History of Kandy

The city and the region has been known by many different names and versions of those

names. Some scholars suggest that the original name of Kandy was Katubulu Nuwara located near present Watapuluwa. However the more popular historical name is Senkadagala or Senkadagalapura, officially Senkadagala Siriwardhana Maha Nuwara (meaning 'great city of Senkadagala of growing resplendence'), generally shortened to 'Maha Nuwara'. According to folklore this name originated from one of the several possible sources. One being the city was named after a brahmin with the name Senkanda who lived in a cave near by, and another being a queen of Vikramabahu III was named Senkanda, and after a coloured stone named Senkadagala. The Kingdom of Kandy has also been known by various names. The English name Kandy, which originated during the colonial era, is derived from an anglicised version of the Sinhalese Kanda Uda Rata (meaning the land on the mountain) or Kanda Uda Pas Rata (the five counties/countries on the mountain) . The Portuguese shortened this to "Candea", using the name for both the kingdom and its capital. In Sinhalese, Kandy is called Maha Nuvara, meaning "Great City" or "Capital", although this is most often shortened to Nuvara, pronounced Nuwara.

Temple of Tooth Relic

The Royal Palace of Kandy in Kandy, is the last royal residence of the Kingdom of Kandy

and in Sri Lanka. The last King to reside in it was King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha until he was overthrown by the British in 1815 with the aid of Kandian chieftains. Once part of a large palace complex that included the royal court the Magul Maduwa and the Temple of the Tooth that held the Relic of the tooth of the Buddha. By ancient tradition the one who was in possession of the Tooth Relic had claim to the throne. Adjacent to the Royal Palace is the Victorian era building that until recently housed Kandy High Court.

Kandy Lake

Kandy Lake is a lake in the heart of the hill city of Kandy, Sri Lanka, built in 1807 by King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha of Sri Lanka next to the Temple of the Tooth. Over the years, it was reduced in size. It is a protected lake, with fishing banned. There are many legends and folklore regarding the lake. One such is that the small island at its center was used by the king's helm for bathing and was connected to the palace by secret tunnel.

Kandy Lake, the main body of water in the city of Kandy in central Sri Lanka, is a man-made lake created in 1807 by the last Sinhalese king of Kandy, using forced labor. The king used land which was a paddy field to create the lake. It stands as an indictment of the excesses of the Kandyan monarchy for wasting away national resources to build an ornamental lake at a time when the kingdom was under serious threat. When a hundred of his advisors advised King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe against building the lake, he had them impaled on the reservoir bund of the paddy field which he was converting into the ornamental lake. It was not long before the British captured him, with help from his own noblemen disgruntled by his irrational policies.

Kandy Lake has a perimeter of 2.1 miles and a maximum depth of 60 feet. A decorative wall, called Walakulu wall, runs for 2060 feet along the banks of the Kandy Lake. In the middle of the lake is an island housing the Royal Summer House. Sri Dalada Maligawa, or Temple of the Tooth Relic, is located beside the lake across the road. On the opposite side of the road from the Temple of the Tooth Relic is the Royal Bathhouse, which is used by the king's wives and concubines as a bathhouse. The British added one more story to the structure to house a library.

The Kandy Lake offers a place for a stroll or a jog. The shady path surrounding the lake provides a view of the hills and the town. The lake was created in 1807 by the last Sinhalese King. It is situated by the side of the Temple of the tooth relic. The Malwatte temple, one of the two head temples of the Siyam Nikaya sect of Theravada Buddhism, is also located overlooking the lake. Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe, the last king of Kandy, decorated the lake with the "walakulu" (clouds) wall.

Facts about the lake

Spill level above: 1740 M.L.S
Capacity: 704 acre-feet
Perimeter of the tank: 2.1 miles
Maximum depth: 60 feet
Length of the decorative wall: 2,060 feet
Catchment area: 1.045 Q.M.I 

National Museum

Lonely Planet review for National Museum

This museum once housed Kandyan royal concubines and now features royal regalia and reminders of pre-European Sinhalese life. On display is a copy of the 1815 agreement that handed over the Kandyan provinces to British rule. This document announces a major reason for the event …the cruelties and oppressions of the Malabar ruler, in the arbitrary and unjust infliction of bodily tortures and pains of death without trial, and sometimes without accusation or the possibility of a crime, and in the general contempt and contravention of all civil rights, have become flagrant, enormous and intolerable. Sri Wickrama Rajasinha was declared, ‘by the habitual violation of the chief and most sacred duties of a sovereign’, to be ‘fallen and deposed from office of king’ and ‘dominion of the Kandyan provinces’ was ‘vested in…the British Empire’. The tall-pillared audience hall hosted the convention of Kandyan chiefs that ceded the kingdom to Britain in 1815. The National Museum, along with four devales and two monasteries – but not the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic itself – make up one of Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle sites.

…the cruelties and oppressions of the Malabar ruler, in the arbitrary and unjust infliction of bodily tortures and pains of death without trial, and sometimes without accusation or the possibility of a crime, and in the general contempt and contravention of all civil rights, have become flagrant, enormous and intolerable.

Sri Wickrama Rajasinha was therefore declared, 'by the habitual violation of the chief and most sacred duties of a sovereign', to be 'fallen and deposed from office of king' and 'the dominion of the Kandyan provinces' was 'vested in the sovereign of the British Empire'.

The audience hall, notable for the tall pillars supporting its roof, was the site for the convention of Kandyan chiefs that ceded the kingdom to Britain in 1815.

The National Museum, along with the less-interesting Archaeological Museum behind the temple, four devales and two monasteries - but not the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic itself - together make up one of Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle sites. You can buy a Cultural Triangle round-trip ticket at the office across the road from the tourist office.

Beautiful Places in Kandy

Royal Botanical Garden Peradeniya 

 

Peradeniya Botanic Gardens, botanical garden in Peradeniya, near Kandy, Sri Lanka, noted for its rich and varied collections of tropical woody plants. Occupying 59 hectares (146 acres), it has about 4,000 species of plants. The most important specimens of the garden include palms, some of which are planted in impressive avenues. Significant, too, are the collections of orchids, gymnosperms, and flowering trees.

The gardens were founded in 1821 primarily to introduce coffee trees and various other tropical plants of economic importance to the region. Even after it took on a more botanical emphasis in the 1840s, the garden remained a center for horticultural activities. Under the directorship of the botanist George H.K. Thwaites, the garden played a pivotal role in establishing the country’s flourishing tea industry in the late 1870s. Thwaites also brought in and cultivated the Brazilian rubber tree, which became a crop producer vital to Sri Lanka’s economy. The botanical collection has developed into one of the finest in the region.

More Details

http://www.botanicgardens.gov.lk/peradeniya/

Udawattakele

The Sanctuary in the heart of Kandy with a Royal touch

Udawattakele Sanctuary or the Royal Forest Park of Kandy is siuated on the hillside behind the Dalada Maligawa or the Temple of the Tooth Relic. This forest extents about 257 acres and is considered to be a vital Bio reserve for the much populated Kandy City. Centuries back, area surrounding Kandy had been a Rain Forest and the human settlements took place during the era of King Panditha Parakramabahu (1302-1326 AD) and in 1371 AD, King Wickramabahu made Kandy his Kingdom. During this era Kandy was called as "Senkadagala". This name came into being due to a Brahmin named Senkanda, who lived in a cave at Udawattakele during that era. During the Kandyan Kingdom, this forest area behind the palace was called " Uda wasala watta" or the 'Upper Palace Garden' frequented by the royalty and was out of bound to the people. Since the downfall of the Kandyan Kingdom in 1815, this forest area started to loose it's pristine condition due to wood cutting etc.

The condition of the forest deteriorated due to human activities and in 1856, the Government declared it as a Forest Reserve and later in 1938, it was made a sanctuary. The Kandy Lake gets it's water resourses mainly from this forest's catchment areas. This precious forest area supplies the much needed air purification activity to the Kandy city which is enclaved by several hills.

The forest is rich with vegetation consisting with canopy, sub canopy and an underground layer. The dense plant life restricts sunlight reaching the ground soil surface. The underground layer mostly consists of the seedlings of the canopy layer species and creepers that reaches to the top of caopy layer trees. There is a giant 200 to 300 years old "Pus Wela" or 'Entada pusaetha' liana in the forest.

The important places in Udawattakele are the The water Pond, Highest peak "Kodimale", The Senkanda Cave, and the Garrison cemetery. There are also several Buddhist temples and hermitages inside the forest reserve.

Some of the Tree species found in the forest are 'Acronychia pedunculata' (Ankenda) ,Adenanthera pavonina (Madatiya), Aleurites moluccana (Tel kekuna), Antidesma bunius (Karawala Kebella).

Hanthana mountain range

Another attractive place you can visit in central province is Hanthana Mountain Range which is near to Kandy. The Hanthana Conservation Forest is another name for the mountain range where you can experience the Sri Lanka’s bio diversity very purely. This is governed by Department of Forest Conservation. Under the National Environmental Act, the Hanthana mountain Range was published as an environmental protection area in 2010. There are 7 mountains in the mountain range and the maximum height is 3800 ft. The highest mountain is known as Uura Kanda. The mountain range is very popular among the mountain hikers in Sri Lanka as well as the foreign visitors. Annually a number of visitors are coming to Hanthana mountain range and collecting beautiful memories for their lives. Don’t forget to bring your camera when you are visiting Hanthana since in there also you can see the glory of the Sri Lanka’s nature. Not only the birds and butterflies but also you can see various types of wild flowers, insects, wild trees and many more things.

Hanthana is starting to spread from Kandy and there are many natural streams which begins to flow from there. Visitors can obviously enjoy these natural streams with pure water. There is a well-known stream which is flowing to Udaperadeniya and University of Peradeniya. The Hanthana mountain range is spacing from Galaha to Kandy by creating a glorious natural wonderland. “Katusukonda” mountain is the most dangerous peak to hike and it is the last of the Hanthana mountain range. It’s better to start hiking the mountain range from Nilambe Meditation Center side and you can complete the adventure tour from Kandy area if you are planning to hike whole mountain range. The peak of the mountain range is obviously consisting with very cold weather with winds. When you reached to the peak, you will see a vast area of the central province and you will realize how beautiful this area is. Annually the local university students are visiting here as their first batch trip and collecting memories for their youth spirits.

University of Peradeniya is located adjoining with Hanthana mountain range. This is called the most beautiful university of Sri Lanka as it has the touch of Hanthana Mountains and its attractive environment. This environment creates an ideal place for the students to engage with their activities and they can easily concentrate to their studies. There are faculties such as Medical, Engineering, Bio, Physical, Art, Management and there is an IT faculty too. Annually over 1000 of students are entering to the Peradeniya University. There is a natural theater called Sarathchandra open air theater which was opened in 1957 with a performance of Maname drama By Sarathchandra. Even today the university students are using that theater for their social activities such as drama performing, other entertaining activities, etc.

  

Knuckles Mountain Range

Knuckles Massif or the Knuckles Mountain Range is part of the Hill Country of Sri Lanka which is also above 3000 Ft or 915 Mts. from sea level and covers an area of about 90 Sq.Miles or 234 Sq.Km of land extent. This is also called as Knuckles Range or Knuckles Peaks or simply as Knuckles. The reason to call it Knuckles is because,there is a mountain with five peaks in itself, that looks like the knuckles of a clenched fist when seen from Kandy area ( or the SW direction of that mountain named as Knuckles with a height of 6112 Feet ). The Sri Lankan name for this mountainous area is " Dumbara Mitiyawatha " which means " The Misty Vally ". Since this inner mountainous area is off the motoring roads, it remains as an unspoilt nature reserve even today.