BUDDHA’S TOOTH BORNE IN STATELY PROCESSION.—CeyIon’s great festival, the Kandy Perahara, is one of the most picturesque ceremonies of the year in that glamorous island. Sometimes as many as 140 elephants take part in the procession which parades the streets of Kandy for five days. At nights there are brilliant torchlight displays. Although generally regarded as a religious festival it had no connection with Buddhism until the reign of King Kirtisree 200 years ago. In 1775 this monarch ordered that the Dalada (the famous tooth relic) of Buddha should be carried in procession to appease some Siamese Buddhist priests visiting Ceylon. Preceded by the chief Temple officials, in fiat, round caps, the sacred elephants are shown, in the picture, moving through the streets of the old capital. Their gold and filigree trappings are decorated with jewels. The left-hand elephant bears a silver pagoda containing the Tooth of Buddha beneath a gold and silver encrusted roof or dome, hung with gems and minute silver bells.
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Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 792, 12 October 1929, Page 21
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164BUDDHA’S TOOTH BORNE IN STATELY PROCESSION.—Ceylon’s great festival, the Kandy Perahara, is one of the most picturesque ceremonies of the year in that glamorous island. Sometimes as many as 140 elephants take part in the procession which parades the streets of Kandy for five days. At nights there are brilliant torchlight displays. Although generally regarded as a religious festival it had no connection with Buddhism until the reign of King Kirtisree 200 years ago. In 1775 this monarch ordered that the Dalada (the famous tooth relic) of Buddha should be carried in procession to appease some Siamese Buddhist priests visiting Ceylon. Preceded by the chief Temple officials, in fiat, round caps, the sacred elephants are shown, in the picture, moving through the streets of the old capital. Their gold and filigree trappings are decorated with jewels. The left-hand elephant bears a silver pagoda containing the Tooth of Buddha beneath a gold and silver encrusted roof or dome, hung with gems and minute silver bells. Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 792, 12 October 1929, Page 21
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