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.
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.
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.
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.
Kadugannawa Ambalama is said to have build during the reign of King Sri Wickrema Rajasinghe and must have been a popular stopover for the merchants traveling on the arduous route between ancient hill capital and the lowlands
Local traditions say that this Hendeniya Rajamaha Viharaya was built at the the request of Henekanda Biso Bandara (consort of King Wickremabahu III) of the Gampola period (1357-1374)
Lewis called this Garrison Cemetery, the ‘European graveyard of Kandy’, in his book on the ‘List of Inscriptions on Tombstones and Monuments in Ceylon’ published in 1913.
Renowned for its murals of the Kandyan Sittara art, “Gangarama Raja Maha Viharaya” is attributed to King Kirti Sri Rajasinhe (1747 – 1781). The paintings in this temple depict scenes of Buddha of his birth and Jataka Stories. Even today they are valued as excellent examples of Kandyan Sittara Art.
A short turn off from the Kundasala Road just outside of Kandy and you will come upon a strange sight: the unfinished Galmaduwa Viharaya.
Passing Suriyagoda Viharaya in Yati Nuwara you come across two more historical locations, Dodanwela Devalaya and Danthre Viharaya. These can also be reached by the main road from Alakolange.
The Kandyan king, Kirti Sri Rajasinghe (1747-1780) was a great patron of the arts. It was during his time that some of the best paintings in upcountry temples were created. Among them, the Degaldoruwa Raja Maha Vihara paintings stand out.
The Danthure Viharaya is Tampita Viharaya ( A temple built on pillars). The ground floor of the viharaya is used as the “Bana Maduwa” or a preaching hall. On four pillars at the centre of the hall are sculptured musicians and dancers.
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.
A steep flight of stone steps leads to the summit of the Bambaragala rock cave temple, where halfway up is the priests’ residency (Avasa).
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.
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.).
Ambagamuwa inscription is considered as one of the main sources of information in Polonnaruwa Era. The inscription has been made on the 36th year of King Vijayabahu I (1070-1110).
The Uda Aludeniya Raja Maha Viharaya is located on the Kandy – Gampola road is said to be built by a person called Maayim Bandara during the reign of King Buvanekabahu IV (1341-1351) of Gampola Kingdom.
