Kingdom of Kandy - The Last Stand of Sinhale

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Dalada Maligawa with the clouds wall running around it

The City of Kandy lies in the centre of Sri Lanka at an elevation of about 485 metres above sea level and about 116 km from Colombo. Generally considered the capital of the hill country, Kandy was the last capital of last generation of Sri Lanka Kings which finally fell under British rule in 1815. The Name Kandy was given by the English as a derivation of “Kanda Uda Rata”. The current Sri Lankan name is “Maha Nuwara” and the historical name of this city is Senkadagalapura.

According to folklore the name Senkadagala originated from a Brahmin called Senkadagala who lived in the area or from a queen (called Senkada) of King Wickramabahu or from a coloured stone called Senkada gala.

Senkadagalapura was established as a city by King Wickramabahu III (of the Gampola Era) during his reign from 1357-1374 AD. Senasammata Wickremabahu ascended the throne in the 15th century (1473-1511) making it the new capital of the Kandyan Kingdom. Until the 19th century, Kandy was the capital city and thus the home of the Royal Palace and the “Dalada Maligawa” (Temple of the Tooth relic).

Despite the fall of coastal regions to foreign invaders ( Portuguese, Dutch and English) the Kingdom of Kandy managed to hold its independence surviving many invasions due to the torturous access routes through mountains. Kandy finally submitted to the British in 1815 when its chieftains voluntarily submitted to British rule by signing a pact with Britain at the “Magul Maduwa” which stands to this day near the Dalada Maligawa by the Kandy lakeside.

The last king of Sri Lanka, King Sri Wickrama Rajasinhe was imprisoned by the British and sent to a prison in India and lived as a prisoner until his death. With his capture, probably the longest Royal Dynasty in the world which survived since the 6th century BC (over 2350 years) came to an end.

Even after the invasion, Kandy has managed to preserve its function as the religious capital of Sri Lanka and a place of pilgrimage for practitioners of the purest form of Buddhism.

Kandy is also popular because of the annual festival known as the ” Esala Maha Perahera” in which the Tooth relic of Buddha is taken in a grand procession through the streets of the city. The tooth relic is taken on a royal tusker. The procession includes traditional dancers and drummers, flag bearers of the provinces of the old Kandyan kingdom, the Nilames (temple custodians) wearing their traditional dresses, torch bearers and also the grandly attired elephants. This ceremony which is annually held in the month of July, attracts large crowds from all parts of the country and many foreign tourists.

Traveling Directions to Kandy

Kandy can be reached from Colombo via the old Colombo-Kandy road (option 1), which is scenic but heavily congested, especially on Fridays and Sundays. However, the new Central Expressway (option 2) has opened up a new route, which is longer but less cumbersome.

Route 1 from Colombo to Kandy	Route 2 from Colombo to Kandy
Through: Walapane – Raja Mawatha Distance: 100 km Travel Time: 3.0 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.	Through: Warakapola – Kegalle – Kadugannawa Distance: 121 km Travel Time: 4.15 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.
Route From Nuwara Eliya to Kandy
Through : Walapane – Raja Mawatha Distance: 100 km Travel Time: 3.0 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.

A chronological list of Sri Lankan kings who ruled from Kandy [For a full list click here]

Sena Sammatha Wickramabahu	Belongs to Kotte Royal Blood line (Ruled Kandy as a semi-indipendent kingdom under the Kotte Kingdom)	1473-1511
Jayaweera Astana	Son of Sena Sammatha Wickramabahu. Became a Christian in 1546	1511-1551
Karaliyadde Bandara	Son of Jayaweera. Captured the throne from Jayaweera. Became a Christian to get protection from the Portugese.	1551-1581
Dona Catherina (Kusumasana Devi)	Daughter of Karaliyedde Bandara. Converted to Catholisum by the Portuguese and appointed the queen of the Kandyan Kingdom by the Portuguese	1581
Rajasinghe I	Disposed Dona Catherina. Ruled from Sitawaka Kingdom	1581-1591
Yamasinghe Bandara (Don Phillip)	A nephew of Karaliyadde Bandara. Took control of Kandy with the help of the Portuguese
Wimaladharmasuriya I	Name was Konappu Bandara and then Don Juan. Ousted Yamasinghe Bandara’s son Don João who was 12 years old and assented to the throne as Wimaladharmasuriya. Became a Buddhist again and married Dona Catherina to establish the Royal Bloodline. Fought the Portuguese and freed Kandy from them. Famous battle of Danture was fought by him.	1592 – 1604
Senarat	A cousin brother of king Wimaladharmasuriya I. Was a Buddhist monk and a devoted Buddhist. Didn’t have the strength of a king. Married Dona Catherina again to establish the Royal Bloodline	1604 – 1635
Rajasinghe II	A warrior king who build up the Kandy again and faced two major battles with the Portuguese and two with the Dutch.	1635 – 1687
Wimaladharmasuriya II	Son of Rajasinghe II. Maintained a harmony with the Dutch.	1687 – 1707
Viraparakrama Narendrasinha	Son of Wimaladharmasuriya II. Last Singhalese King of the Country	1707 – 1739
Sri Vijaya Rajasinhe	Brother of the Viraparakrama Narendrasinha’s queen who was of south Indian Nayakkar origin. Became a buddhist	1739 -1747
Kirti Sri Rajasinhe	Brother of the Sri Vijaya Rajasinhe’s queen	1747 – 1781
Rajadhi Rajasinhe	Brother of Kirti Sri Rajasinhe	1781 – 1798
Sri Wikrama Rajasinhe	Last Sri Lankan King. Captured by the British and imprisoned in Vellore, India	1798 – 1815

Places of historical interest of Kingdom of Kandy

Asgiri Maha Viharaya and the Adahanamaluwa Gedige Viharaya in Kandy (මහනුවර අස්ගිරි රජමහා විහාරය)
North from the lake is situated the Asgiri Raja Maha Viharaya, the other monastic center of the Siyam Nikaya founded by Commander Siriwardhana at the inquest of Parakramabahu IV of Kurunegala (1305-1335 A.D.).
Bahirawakanda Temple in Kandy (මහනුවර බහිරවකන්ද)
Rising up above the Kandy town its just 2 km from the Dalada maligawa the temple of the Sacred tooth relic. The name “Bahirawa Kanda” means the gnome mountain.
Historical Headman’s Lodge in Kandy (මහනුවර මුලාදෑනි මණ්ඩපය)
Headman’s Lodge (Muladeni Mandapaya) is an open hall built on wooden pillars with one room at the far end. This building has been built in accordance to the Kandyan Architecture and resembles the Audience Hall of the king of Kandy.
Kandy Lake : Nuwara Wewa (නුවර වැව)
Kandy Lake or the Nuwara Wewa was built by the last king of Kandy (and of Sri Lanka), Sri Wikrama Rajasinhe to beatify the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Dalada Maligawa) by excavating paddy fields in 1807. He called this artificial lake the :Kiri Muhuda” or the Milky Ocean.
Kandy Wax Museum in Ehelapola Walawwa (මහනුවර ඇහැලේපොළ වලව්වේ ඉටි රූප කෞතුකාගාරය)
The exhibits of the museum vividly portray 35 lifelike wax figures representing notable individuals from Sri Lankan history. It also exhibits traditional Kandyan architecture, customs, and craftsmanship. There are also themed stalls displaying traditional industries, along with a dedicated dining section that demonstrates how royal meals were prepared in ancient times, complete with authentic recipes.
Kataragama Devalaya of Kandyan Kingdom (මහනුවර කතරගම දේවාලය)
The Kataragama Devalaya at Kandy is run by Hindu priests unlike the other 3 devales in Kandy. The entrance to the main shrine faces the main street through a colorfully ornamented vahalkada.
List of Adhigars of the Kandyan Kingdom (උඩරට රාජධානියේ අධිකාරම්වරු)
The title of Adhigar (Adigar) in the Kandyan Kingdom of Sri Lanka referred to a high-ranking official or noble who held significant administrative and judicial authority. In Sinhala, he is called the Adhikaram. The position was one of the most powerful in the Kandyan court, second only to the king himself. Adhigars were entrusted with…
Magul Maduwa (Audience Hall) of the Kandyan Palace (මගුල් මඩුව – මහනුවර රාජධානිය)
The Magul Maduwa, or Audience Hall, in Kandy is a historic wooden pavilion where the last kings of Sri Lanka conducted administrative and judicial duties. Started in 1783, this architectural masterpiece witnessed the 1815 handover of sovereignty to the British and the tragic sentencing of national patriots like Keppatipola Disave.
Malwatu Maha Viharaya at Kandy (මල්වතු මහා විහාරය)
Across the lake from the temple of the Tooth Relic, is situated one of the great centres of the Sangha, belonging to the Siam Nikaya, known as “Malwatu Maha Viharaya”. This great monastery consists of two sections.
Nagavimana Kande Viharaya (Naga Vimanaya) in Kandy (නාග විමානය)
Just above the Malwatu Maha Viharaya in Kandy and near the present Wales Park on the hills is found a small but beautiful old viharaya called Naga Vimanaya. This is a supposed to be a place where Velivita Sri Saranankara Thero lived for some time.
Natha Devalaya at Kandy (මහනුවර නාථ දේවාලය)
The Natha Devalaya is Kandy’s oldest surviving structure, a 14th-century gedige shrine dedicated to Natha, a form of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. Standing opposite the Temple of the Tooth, it served as the sacred site for royal coronations and naming ceremonies of the Kandyan Kingdom.
Pattini Devale in Kandy (මහනුවර පත්තිනි දේවාලය)
Standing west of Natha Devale, Kandy’s historic Pattini Devale honors the goddess of chastity and healing. This four-century-old shrine, featured in ancient epics and royal processions, boasts elegant Kandyan architecture. Devotees visit this sacred rectangular structure to seek protection from disease, famine, and drought through divine blessings.
Pillaiyar Kovil in Kandy (නුවර පුල්ලේයාර් කෝවිල)
At the entrance to the Kandy city as you travel form Colombo we see near the Kandy Police Station, a Hindu Temple popularly known to the Sinhalese as Pillaiyar Kovil dedicated to God Ganesh,
Rajapihilla : The Royal Bath of Kandy (රජපිහිල්ල – මහනුවර)
Rajapihilla (The Royal Bath) of the ancient kings of Kandy lies hidden on a by lane of Ampitiya Road where no regular tourist visits.
Ran Avuda Mandapaya: The Golden Armory of the Kandyan Kings (රන් ආයුධ මණ්ඩපය)
Recently restored as a museum near the Temple of the Tooth, the Ran Avuda Mandapaya was the Kandyan Kingdom’s royal armory. Housing sacred regalia like the Royal Sword, it managed elite guards and craftsmen, remaining a vital symbol of medieval military administration.
Royal Palace of the Kandyan Kingdom (රජ මාලිගාව – මහනුවර රාජධානිය)
The remains we see today of the Royal Palace of Kandy is the residence of the last king of Kandyan Kingdom, Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe (1797 – 1814). But the original palace has been burnt and destroyed several times and rebuilt again by subsequent kings.
Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy – Sri Lanka (Dalada Maligawa – ශ්‍රී දළදා මාලිගාව)
The Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth Relic) in Kandy, the temple which houses the Sacred Tooth Relic of The Buddha, is possibly the most sacred Buddhist shrine in the world. It is venerated not only by Buddhists in Sri Lanka but by Buddhists all over the world.
Ulpange : Queen’s Bathing Pavilion (උල්පැන් ගේ)
The Ulpange or the Queen’s Bathing Pavilion is situated partly in the waters of the Kandy Lake and the other part on land near the Temple of the Tooth Relic.
Vishnu Devalaya of Kandy Kingdom (මහනුවර විශ්ණු දේවාලය)
The Maha Vishnu Devalaya is a premier spiritual pillar of Kandy, dedicated to Lord Vishnu as the protective deity of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Rebuilt by King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe, this architectural gem features a distinctive multi-tiered roof.

Map of Kandy

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