Sri Lanka is also called the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. The island nation’s geographic location and deep harbours have made it of great strategic importance, from the earliest days of the ancient silk trade route till today. Sri Lanka’s connection with Bharat is as deep as the ocean and its harbours. Sharing of common history and geography makes it the cultural part of our country. Sri Lanka has offered the stage for the story of Ram and Ramayan to happen. The temples and many other pieces of architecture are the testimony to this association.
The journey of temples of Sri Lanka has to begin with the Tooth Temple. Though not a Hindu temple, it is one of the most revered temples by people of all religions. The temple is also known as Sri Dalada Maligawa. Built in the early 18th century as a royal palace for Vira Narendra Sinha, the last Sinhalese king, it was converted into a temple to house the Tooth Relic of Buddha. The Tooth Temple is a World Heritage Site mainly due to the temple architecture. Other heritage structures on the site and the relic of Buddha are placed within the temple.
There is a moat all along the temple. The brick wall which runs along the moat is called a water wave wall. The holes in the wall are lit by coconut oil lamps every day. The main entrance gate is on the moat and is called Mahawahalkada. The famous moon stone is carved at the foot of the main entrance gate. This moon stone is in Kandyan architectural style. Actually the entire palace complex where this Tooth Temple is located is in Kandyan architecture, which is adorned with intricate wood and stone carvings and murals on the walls. All other buildings such as the audience hall, the queens palace and the kings palace together offer the rich experience of heritage of the place. The water, trees, waves, leaves, animals and nature carved on every element of the buildings here and the effortless attempt to be connected to nature narrate the stories of so-called sustainable architecture of the modern world.
