Odyssey of the 'Dantha Dhathu'

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Tooth Relic of Buddha held in veneration at the Dalada Maligawa (Temple of Tooth) in Kandy Sri Lanka — Tooth Relic of Buddha held in veneration at the Dalada Maligawa (Temple of Tooth) in Kandy, Sri Lanka

The Danta Dhatu—the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha—is one of the most cherished treasures in the Buddhist world. Today, it rests in a richly decorated shrine deep within the heart of the Dalada Maligawa in Kandy, radiating the same reverence it has commanded for centuries.

Its journey to Sri Lanka was almost fated, arriving during the ninth year of King Keerthi Sri Meghavarna’s reign, around 371 CE. From that moment, kings and ordinary folk alike poured out their devotion, guarding the Relic with unwavering loyalty and lavish offerings.

But the Tooth Relic came to mean far more than a symbol of faith. It became the very heart of kingship itself—a sacred pledge that tied the ruler to the land. It was believed that no king could truly claim the throne without the Relic in his possession. Protecting it was seen as protecting the kingdom’s soul, its sovereignty, and its future.

Dhantha Dhatu in India

The history of the Tooth Relic traces back to 543 BCE when, after the Buddha’s cremation, an Arhant named Khema reportedly took the Relic and presented it to King Brahmadatta, who worshipped it devoutly. When King Brahmadatta was later threatened by the formidable King Pandu, he opted for a peaceful resolution.

For the Relic’s security during this tension, he handed it to Cittayana, King Pandu’s army commander. After observing the sacred Tooth’s miraculous feats, King Pandu embraced Buddhism. Following this, King Khiradhara launched an assault on King Pandu‘s capital, Pataliputra (present-day Patna).

In response, King Pandu dispatched his viceroy, Guhasiva, to Kalinga (modern Orissa) with the Relic, placing it with Prince Danta, who had married the king’s daughter, Hemamala. Foreseeing potential defeat in an upcoming war, the king instructed Hemamala and Prince Danta to carry the Relic to Sri Lanka in the event of his being defeated in battle..

Arrival of the Sacred Tooth Relic on the Island of Sri Lanka

Upon the king’s defeat, Prince Danta and Princess Hemamala secretly conveyed the Tooth Relic, which was in their custody, to Sri Lanka. They undertook an adventurous journey and reached Anuradhapura, where they handed the Relic over to King Sri Meghavarna (303-331 CE). King Meghavarna subsequently placed the Relic with the monks of the Abhayagiri Viharaya. (It is noteworthy that the hair ornament Princess Hemamala used to bring the Relic was exhibited during the Esala festival in August 1949).

Expositions of ‘Danta Dhatu’ by the Ancient Kings

Under the rule of King Upatissa (426-468 CE), the Tooth Relic was ceremonially moved in a grand procession from Abhayagiri Viharaya to the Maha Viharaya.

Later, in 460 CE, a severe drought struck, causing the king to fear a famine. To seek relief, he led a procession through the city streets on the Esala full moon night, carrying the sacred Relic. Following this, the drought broke, and heavy rain fell, flooding the low-lying areas.

The Journey of the Sacred Tooth Relic During the Times of Ancient Kings

King Dhatusena (516-526 AD) is recorded as having offered a golden casket for the Relic. Later, during the reign of King Sena I (826-846 AD), when Pandyans from South India invaded and took control of the country, the Relic was moved to a secure location for protection. In 1017, when the Cholians invaded, monks fled to the southern part of the island, taking the Relic with them. Eventually, Prince Kitti defeated the Cholians and ascended the throne as King Vijayabahu I (1058-1114 CE).

When Kalinga Magha gained power in Polonnaruwa (1213-1234 CE), forcing the Sinhalese populace further south, the monk Vacissara safeguarded the Relic by hiding it at Dathakaranaramaya temple in Pusulpitiya, a temple said to exist even today. Later, King Vijayabahu III (1220-1224 CE), who established his kingdom at Dambadeniya, brought the Relic from Pusulpitiya to his capital. However, fearing potential renewed invasions by the Cholians, he had it relocated to Beligala Rock, where a Temple of the Tooth Relic was built for greater safety.

Upon King Bhuvanekhabahu I‘s ascension to the throne at Yapahuwa (1283-1286), General Aryacakravarti, acting on behalf of the Pandyan King Kulasekera, invaded the island. During this invasion, the Relic was captured and taken to South India. It remained there until King Parakramabahu II (1266-1293) successfully negotiated its return to the island through peaceful means. His successor, King Bhuvanekhabahu III (1293-1302 CE), then transported the Relic to Kurunegala and had it safely housed in a three-story structure.

The Tooth Relic is next mentioned when Kotte served as the capital under King Prakramabahu IV (1410-1436), who is recorded as having made offerings to it.

Its presence in Kotte during this era is also confirmed by literary works. The esteemed poet, Ven. Sri Rahula Thera, refers to the Relic in his “Sandes kavyas” (epic messages), specifically in the Paravi and Selalihini. Other “Sandesaya” poems from the Kotte period, such as the Hansa Sandesaya and Gira Sandesaya, also make reference to the Tooth Relic.

The Journey of the Sacred Tooth Relic During the European Invasions

When the Portuguese first arrived in Sri Lanka on November 15, 1505, King Vira Parakramabahu VIII (1484–1509) was ruling the Kingdom of Kotte. As the Portuguese gradually extended their control over coastal regions, they also actively promoted Roman Catholicism throughout the island, employing methods ranging from incentives to coercion.

A significant event occurred in 1557 when Prince Dharmapala, the future ruler of Kotte, converted to Catholicism, adopting the name Don Juan Dharmapala. This conversion severely eroded the trust of his people, who feared he might endanger or surrender the Sacred Tooth Relic – a powerful symbol of both Buddhist faith and royal legitimacy – to the Portuguese.

Concerned for the Relic’s safety, the temple guardian, Diyawadana Nilame Hiripitiye Divana Rala, had a significant dream. He interpreted the message “Kotte kalale data meda ganna rale” as a warning to move the Relic to the central part of the country. Acting quickly and secretly, he transported it to King Mayadunne in Sitawaka (modern Avissawella), who had it concealed within the Delgamuwa Rajamaha Viharaya.

Due to persistent threats, the monks at Delgamuwa created replicas of the Tooth Relic using ivory. One replica remained at Delgamuwa, another was given to the nobleman Veediya Bandara, King Mayadunne’s son-in-law. The genuine Tooth Relic, however, was cleverly hidden by a monk within his waistband and subsequently placed for safekeeping inside a grinding stone located in Palabaddala.

Meanwhile, the Portuguese discovered that the Relic they had obtained was a duplicate and that the true one was in Veediya Bandara’s possession. When Dharmapala became the king of Kotte, Veediya Bandara fled to Jaffna but was captured in 1561 on the orders of the Archbishop of Goa. The Archbishop, having seized the ivory replica from Veediya Bandara, proceeded to place it in a mortar, grind it into powder, burn the powder in a brazier, and scatter the ashes into a river, in an act intended to destroy the symbol of the Relic.

A pivotal moment came in 1592 when Konappu Bandara became King Wimaladharmasuriya I of Kandy. The chief monk of the Delgamuwa Viharaya then presented the real Tooth Relic to the new king. King Wimaladharmasuriya I enshrined the Relic inside a case crafted from a large ruby found embedded in a riverbank in Kuruviti Korale. He brought the Relic to Kandy and constructed a special edifice specifically to house it.

The Relic’s precarious existence continued. In 1611, a monk fled with it during a Portuguese invasion of Kandy. King Senarath (1605-1635), however, successfully repelled the Portuguese forces and brought the Relic back to Kandy, returning it to the edifice built by King Wimaladharmasuriya I. Later, King Kirti Sri Rajasinha, who ascended the throne in 1747, became concerned that the precious gem casing made the Relic vulnerable to theft. To better protect it, he enclosed the ruby case within an ivory casing. Thus, what visitors see today is the outer ivory-covered Relic, which contains the genuine Tooth Relic inside, explaining why its visible size appears disproportionate to that of a natural human tooth.

Sacred Tooth Relic Today

The ‘Vedasitina Maluwa‘ (inner temple area) visible today is attributed to King Narendrasinha, the last Sinhala monarch of Kandy, who reigned from 1707 to 1739. His successor was his brother-in-law, Sri Vijaya Rajasinha, a prince from Malabar. This marked the beginning of Dravidian rule in the Kandyan kingdom, which continued until 1815.

The iconic octagon structure, known as the ‘Pattirippuwa‘, was constructed during the reign of Sri Wickrama Rajasinha, the last king of Kandy. He was captured by British forces on February 18, 1815, and subsequently exiled to Vellore in South India, where he passed away in 1832. The acclaimed architect Devendra Mulachari, renowned for his architectural expertise, was responsible for designing the octagon.

When the British invaded Kandy to expand their territory, the king took the Tooth Relic to a safe location. With the approval of the British authorities, the Relic was returned to Kandy and formally placed back in the Dalada Maligawa on April 24, 1815. The British Resident in Kandy, John D’Oyly, attended this event, which helped him gain favor with the monks, local chiefs, and the populace.

In 1818, a rebellion against the British administration erupted in the Kandyan provinces. During this unrest, a monk secretly moved the Relic to Elahera in Matale for safekeeping. However, the British managed to retrieve it and returned it to the asanctum sanctorum of the Dalada Maligawa. The Tooth Relic was not publicly exhibited in Kandy again until 10 years later, at which point the annual Perahera was also resumed as usual, attended by Governor Edward Barnes.

In 1853, through statutory provisions, the responsibility for the custody of the Tooth Relic was officially transferred to the monks of the Malwatte and Asgiriya temples. The Diyawadana Nilame continues to serve as the lay custodian. Today, during the annual Esala Perahera in Kandy, the casket containing the sacred Relic is carried in the procession on the back of the beautifully caparisoned Maligawa tusker elephant. The enduring magical aura of the Tooth Relic continues to provide Buddhists throughout the country with the opportunity to pay their homage with deep faith and devotion.