Why Is Puttalam Sri Lanka Famous? What Are The Things To Do In Puttalam?

BY  Sibashree Sep 14, 2026

Almost every visitor notices the golden roof or moat around it when visiting the Temple of the Tooth, Kandy.  However, the first thing I noticed was the queue.  It was an ordinary Tuesday morning, around 9 AM.  I saw monks, schoolchildren in white, and visitors with cameras filling the same security screening.  However, I was not surprised to see the crowd at the Temple of the Tooth, or the Sri Dalada Maligawa. Built around a single relic, it has shaped the island's politics and identity for over 1,600 years. Also, as the living spiritual centre of Sri Lankan Buddhism, it deserves all the attention.  In addition, the temple has been in the news more than once in the past two years.  In April 2025, a rare public exposition of the Tooth Relic drew an estimated 450,000 devotees in a single day. The queues were long and stretched around 10 kilometers through Kandy.  Again, the temple hosted the ten-night Kandy Esala Perahera, running from 18 to 28 August, 2026.  While there is still time for the Kandy Esala Perahera Festival in 2027, you can plan a visit to the temple on a regular day to have a more immersive and detailed encounter with this iconic Sri Lankan landmark.  The Temple Of The Tooth, Kandy: At A Glance Things to KnowDetailOfficial NameSri Dalada MaligawaAlso Known asTemple of the Sacred Tooth RelicTemple of the ToothLocationPalace Square, Kandy, Central Province, Sri LankaWhat it enshrinesThe left canine tooth relic of the BuddhaUNESCO statusPart of the Sacred City of Kandy, a World Heritage Site since 1988Present shrine built1707–1739, under King Sri Veera Parakrama NarendrasingheDaily opening hours5:30 AM – 8:00 PM, every day of the yearDaily puja (ritual) times5:30–7:00 AM9:30–11:00 AM6:30–8:00 PMEntrance fee (most foreign nationals)LKR 3,000Entrance fee (SAARC nations, Thailand, Myanmar)LKR 2,500Entrance fee (Sri Lankan citizens)FreeMajor annual festivalKandy Esala Perahera (July/August)Time neededAbout 1 to1.5 hours for the temple and longer during puja or festival season What Is The Story Behind The Temple Of The Tooth? The tooth relic arrived in Sri Lanka around seventeen centuries ago, between 301 and 328 CE.  The temple has been rebuilt, burned down, and rebuilt again more times than we can think of.  How Did The Tooth Relic Come To India? According to Buddhist tradition, after the Buddha's parinirvana, his left canine tooth was preserved in the Kingdom of Kalinga.  The Kingdom of Kalinga is now the state of Odisha in India.  However, there was unrest during the reign of King Guhasiva. So, Princess Hemamali and her husband, Prince Danta, took the tooth relic out of Kalinga. The relic was hidden inside the hair of the princess to ensure a safe passage.  They safely brought it to Sri Lanka during the reign of King Kithsiri Meghavanna, dated around 301 to 328 AD.  Since then, the relic has become inseparable from Sri Lankan kingship.  It was said that whichever king had it would have the right to rule.  Also, the relic was moved from capital to capital.  It came through Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Dambadeniya, Yapahuwa, Kurunegala, Gampola, and finally reached Kotte.  Then, it came to Kandy, the last of the royal capitals of Sri Lanka.  A Timeline Of Sri Dalada Maligawa The building we see today is not the original structure. It is the product of at least four rebuilds across two and a half centuries. It was shaped by Portuguese raids, a Dutch fire, and later renovations by successive Kandyan kings. PeriodWhat happenedc. 301–328 ADTooth relic brought to Sri Lanka from Kalinga by Prince Danta and Princess Hemamali during the reign of King Kithsiri Meghavanna.1592–1604King Wimaladharmasuriya I built the first Dalada Maligawa in Kandy, later destroyed during Portuguese invasions.1635–1687King Rajasinghe II built a second shrine on the same site, and it was burned down by the Dutch.1687King Wimaladharmasuriya II constructs a three-storey Dalada Maligawa, which later decays.1707–1739King Sri Veera Parakrama Narendrasinghe builds the two-storey shrine that still stands today.1747–1782King Kirti Sri Rajasinha renovates and beautifies the temple to be close to its present appearance.1798–1815King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe adds the octagonal Pattirippuwa pavilion.1815The Kandyan Kingdom falls to the British; daily rituals at the temple continue without a break.1988UNESCO inscribes the Sacred City of Kandy, including the temple, as a World Heritage Site.25 January 1998An LTTE suicide truck bombing damages the temple's facade and the adjoining royal palace complex, killing more than a dozen people.April 2025A rare public exposition of the relic draws an estimated 450,000 devotees in a single day.18–28 August 2026The ten-night Kandy Esala Perahera, combining the Kumbal and Randoli processions, is held at the temple. Surviving Invasions, War, And Time Even after such a long history, the rituals at the site have never stopped.  The rituals have continued through Portuguese raids, Dutch fire, the British taking Kandy, and even after the 1998 bombing.  Today, Mahanayake theros of the Malwatta and Asgiriya monastic chapters and a lay custodian, Diyawadana Nilame, are the custodians of the daily rituals.  They also take care of the preservation of the relic.  Why Is The Temple Of Tooth So Important?  The Temple of Tooth is not just the most photographed temple in Sri Lanka.  For Sri Lankan Buddhists, it is the living head of state for the faith.  This explains why the atmosphere inside the relic feels very different from a typical heritage monument.  A Living Symbol Of Buddhist Sri Lanka The possession of the tooth relic was the validation of a king’s right to rule the island. So, it moved between capitals alongside the seat of government for centuries.  This symbolic weight has not disappeared with the monarchy.  Sri Lankan presidents and senior officials still make a point of visiting the temple during the Esala Perahera each year. Thus, they continue a tradition of state association with the relic that predates colonial rule by well over a thousand years. The Kandy Esala Perahera The biggest annual event of Kandy is Esala Perahera.  It is a firelit procession of dancers, drummers, and elaborately dressed tusker elephants.  These festivities take us back to the 1600 year old tradition of the temple.  In 2026, the festival ran across ten nights from 18 to 28 August. The five nights of the Kumbal Perahera were followed by five nights of the grand Randoli Perahera. The festival closed with the Diya Kapeema water-cutting ceremony.  If your Sri Lanka trip lines up with late July or August, it is worth checking that year's dates on the temple's official website before booking. The festival follows the lunar calendar and shifts annually. Planning Your Visit: Timings, Fees, And Rules In this section, I have highlighted the operating hours and fees for the Temple of the Tooth.  Opening Hours And Puja Times ServiceTimingDaily opening hours5:30 AM to 8:00 PM, every day (including Sundays and public holidays)Early morning service (Thewawa)5:30 AM to 7:00 AMMidday service (Thewawa)9:30 AM to 11:00 AMEvening service (Thewawa)6:30 PM to 8:00 PMNanumura Mangallaya (herbal bathing ritual)Every Wednesday, 9:30 AMChild-offering ceremonyDaily, 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM Entrance Fees Visitor categoryFee (LKR)Sri Lankan citizensFreeSAARC country nationals2,500Thailand and Myanmar nationals2,500All other foreign nationals3,000 The ticket is a single entry that covers the Temple of the Tooth Relic, the Dalada Museum, the World Buddhist Museum, the Tusker Museum, and the Royal Elephant Stable. So, budget a bit more time than "just the shrine" if you want to see all five.  The machines installed at the temple itself issue the tickets.  However, many outside individuals or agencies claim to sell the tickets to the temple. These are not valid.  Entry Guidelines All visitors and their belongings go through screening at the entrance with scanning machines. So, leave bulky luggage behind. Plastic and polythene, including for offerings, are discouraged inside the premises. Pets are not permitted anywhere on the temple grounds. Visitors with mobility needs can arrange transport from the main entrance and lift access by calling the temple's administration office in advance. What It Is Actually Like To Visit Photos of the golden roof and the octagonal Pattirippuwa do not really prepare you for how the temple feels once you are inside. It is smaller, quieter in some corners and far more crowded in others. Also, every activity here happens around the ritual clock rather than tourist convenience. Walking Through The Complex After the security check, the path leads to a moat. It also goes through the Mahawahalkada, the ornately carved main entrance, before opening into the temple courtyard.  The two-storey main shrine sits at the centre. Also, its upper floor is carved from ivory. The golden canopy and jewelled caskets surrounding the relic itself are visible only from a respectful distance.  The stonework, including the moonstone carving at the entrance and the Water Wall running along the moat, is stunning.  The holes hold oil lamps, and you can only focus on them if the crowd is a little less.  The Puja Ceremony You must reach the temple at least 15-20 minutes before the puja ceremony.  This is when drummers play the traditional hewisi rhythms and the inner chamber doors open. So, you will get the closest view most visitors will ever get of the golden reliquary.  The 9:30 AM service tends to be the most manageable for tourists in terms of crowd size and daylight for photography. However, the temple authority does not allow flash photography near the shrine. Beyond The Main Shrine The Tusker Museum in particular houses the preserved remains of Raja, the legendary tusker who carried the relic casket in the Esala Perahera for over 50 years. It is a detail most first-time visitors miss. A Half-Day Itinerary Around The Temple TimeActivity9:00 AMArrive at Sri Dalada Maligawa, clear security, and buy your ticket.9:15 AMExplore the courtyard, moonstone carving, and Water Wall before the crowd builds.9:30 AMAttend the midday puja and hewisi drumming at the inner shrine.10:15 AMVisit the Dalada Museum and Tusker Museum (included in your ticket).11:15 AMWalk the perimeter of Kandy Lake, just south of the temple.12:00 PMLunch at one of the cafés along Dalada Vidiya, the road facing the temple.1:00 PMContinue on to the Royal Palace complex or the National Museum of Kandy next door Things You Probably Didn't Know There is no actual photograph of the tooth relic, and the temple authority does not display it publicly.  What they show twice daily is the outermost of several nested golden caskets that house it. The temple survived a suicide truck bombing on 25 January 1998. It was days before Sri Lanka's 50th independence anniversary celebrations, with Kandy as the epicenter.  The attack damaged the facade. However,  nothing happened to the relic, and daily rituals resumed within days. The octagonal Pattirippuwa pavilion, one of the most photographed parts of the complex, was not part of the original design at all. It was an addition between 1798 and 1815, under the island's last king, Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe. Newborns can be formally "offered" to the temple as part of a blessing ceremony at 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM daily. The child has to be between three and six months old. What Is The Best Time To Visit The Temple Of The Tooth?  The temple is open 365 days. However, a few timing choices make a real difference to the temple visit experience.  You will enjoy the calmest ambiance in the temple at 5 AM when the temple opens. I visited the temple at 9 AM.  It was just before the temple opened. The crowd was large, but they were in a disciplined queue.  So, I got the chance to explore the temple and take the best photographs.  Moreover, if your dates allow, you can visit the temple during the Kandy Esala Perahera in July or August. Also, the Poya (full moon) days and Wednesdays, when the Nanumura Mangallaya bathing ritual takes place, draw larger numbers of local devotees.

BY  Sibashree Sep 29, 2026

I got a glimpse of the Kiri Vehera through a gap in the trees.  It was milky white, and even early in the morning, it looked the brightest among the surrounding ruins.  Also, it is fascinating that the stupa is one of the few in Sri Lanka to have its original structure even after around 900 years.  Locals say that when the stupa was discovered amidst the jungle, its chunam, or lime coating,g was still intact.  Thus, it got its name as Kiri Vehera, or Milk White Stupa.  Furthermore, along with being the best-preserved stupa, it is also a classic example of Bubulakara, or the bubble-shaped form of stupa.  Kiri Vehera At A Glance DetailFactMeaning“Milk Stupa”It was originally called Rupavati Chetiya.BuilderQueen Subhadda, consort of Parakramabahu I (1153–1186)She was also known as Bhaddavati.TypeBubbulakara (bubble-shaped) stupa on three receding terracesHeightAround 24 meters for the damaged stupa. Base diameterAbout 26.8 metersTerraceAbout 57.6 metersRankSecond-largest stupa at PolonnaruwaStatusStill an active place of worshipEntry FeeIncluded in the $25 Polonnaruwa ticket. Hours7 AM to 5:30 PM My Walk Around The Milk Stupa Kiri Vehera is just north of Lankathilaka. I just took a short walk over after the image house to reach this stupa.  First Impressions Of The White Dome As I have mentioned, the white plaster of the dome glowed against the blue sky.  It has the simplest design with very little ornamentation.  Polonnaruwa’s builders kept this design deliberately simple. Small subsidiary stupas dot the platform, and the scale felt human rather than overwhelming. The Devatā Carvings Most People Miss Don’t miss a close look at devatā-koṭuva.  It has the most unusual carvings of deities, and these are uncommon for a stupa.  This drum-like structure has carvings of eight divine figures in a folded-hand posture. It looks like they are worshipping Lord Buddha.  Circling The Stupa With Respect I saw devotees visiting the stupa and offering flowers. They lit oil lamps and walked around the stupa as part of their prayer rituals. Also, you have to keep your shoes outside the brick fence.  History And Architecture The stupa dates to the reign of Parakramabahu I. Furthermore, it is part of the king’s vision to build a large monastic university, Alahana Pirivena.  Also, the building programme of the king helped reshape Polonnaruwa. Queen Bhaddavati And The Rupavati Chetiya The Mahavamsa credits the building of this stupa to Queen Bhaddavati.  As a woman, I appreciated the fact that the best-preserved monument in the ancient city is a queen’s commission, not a king’s. The Terraces And Dimensions  The architectural design of the monument features a stupa positioned directly in the center of an expansive square terrace, with each side stretching roughly 57.6 meters (189 feet).  The main dome spans a diameter of 26.8 meters (88 feet) at its base.  From the ground up to its fractured spire, the entire monument reaches an approximate height of 24 meters (80 feet). Supporting the core structure are three stepped basal terraces, traditionally called pesavas.  Standing between 0.9 and 1.2 meters (3 to 4 feet) high, these tiers likely functioned as pathways for devotional walking rituals (circumambulation) or as ledges for leaving flowers.  This design element directly mirrors ancient Indian architecture seen at historic sites like Sanchi. Sitting atop the dome is the hatareskotuva (a square tee) built from solid brick, measuring about 7.4 meters (24 feet 4 inches) wide and 3.7 meters (12 feet) tall.  Resting directly above this square section is the devata-kotuva (the enclosure of the deities), a rounded drum that is 2.9 meters (9 feet 6 inches) wide and 2.3 meters (7 feet 8 inches) high.  This circular tier is decorated with carvings of eight gods shown praying with their hands joined in deep respect.  The final crowning element is the kota (spire), which extends upward for another 7 meters (23 feet), though fragments of the spire have eroded away over the centuries. The Relic Chambers And The Interior Of The Stupa In the early 1900s, British archaeologist H. C. P. Bell conducted systematic excavations that offered a rare glimpse into the inner architecture of the stupa.  During his investigation, Bell uncovered a winding, 25-foot (7.6-meter) tunnel carved out centuries earlier by grave robbers targeting the structure's sacred treasures.  After clearing out this passageway, his team discovered two upper relic chambers that had unfortunately already been broken into and stripped of their valuables. The first looted chamber spanned roughly 11 feet 2 inches (3.4 meters) wide. It originally housed structural foundations meant to secure a yantragala (a traditional stone reliquary). It also had a sacred Mahameru stone, which serves as a symbolic representation of the cosmic mountain. Crucially, a third, lower chamber escaped destruction.  Because the historical looters had not dug deep enough, this final vault remained perfectly sealed and intact.  Out of preservation and respect, Bell’s archaeological team made the deliberate decision to leave this third chamber unopened. Why The Plaster Survived When the jungle was cleared after roughly 700 years of neglect, the lime plaster was in near-perfect condition.  Engineers describe these plasters as closer to lime-concrete than ordinary stucco.  That waterproof skin explains why brick has not crumbled here as it has elsewhere. Kiri Vehera Vs Rankot Vehera: Two Ways To Read A Stupa I compared Polonnaruwa’s two great stupas on the same day. Each of them has a different mood. Rankot is impressive because of its size, while Kiri Vehera impresses by its survival. FeatureKiri VeheraRankot VeheraBuilderQueen Bhaddavati (12th century)King Nissanka Malla (1187–1196)HeightAbout 24 Meters54 MetersSurfaceOriginal lime plaster largely intactExposed brick, like most stupas of its era.Best forPreservation and quiet worshipSheer scale How I Would Fit It Into A Day I spent about 45 minutes here, then moved on to Gal Vihara before the midday heat.  Also, it is a short walk from Lankathilaka and offers the strongest contrast in appearance. The image house is a ruin, and the Buddha statue there is headless. However, this stupa has had the same structure since the time of its foundation.  Photography Tips With its human scale, Kiri Vehera is a favorite of photo enthusiasts.  However, if you are visiting the stupa mid-day, the mid-day glare will bounce off the white plaster.  On the other hand, morning and late afternoon, with softer light, are better times of the day for photography.  Also, never take selfies posing back to the stupa, as it is disrespectful, and the guides will stop you if you even try to do that.  Why Kiri Vehera Matters Today The ruins of the Anuradhapura Sacred City and other remains of Polonnaruwa raise a question. What did these monuments look like when they were finished?  Kiri Vehera is the only monument to offer an answer to this.  Also, as a living worship shrine, it is a site that allows you to slow down.  So, if you are rushing past it on the way to Gal Vihara, you will miss the quiet centre of the northern complex.

BY  Sibashree Sep 24, 2026

Gal Vihara drew me in for more than the massive rock-cut Buddhas.  Some may argue that it was a deliberate attempt to showcase Hindu deities as subordinate to Buddha or Buddhist figures.  However, I see this as an effort for political and religious integration.  We know about Gongalegoda Banda, who put up a fight against the British in 1848, which was a decade before the first mass uprising in India in 1857 (The Sepoy Mutiny).  He worshipped Vishnu, not Buddha, before he started the war against the British.  Now, the Gal Vihara in Polonnaruwa is an important landmark where I could see this integration.  Very few notice that the Vijjadhara Guha, the semi-artificial cave for sorcerers, has Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma as the attendants to Lord Buddha.  In Hinduism, we see the exact opposite version of it, with some versions depicting Lord Buddha as one of the 10 avatars of Lord Vishnu.  That can be a separate discussion. However, in this article, I will discuss what I saw at Gal Vihara, the history, and everything else you need to know.  This is one of the reasons why Sri Lanka gets such a high footfall. For example, Financial Chronicle reported an arrival of 198,235 tourists from January to August 2025. In 2026, the number was 1,535,122 for the same period, according to the Economic Times, LK.  Gal Vihara At A Glance DetailWhat to KnowOriginal nameUttararama, "the northern monastery." Built byKing Parakramabahu I, who reigned 1153–1186 CELocationNorthern part of the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, North Central ProvinceThe imagesFour Buddha images from one granite slab.Two seated, one standing, one reclining.SizesReclining figure about 14 meters long, standing figure about 7 meters tallTicketPart of the Polonnaruwa ticket.Free for locals and US$25 for a foreign adult.$12 for foreign children. Timing7 AM to 5 PMTime needed1–2 hours hereBest timeEarly morning for softer light and fewer people My Time Before The Four Buddhas It was mid-morning when I reached the northern end of the ruins.  I removed my shoes and started walking toward the rock face.  Then I spotted where the walls stood, from the figures that once had their own brick image house and the remains of the low stone foundations.  Figuring out that outline helped me identify how enclosed and dim the images once were, before the walls fell and the sky opened above them. The Seated Buddha I saw the depiction of Lord Buddha in his meditating pose in the cave of the Vijjadharas. It is the leftmost cave among all.  He is the Dharmadhatu or Vairocana, and in the Mahayana tradition, he is worshipped as the cosmic Buddha.  Furthermore, there were four bas-relief Buddhas at the top of the statue and on the sides.  The guide told me that these small statues represent the four directions of the world, and they are the embodiments of Dharmakaya, or the “all-encompassing body of law.”  However, another version says that two of them are Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu, present as guardian deities to Lord Buddha.  The Excavated Cave And Seated Buddha This cave on the right also has a rock-cut Buddha sculpture in a meditating pose.  The sculpture is modest. However, you must not miss the stone inscription next to this shrine.  It is a record of the religious reforms of King Parakramabahu. Later, he also asked them to draw up a code of conduct, which is recorded in this inscription.  Uttararama is also where Parakramabahu I gathered monks to purify the Buddhist community. The Reclining Buddha The reclining Buddha here depicts entering parinirvana.  It is 14 meters in length, and the details here drew my attention.  There is a gentle dip in the pillow beneath the head. Also, there are lotus symbols on the pillow end and on the soles of the feet. I was dumbstruck and had goosebumps at the same time, standing at the feet and then following the line of the body along the rock.  It was so lively! The Standing Figure And The Ananda Debate Next, I visited the standing Buddha statue where Buddha is standing with his arms crossed over his chest. The facial expression of this 7-meter-tall figure is sorrowful.  The most popular version is that it is the figure of Ananda, the disciple of Buddha. He was grieving as the lord entered parinirvana.  However, another version completely rejects this idea and says that it is Lord Buddha himself.  They find the expression of a subtle smile, and they say that here Lord Buddha is standing after two weeks of his enlightenment.  The History: Parakramabahu I And The Northern Monastery The Culavamsa chronicle credits King Parakramabahu for the construction of Gal Vihara.  He built it to strengthen Theravada Buddhism and unify Sri Lanka.  Natural Marbling As Part Of The Design Carvers used the natural marbling in the granite to create the life-like effect of the sculptures.  In the softer morning light, I could see how the veins in the stone follow the lines of the carving, which is another reason I would visit early. Photography And Respect You can take photographs here. However, it is a sign of disrespect to turn your back to the statues to take selfies.  Furthermore, if you want to film Gal Vihara, you will need prior approval from the authority.  Getting Around Polonnaruwa You must take a cycle or a tuk-tuk between the ruins.  Six to eight hours by bicycle covers the whole site. The charge will be around LKR 400 to LKR 1000 for the entire day.  A Half-Day Itinerary Around Gal Vihara TimeStopNotes7:30 AMTicket office and Polonnaruwa MuseumKnow the context of the ancient city before the ruins.8:30 AMRoyal Palace and QuadrangleVisit the central monuments while it is still cool. 10:30 AMAlahana Pirivena areaVisit the monastic ruins near Gal Vihara.11:30 AMGal ViharaAllow 1 to 2 hours to explore the vihara.1:00 PMLunch and restAvoid peak midday heat.4:30 PMParakrama Samudra shoreObserve the quieter light on the reservoir.  Nearby Places To Combine With Gal Vihara Don’t miss the Polonnaruwa Museum, run by the CCF beside the Parakrama Samudra sluice gate. It houses findings from the excavations at the site since 1981.  Also, if you want a wildlife experience, you can consider Minneriya, which is also amazing for sunset views.  Latest Updates For 2026 Visitors To Gal Vihara The Thuparama Image House in Polonnaruwa, a 12th-century vaulted brick shrine, received US-funded conservation support, announced in January 2025. Furthermore, the CCF now runs an eTicket portal for Sigiriya, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, and other heritage sites. You can purchase these tickets up to 90 days before the visit.