Kandy

Sacred City of Kandy*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
State Party	Sri Lanka
Type	Cultural
Criteria	iv, vi
Reference	Retrieved July 5, 2008 450
Region**	Asia-Pacific
Inscription history
Inscription	1988  (10th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. ** Region as classified by UNESCO.

Kandy (maha nuvara, pronounced [mahaˈnuərə], in Sinhala, கண்டி kaṇṭi, pronounced [ˈkaɳɖi], in Tamil) is the English name for the city of Maha Nuvara (Senkadagalapura) in the centre of Sri Lanka. It is the capital of the Central Province and Kandy District. It lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy Valley which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea.

• Historical Function: Administrative and religious.
• Administrative Status: Capital of the Central Province (which encompasses the districts of Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya) and also of the administrative district of Kandy.
• Foundation: 14th century.
• Population : 110,049 (2001 census).
• One of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka.
• The name Kandy is derived from the Sinhalese kaⁿda uḍa pas raṭa, literally "the five districts on the mountain." The Portuguese shortened this to "Candea," using the name for both the kingdom and its capital Senkadagalapura.
• In Sinhala, Kandy is called Maha Nuvara (pronounced [maha nuʋərə]), meaning "Great City" or "Capital," although this is most often shortened to Nuvara.

History

File:Kandy Sky.jpg

The Kandy Sky Line

Historical records suggest that Kandy was first established by the King Wickramabahu (1357-1374 C.E.) 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.

In 1592 Kandy became the capital city of the last remaining independent kingdom in Sri Lanka after the coastal regions had been conquered by the Portuguese. Invasions by the Portuguese and the Dutch (16th, 17th and 18th century) and also by the British (most notably in 1803) were repelled. The last ruling dynasty of Kandy were the Nayaks of Kandy. Kandy preserved its independence until it finally fell to the British in 1815. The British deposed the king, Sri Vikrama Rajasinha, and all claimants to the throne, thus ending the last traditional monarchy of Sri Lanka, and replaced it with their monarchy.

View of the lake from Rajapihilla Mawatha, on the right the golden roof of the Temple of the Tooth, top left a Toque Macaque

As the capital, Kandy had become home to the relic of the tooth of the Buddha which symbolises a 4th-century tradition that used to be linked to royalty since the protector of the relic was seen fit to rule the land. Thus, the Royal Palace and the Temple of the Tooth were associated with the administrative and religious functions of the capital city. Even after its conquest by the British, Kandy has preserved its function as the religious capital of the Sinhalese and a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists, namely those belonging to the Theravada school.

Portuguese invasions in the 16th century and 17th century were entirely unsuccessful. The kingdom tolerated a Dutch presence on the coast until 1761, when Kirti Sri 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, Sri 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 speedy movement. They were initially successful, capturing the capital, but they took a deserted city, and the Kandyans withdrew to the jungles once more, refusing to engage in open battle. The Dutch, worn down by constant attrition, came to terms in 1766.

See also History of Sri Lanka

Urban morphology

The city of Kandy lies at an altitude of about 500 m above sea level. Its plan developed around two open spaces: an elongated square at the end of which are the administration buildings of the old capital, and an artificial lake that is quadrangular in form. A public garden adds to the openness of the city's spatial organisation.

On the north shore of the lake, which is enclosed by a parapet of white stone dating to the beginning of the 19th century, are the city's official religious monuments, including the Royal Palace and the Temple of the Tooth, known as the Dalada Maligawa (daḷadā māligāva). Reconstructed in the 18th century, the Dalanda Maligawa is built on a base of granite that was inspired by the temples of Sri Lanka's former capital city, Anuradhapura. An array of materials (limestone, marble, sculpted wood, ivory, etc.) contribute to the richness of this temple. Throughout this small holy city, a number of recent Buddhist monasteries can be found.

Kandy has now grown out to encompass Peradeniya, home to the University of Peradeniya and the Botanical Gardens, Katugastota to the north, and east to Kundasale, Tennekumbura and Gurudeniya.

Demographics

Kandy is a Sinhala majority city; there are sizeable communities belonging to other ethnic groups, such as Moors and Tamils.

Ethnicity	Population	% Of Total
Sinhala	77,560	70.48
Sri Lankan Moors	15,326	13.93
Sri Lankan Tamils	9,427	8.57
Indian Tamils	5,245	4.77
Other (including Burgher, Malay)	2,489	2.26
Total	110,049	100

Source: [1]

World Heritage Site

The tooth sanctuary

The monumental ensemble of Kandy is an example of construction that associates the Royal Palace and the Temple of the Tooth (palace of the tooth relic). It was one of a series of temples built in the places where the relic, the actual palladium of the Sinhalese monarchy, was brought following the various relocations of the capital city.

The Palace of the Tooth relic, the palace complex and the holy city of Kandy are associated with the history of the dissemination of Buddhism. The temple is the product of the last peregrination of the relic of the tooth of Buddha and the testimony of a cult which continues to be practiced today.

Inside the Temple of the Tooth

Festivals

Kandy is also popular because of the annual festival known as the Esala Perahera (ˈɶsələ ˌperəˌhɶrə) in which one of the inner caskets used for covering the tooth relic of Buddha is taken in a grand procession through the streets of the city. This casket is taken on a tusker of royal caste. The procession includes traditional dancers and drummers, flag bearers of the provinces of the old Kandyan kingdom, the Nilames (lay custodians of temples ) wearing their traditional dresses, torch bearers and also the grandly attired elephant. This ceremony which is annually held in the months of July or August, attracts large crowds from all parts of the country and also many foreign tourists.

Elephants at the Esala Perahera

Sport

• Volleyball is the National Sport of Sri Lanka but Cricket is the most popular sport.
• The Sri Lanka cricket team plays international Test matches at the Asgiriya International Stadium.
• The Singer Sri Lankan Airlines Rugby 7's tournament is an annual international sporting highlight held at the Bogambara Stadium in Kandy.
• Kandyans love rugby union. Kandy SC, the local rugby union club, has been champions of the rugby league for many years now. Kandy schools have produced many national rugby players.

Shopping

Kandy offers a variety of shopping destinations, ranging from colourful and vibrant markets to exquisite boutiques. The Kandy City Centre shopping complex is currently under construction.

File:Kandy city centre.JPG

Kotugodella Mawatha in downtown Kandy

Culinary

Kandy has a modest range of restaurants, as well as an abundance of confectionaries. A range of cuisines is available including Chinese, European, Sri Lankan, Indian and some multinational fast food outlets.

Nightlife

Kandy offers a reasonable nightlife. Nightclubs are mainly found in the hotels, but there are numerous bars and pubs in the city that have a more local atmosphere.

Botanical garden

Peradeniya Botanical garden

The Botanical Garden of Peradeniya is situated about 5 km to the west of the city centre at Peradeniya and is visited by 1.2 million people per year.

See also

Sri Lanka
World Heritage Sites

External links

• Kandy city website.. Retrieved July 5, 2008.
• Discover Sri Lanka - More information & images about Sri Dalada Maligawa. Retrieved July 5, 2008.
• Discover Sri Lanka - More information on Kandy district. Retrieved July 5, 2008.
• Kandy The hill capital of Sri Lanka. Retrieved July 5, 2008.
• The Mary B. Wheeler Collection, University of Pennsylvania Library. Retrieved July 5, 2008.
• Official website of the Sri Lanka Tourism Board. Retrieved July 5, 2008.
• Kandyan Kingdom At Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved July 5, 2008.
• Official UNESCO website entry. Retrieved July 5, 2008.
• Detailed map of Kandy and Sri Lanka. Retrieved July 5, 2008.

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