Tooth was the Queen's Bath. On the other side of the Temple of the Tooth, housed in part of the former royal palace, is the Kandy Museum which houses excellent exhibits from the Kandyan period of Sri Lanka's history.
Nearby Kandy, the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens is easily one of the best of its kind in the world. The many beautiful avenues will lead one to sections which provide a burst of tropical colour. The great lawns highlight huge tropical trees, while you will be surprised at the variety of bamboo that can be found in one place.