Dalada maligawa also known as the Temple of the tooth

Named after the sacred relic it holds, which is believed to be the Buddha’s tooth, Dalada Maligawa, or Temple of the Tooth, is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple of all. In and near Kandy, capital of the ancient Kingdom of Kandy, there are many tombs, ancient palaces, and other temples. The annual Esala Perahera torchlight procession includes dancers, officials, and lavishly ornamented elephants. Buddhism was introduced on the island of Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BC. Today, nearly two-thirds of the population are Buddhists. Some ceremonies and rituals, however, such as the pirit, are based on a melding of Buddhist and local Vedic ideology. The 12-hour pirit ceremony, which consists of four series of chants in praise of Buddha, is performed during a house-raising or some other important community event.