Things to do in Kandy
Kandy
Kandy is the wonderful tourist location in Sri Lanka and 80% of travelers visiting one of place in Sri Lanka. Kandy is the best and high secured kingdom comparative to all other Kingdoms of Sri Lanka. Kingdom of Kandy is the second longest kingdom after the first kingdom of Anuradhapura.
Kandy kingdom located central part of the island and naturally Kandy kingdom covered range of mountains. Hence invaders could not get into Kandy kingdom comfortably and during the Kandy kingdom south Indian invasion prevented due to Sinhalese (Sri Lankan) kings used to get married South Indian princess time to time, then strategically South Indians relationship extended and as result Sri Lanka had strong political relationship.
Kandy kingdom established after the Kotte kingdom fallen due to Portuguese invasion (1505 – 1658). First king of the Kandy was King Senasammatha Vikramabahu (1460 – 1511) and King Rajashinhe ii (1635 – 1687) was the highest period of time ruled (52 years) the Kandy kingdom. There were fifteen kings ruled the Kandy kingdom from 1460 – 1815. King Sri Vickrama Rajashinha was the last king of the Sri Lanka. The kingdom was absorbed into the British Empire as a protectorate following the Kandyan Convention of 1815, and definitively lost its autonomy following the Uva Rebellion of 1817.
During the British era started the commercial plantations and British empire introduce Coffee, Rubber and Tea plantation all over the places in Sri Lanka. There are three geographical platers in Sri Lanka and Kandy belongs to mid-range (500 m elevation). There are three iconic things in Kandy.
- Temple of Tooth Relic
What brings sanctity to Kandy is the Dalada Maligawa which houses the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha. The golden roofed temple is visited by locals and tourists bearing flowers and incense daily throughout the day and night. Here visitors can observe poojas (offering) the ancient traditions of drumming and sacred chanting in honour of the Tooth Relic, being performed several times each day.
- Kandy Esala Perahera
Kandy is also the venue of the Esala Perahera, easily the most colourful pageant of Asia, held July/August each year, for ten days in honour of the Tooth Relic. As the pageantry of the Esala Perahera unfolds through ten night each year, the city takes on the air of a torch-lit dreamland, complete with a hundred or more cololurfully caparisoned elephants, drummers and dancers, and chieftains in the rare colourful trappings of the old Kingdom. A stunning spectacle of piety and grandeur!
- Kandy Dancing
It is traditional dancing and people can experience this only in Kandy during the holiday. It is 1 hrs. performance made by male and female dancers and cost would be Rs 1000 per person.
Kandy district covers 1940 km2 and it is multi-community city. Present population approx. 1.5 m and majority are Sinhalese (74%), respectively Muslims (14%) and Tamils (12%). Still key income sources are Spicy, Tea and Gem. There are interesting things to do in Kandy and explore the last kingdom of Sri Lanka and British footprints.
- Cycling in Kandy Tea Planation explore about the nature and British footprints.
- Cycling in Meemure is about explore the pristine village of Sri Lanka
- Trekking and Hiking in Hanthana Mountain is exploring about the scenic landscapes and nature.
- Kandy City walk with local expert guide deeply explore about the Kandy history and culture.
Cycling from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya is explore about the scenic greenish tea plantation.
Some aspects of the art and architecture of Kandy still survive in the living form, illuminating for us in a way that literary descriptions and ruined monuments cannot do, the style and character of Sri Lanka civilization. Seen from the hills above the lake this architectural complex gives us a brilliant miniature image of what the dead capitals of Anuradhapura, Sigiriya and Kotte must once have been.
