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The Capital City of the Hill Country

Kandy, maha nuvara, English name for the city of Maha Nuvara (Senkadagalapura) in the centre of Sri Lanka. It lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy Valley, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an administrative and religious city. It is the capital of the Central Province (which encompasses the districts of Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya) and also of Kandy District

Establishment
Historical records suggest that Kandy was first established by the King Wickramabahu (1357–1374 CE) near the Watapuluwa area, north of the present city, and named Senkadagalapura at the time, although some scholars suggest the name Katubulu Nuwara may also have been used. The origin of the more popular name for the city, Senkadagala, could have been from a number of sources. These include naming after a brahmin named Senkanda who lived in a cave near the city, after a queen of King Wickramabahu named Senkanda or after a colored stone named Senkadagala.

Kingdom of Kandy
In 1592 Kandy became the capital city of the last remaining independent kingdom in the island after the coastal regions had been conquered by the Portuguese. Several invasions by the Portuguese and the Dutch (16th, 17th and 18th century) and later by the British (most notably in 1803) were repelled.

The kingdom tolerated a Dutch presence on the coast of Sri Lanka, although attacks were occasionally launched. The most ambitious offensive was undertaken in 1761, when King Kirti Sri Rajasinha attacked and overran most of the coast, leaving only the heavily fortified Negombo intact. When a Dutch retaliatory force returned to the island in 1763, Kirti Sri Rajasinha abandoned the coastline and withdrew into the interior. When the Dutch continued to the jungles the next year, they were constantly harassed by disease, heat, lack of provisions, and Kandyan sharpshooters, who hid in the jungle and inflicted heavy losses on the Dutch. The Dutch launched a better adapted force in January of 1765, replacing their troops' bayonets with machetes and using more practical uniforms and tactics suited to jungle warfare. The Dutch were initially successful in capturing the capital, which was deserted, and the Kandyans withdrew to the jungles once more, refusing to engage in open battle. However, the Dutch were again worn down by constant attrition. A peace treaty was signed in 1766. The Dutch remained in control of the coastal areas until 1796, when Great Britain took them over (while the Netherlands under French control) as part of the Napoleonic wars. British possession of these areas was formalized with the treaty of Amiens in 1802. The next year the British also invaded Kandy in what became known as the First Kandyan War, but were repulsed.

The last ruling dynasty of Kandy were the Nayaks. Kandy stayed independent until the early 19th century. In the Second Kandyan War, the British launched an invasion that met no resistance and reached the city on February 10, 1815. On March 2, 1815, a treaty known as the Kandyan Convention was signed between the British and the Radalas (Kandyan aristocrats). With this treaty, Kandy recognized the King of England as its King and became a British protectorate. The last king of the kingdom Sri Vikrama Rajasinha was captured and taken as a royal prisoner by the British to Vellore Fort in southern India along with all claimants to the throne. 

Royal Palace of Kandy
The Royal Palace of Kandy in Kandy, is the last royal residence of the Kingdom of Kandy and in Sri Lanka. The last King to reside in it was King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha until he was overthrown by the British in 1815 with the aid of Kandian chieftains. Once part of a large palace complex that included the royal court the Magul Maduwa and the Temple of the Tooth that held the Relic of the tooth of the Buddha. By ancient tradition the one who was in possession of the Tooth Relic had claim to the throne. Adjacent to the Royal Palace is the Victorian era building

National Museum of Kandy
The palace complex has changed over the last century, with only a few buildings remaining. Those that are apart from the Temple of the Tooth Relic, has been turned in to the National Museum of Kandy run by the Department of Archeology.

Magul Maduwa
Found between the main palace building and the Temple of the Tooth Relic is the Magul Maduwa, a the Royal audience hall with wooden pillars built in 1784 by King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha, where the his Royal Court convened. It was here on March 5, 1815 the Kandyan Convention was signed between the British and the Kandyian Chieftains (Radalas) ending the Kingdom of Kandy, the last native kingdom of the island.

As the capital, Kandy had become home to the relic of the tooth of the Buddha which symbolizes a 4th-century tradition that used to be linked to the Sinhalese monarchy, since the protector of the relic was the ruler of the land. Thus the Royal Palace and the Temple of the Tooth were placed in close proximity to each other.

Temple of the Tooth
Sri Dalada Maligawa or The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex which houses the Relic of the tooth of Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. Kandy was the last capital of the Sinhalese kings and is a UNESCO world heritage site partly due to the temple.

Monks of the two chapters of Malwatte and Asgiriya conduct daily worship in the inner chamber of the temple. Rituals are performed three times daily: at dawn, at noon and in the evening. On Wednesdays there is a symbolic bathing of the Sacred Relic with an herbal preparation made from scented water and flagrant flowers, called Nanumura Mangallaya. This holy water is believed to contain healing powers and is distributed among those present.The temple sustained damage from bombings at various times but was fully restored each time.

History
After the parinirvana of Gautama Buddha, tooth relic was preserved in Kalinga and smuggled to the island by Princess Hemamali and her husband, Prince Dantha on the instructions of her father King Guhasiva.[1] They landed in the island in Lankapattana during the reign of King Kirthi Sri Meghavarna (301-328) and handed over the tooth relic. The king enshrined it Meghagiri Vihara (present day Isurumuniya) in Anuradhapura. Safeguard of the relic was a responsibility of the monarch, therefore over the years the custodianship of relic became to symbolize the right to rule. Therefore reigning monarchs built the tooth relic temples quite close to their royal residences, as was the case during the times of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Dambadeniya, Yapahuwa and Kurunegala kingdoms. During the era of Kingdom of Gampola the relic was housed in Niyamgampaya Vihara. It is reported in the messenger poems such as Hamsa, Gira, and Selalihini that the temple of tooth relic was situated within the city of Kotte when the kingdom was established there.[1]

During the reign of King Dharmapala, the relic kept hidden in Delgamuwa Vihara, Ratnapura in a grinding stone.[1] It was brought to Kandy by Hiripitiye Diyawadana Rala and Devanagala Rathnalankara Thera. King Vimaladharmasuriya I built a two storey building to deposit the tooth relic and the building is now gone.[2] In 1603 when the Portuguese invaded Kandy, it was carried to Meda Mahanuwara in Dumbara. It was recovered in the time of Râjasimha II and it has been reported that he reinstate the original building or has built a new temple.[1] The present day temple of the tooth was built by Vira Narendra Sinha.[3] The octagonal Patthirippuwa and moat was added during the reign of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha. Famous Kandyan architect Devandra Mulacharin is credited with building the Patthirippuwa. Originally it was used by the kings for recreational activities and later it was offered to the tooth relic. Now it is an oriental library. Although it was heavily damaged in the 1998 terrorist attack it has restored to its previous state. 

Architecture
The brick wall which runs along the moat and Bogambara lake is known as water waves wall.[3] Holes in this wall are build to light coconut oil lamps. The main entrance gates which lies over the moat is called Mahawahalkada. At the foot of Mahawahalkada steps there is a Sandakada pahana which is carved in Kandyan architectural style. Mahawahalkada was totally destroyed in a 1998 bomb blast and rebuilt afterwards along with sandakada pahana other stone carvings.[4] Elephants are depicted in stone on the either sides of the entrance. A Makara Torana and two guardian stones are placed on top of the staircase. Hewisi drummers' chamber is situated in front of the main shrine. The two storeys of main shrine are known as "Palle malaya" (lower floor) and "Udu malaya" (upper floor) or "Weda hitina maligawa".[5] The doors of the Weda Hitana Maligawa are carved in ivory. The actual chamber which the tooth relic is kept is known as the "Handun kunama".The golden canopy built in 1987 over the main shrine and the golden fence which encircles the main shrine are other notable features.[6] The tooth relic is encased in seven golden caskets which engraved with precious gemstones.[7] The caskets have a shape of a stupa. The Procession casket which is used during the Esala Perahera is also displayed in the same chamber.Associate buildings and structures

Royal Palace
Vimaladharmasuriya I built the royal palace of Kandy. Royal palace situated to the north of the temple.[8] John Pybus, who was on an embassy in 1762, gives a detailed description on the royal palace.[9] Vikramabâhu III (r. 1356-1374) and Senasammatha Vikramabâhu (r. 1469-1511) built royal palaces on this site. Vimaladharmasuriya I undertook various decorations to the palace.The Dutch historian Phillipus Baldaeus visited the palace with General Gerard Hulft in 1656. The royal residence is known as "Maha Wasala" in Sinhala from the Polonnaruwa period. The royal palace also known as "Maligawa." There were three Wahalkadas and a 8 feet (2.4 m) high wall used as main entrances. The section of the palace facing the Natha Devale is said to be the oldest. During beginning of the British period it was used by Government Agent Sir John D'Oyly.[10] Successors of D'Oyly continued it as their official residence. Today it is preserved as an archeological museum. Ulpen Ge and Queens Palace are the associated buildings of the palace. 

Audience hall
Audience hall seen partially here from northern facade of the templeAudience hall or the Magul maduwa is the where the Kandyan kings held their royal court.[11] It was completed during the reign of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha.[12] The carvings of the wooden pillars which support the wooden roof is an example of wood carving of the Kandyan period. Sri Rajadhi Rajasinha built this in year of 1783. The hall was renovated for the reception of arrival in Kandy of Prince Albert Edward, Prince of Wales in 1872. Originally the hall of the size of 58*35.6 of feet and after the renovation length was extended by additional 31.6 feet.[13] Other nearby building to the halls believed to be demolished during the British rule. The audience hall was the venue where the Kandyan Convention was drawn up, it was where the convention was read out to the people and where the conference, about the convention was held on 2 March 1815.[14][15] That space later used to erect the Kandy Kachcheri and Kandy supreme court after that. Today it is used for state ceremonies and conserved under department of archaeology.

Mahamaluwa
Mahamaluwa is the lawn situated in front of the temple compound. It was used by the public who came to see the annual Esala perahera.[4] Today it contains a statue of Madduma Bandara. The memorial of which contains the skull of Keppetipola Disawe is another attraction. The statue of Princess Hemamali and Prince Dantha are also located here.

Kandy - the Sinhala word meaning hill,  was an impenetrable fortress for the Sinhala Monarchs buried deep in jungle with torrential rivers, rock faces all rigged by nature to keep this Cockpit of Lanka in rarefied isolation. It withstood the onslaught of three Colonial powers long after the rest of the island had been ransacked for Cinnamon, Sapphires and other spoils. The Kandyans are a proud race, possessive about culinary finesse; incredible hosts, which is why many hotels are still family owned. Travelling up along hairpin bends you soon realize why the Brits needed to build trains to ease the strain!

There is hardly a Buddhist in Sri Lanka who has not paid homage to The Relic of the Tooth. Folded around a man-made lake, Kandy is a Buddhist version of the Vatican City where white-clad, barefoot pilgrims putting their hands together in prayer whenever they pass the octagonal gilded palladium which houses The Tooth. Buddhist monks from round the world in every hue of orange, maroon and rust robes, old and very young, pop up where ever you turn. The Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya - The Kew of Kandy - started out as a royal pleasure Park in 1747. Mountbatten was well camouflaged betwixt Orchid house and Spice gardens when it was his headquarters.  

MUSEUM

Sri Dalada MuseumThe latest institution added to the Dalada Shrine is the “Sri Dalada Museum”. Ever since the Tooth Relic shrine was established in Kandy, different grades of visitors and devotees, ranging from the Royalty and Heads of States to the poorest of the general public, have been offering various gifts to the Sacred Tooth Relic, and these were preciously protected in specially built store-rooms by the successive line of Diyawadana Nilames.

The Dalada Museum is located on the first and the second floors of the new wing called the Aluth Maligawa set up by one of the past Diyawadana Nilames, T.B. Nugawela. The display on the first floor consists of historical records from the time when the Tooth Relic was brought to Sri Lanka to the time of the British rule, the 1765 Dutch Plan of the Palace Complex, Lists of the Chief Prelates of the two monastic establishments of Malwatte and Asgiriya, who were responsible for the protection of the Tooth Relic, Lists of Kandyan kings, the portrait busts and lists of the long line of Diyawadana Nilames, the Royal garments of king Kirti Sri Rajasimha, the Pingo used by the king in the Buddha-puja service, and the most recent discoveries of mural remains that were exposed due to the bomb blast caused by Tamil Tigers in January 1998. The photographic display includes some of the most important sites where the Tooth Relic was enshrined through centuries and a large array of pictures depicting the immeasurable damage caused to the Dalada Maligava due to the bomb blast. 

Among the items on view on the second floor are historical artifacts used in the daily ritual ceremonies of the Tooth Relic shrine, caskets, Buddha statues and typical Kandyan gold and silver jewellery studded with precious gem stones, all donated by the devotees. Also on view on this floor are special exhibits of great historical and religious value. These include (a) the silver water pot offered by king Kirti Sri Rajasimha, (b) Silver hanging lamp offered by king Rajadhi Rajasimha, (c) the painted replica of Buddha’s Footprint sent by king Borom Kot of Thailand when he sent some monks to establish the Higher Ordination on Sinhala monks headed by Venerable Walivita Saranankara (who became Sangharaja subsequently), (d) the unique Relic Casket containing bodily relics of the great Thera Moggliputta who headed The Third Dhamma Council held by Emperor Asoka in the 3rd Century BC, etc. Other significant exhibits include ancient flags, coins, carved ivory tusks donated by Burma, commemorative carved plaques etc. A visit to this grandest display would evidently provide an insight into the splendor that was Kandyan Heritage, her Culture and the Arts.