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Nissanka Senadhipathi
Heiyantuduwa Raja ( Sinhala:හෙයියන්තුඩුවේ රාජා)(1924-November 6 2002) was a Sri Lankan elephant, which carried the Relic of the tooth of the Buddha casket in the Dalada Perahera for 11 years after the demise of Maligawa Raja. Heiyantuduwa Raja's tusks were each in length when he was living, and it was considered one of the longest-tusked elephants in the country. Owner Heiyantuduwa Raja was captured from the Kattakaduwana jungle in Hambantota District. On 8 March 1945, the tusker had been publicly auctioned by then British Ceylon government at Hambantota Kachcheri. William Gunasekara (also known as 'Heiyantuduwa Ralahami') of Heiyantuduwa in Biyagama had bought him for 10,500 Rupees . Gunasekara was a wealthy landed proprietor and owned fourteen elephants at that era. Later, Heiyantuduwa Raja was owned by his youngest son, Henry Gunasekara of Kandy. Historic Elephant Heiyantuduwe Raja participated at the Esala Perahera in Kandy for severa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kandy Esala Perahera
The Kandy Esala Perahera (the Sri Dalada Perahara procession of Kandy) also known as The Festival of the Tooth is a festival held in July and August in Kandy, Sri Lanka. This historical procession is held annually to pay homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha, which is housed at the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy. A unique symbol of Sri Lanka, the procession consists of traditional local dances such as fire dances and performances in whip-dance garments. The festival ends with the traditional ''Diya-kepeema'' ritual, a water cutting ceremony which is held at the Mahaweli River at Getambe, Kandy. History The Esala is believed to be a fusion of two separate but interconnected "''Peraheras''" (Processions) – The '' Esala'' and ''Dalada''. The Esala Perahera, which is thought to date back to the 3rd century BC, was a ritual enacted to request the gods for rainfall. The Dalada Perahera is believed to have begun when the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha was brought to Sri Lanka ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Elephants
Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea. The order was formerly much more diverse during the Pleistocene, but most species became extinct during the Late Pleistocene epoch. Distinctive features of elephants include a long proboscis called a trunk, tusks, large ear flaps, pillar-like legs, and tough but sensitive skin. The trunk is used for breathing, bringing food and water to the mouth, and grasping objects. Tusks, which are derived from the incisor teeth, serve both as weapons and as tools for moving objects and digging. The large ear flaps assist in maintaining a constant body temperature as well as in communication. African elephants have larger ears and concave backs, whereas Asian elephants have smaller ears, and convex or level backs. Elephants are ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Skeleton
A skeleton is the structural frame that supports the body of an animal. There are several types of skeletons, including the exoskeleton, which is the stable outer shell of an organism, the endoskeleton, which forms the support structure inside the body, and the hydroskeleton, a flexible internal skeleton supported by fluid pressure. Vertebrates are animals with a vertebral column, and their skeletons are typically composed of bone and cartilage. Invertebrates are animals that lack a vertebral column. The skeletons of invertebrates vary, including hard exoskeleton shells, plated endoskeletons, or Sponge spicule, spicules. Cartilage is a rigid connective tissue that is found in the skeletal systems of vertebrates and invertebrates. Etymology The term ''skeleton'' comes . ''Sceleton'' is an archaic form of the word. Classification Skeletons can be defined by several attributes. Solid skeletons consist of hard substances, such as bone, cartilage, or cuticle. These can be further ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
United States Dollar
The United States dollar ( symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official currency of the United States and several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introduced the U.S. dollar at par with the Spanish silver dollar, divided it into 100 cents, and authorized the minting of coins denominated in dollars and cents. U.S. banknotes are issued in the form of Federal Reserve Notes, popularly called greenbacks due to their predominantly green color. The monetary policy of the United States is conducted by the Federal Reserve System, which acts as the nation's central bank. The U.S. dollar was originally defined under a bimetallic standard of (0.7735 troy ounces) fine silver or, from 1837, fine gold, or $20.67 per troy ounce. The Gold Standard Act of 1900 linked the dollar solely to gold. From 1934, it ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Heiyantuduwa Raja's Skeleton (Opening Ceremony Photo)
Heiyantuduwa Raja (Sinhala language, Sinhala:හෙයියන්තුඩුවේ රාජා)(1924-November 6 2002) was a Sri Lankan elephant, which carried the Relic of the tooth of the Buddha casket in the Dalada Perahera for 11 years after the demise of Raja (elephant), Maligawa Raja. Heiyantuduwa Raja's tusks were each in length when he was living, and it was considered one of the longest-tusked elephants in the country. Owner Heiyantuduwa Raja was captured from the Kattakaduwana jungle in Hambantota District. On 8 March 1945, the tusker had been publicly auctioned by then British Ceylon government at Hambantota Kachcheri. William Gunasekara (also known as 'Heiyantuduwa Ralahami') of Heiyantuduwa in Biyagama had bought him for 10,500 Sri Lankan rupee, Rupees . Gunasekara was a wealthy landed proprietor and owned fourteen elephants at that era. Later, Heiyantuduwa Raja was owned by his youngest son, Henry Gunasekara of Kandy. Historic Elephant Heiyantuduwe Raja part ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Heiyantuduwa Raja's Skeleton
Heiyantuduwa Raja ( Sinhala:හෙයියන්තුඩුවේ රාජා)(1924-November 6 2002) was a Sri Lankan elephant, which carried the Relic of the tooth of the Buddha casket in the Dalada Perahera for 11 years after the demise of Maligawa Raja. Heiyantuduwa Raja's tusks were each in length when he was living, and it was considered one of the longest-tusked elephants in the country. Owner Heiyantuduwa Raja was captured from the Kattakaduwana jungle in Hambantota District. On 8 March 1945, the tusker had been publicly auctioned by then British Ceylon government at Hambantota Kachcheri. William Gunasekara (also known as 'Heiyantuduwa Ralahami') of Heiyantuduwa in Biyagama had bought him for 10,500 Rupees . Gunasekara was a wealthy landed proprietor and owned fourteen elephants at that era. Later, Heiyantuduwa Raja was owned by his youngest son, Henry Gunasekara of Kandy. Historic Elephant Heiyantuduwe Raja participated at the Esala Perahera in Kandy for sev ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sri Dalada
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic or Sri Dalada Maligawa, ( si, ශ්රී දළදා මාළිගාව) is a Buddhist temple in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, which houses the relic of the tooth of the Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. The relic was historically held by Sinhalese kings. The temple of the tooth is a World Heritage Site mainly due to the temple and the relic. Bhikkhus of the two particular chapters, the Malwathu chapters and Asgiri chapters, conduct daily worship in the inner chamber of the temple. Rituals are performed three times daily: at dawn, at noon and in the evenings. On Wednesdays, there is a symbolic bathing of the relic with a herbal preparation made from scented water and fragrant flowers called ''Nanumura Mangallaya''; this holy water i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gangaramaya Temple
Gangaramaya Temple ( Sinhala: ශ්රී ගංගාරාම මහාවිහාරය ''śrī gangārāma mahāvihāraya'', Tamil: ஸ்ரீ கங்காராம மகாவிகாரம் ''Srī Gaṅgārāma Makāvikāram'') is one of the most important temples in Colombo, Sri Lanka, being a mix of modern architecture and cultural essence. Located on the Beira Lake, it was completed in the late 19th century. Architecture The temple's architecture demonstrates an eclectic mix of Sri Lankan, Thai, Indian, and Chinese architecture. This Buddhist temple includes several imposing buildings and is situated not far from the placid waters of Beira Lake on a plot of land that was originally a small hermitage on a piece of marshy land. It has the main features of a Vihara (temple), the Cetiya (Pagada) the Bodhitree, the Vihara Mandiraya, the Seema malaka (assembly hall for monks) and the Relic Chamber. In addition, a museum, a library, a residential hall, a thre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara
The Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara or Kelaniya Temple is a Buddhist temple in Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. It is located north-east of Colombo. The current chief incumbent (chief priest) is Venerable Professor Kollupitiye Mahinda Sangharakkhitha Thera. The temple has often been associated with the rise and fall of Sri Lanka, with the popular saying that as the Kelaniya temple rose, Sri Lanka rose and as it fell, the country and its administration fell. It has thus had a deep association with the political powers of the country. As such, the temple is frequently visited by politicians both government and opposition. History Buddhists believe the temple to have been hallowed during the third and final visit of the Buddha to Sri Lanka, eight years after gaining enlightenment.Wilhelm Geiger (Tr), ''The Mahavansa, or The Great Chronicle of Ceylon'', Oxford, OUP, 1920. Its history would thus go back to before 500 BCE. The Mahawansa records that the original Stupa at Kelaniya enshrined a gem- ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tooth Relic
The relic of the tooth of Buddha (Pali ''danta dhātuya'') is venerated in Sri Lanka as a sacred cetiya relic of Lord Buddha, who is the founder of Buddhism, the fourth largest religion worldwide. History The relic in India According to Sri Lankan legends, when the Buddha died in 543 BC, his body was cremated in a sandalwood pyre at Kushinagar and his left canine tooth was retrieved from the funeral pyre by his disciple, Khema. Khema then gave it to King Brahmadatte for veneration. It became a royal possession in Brahmadatte's country and was kept in the city of Dantapuri (modern Puri, Odisha). A belief grew that whoever possessed the tooth relic had a divine right to rule that land. The '' Dāṭhāvaṃsa'' recounts the tale of a war fought over the relic 800 years later between Guhasiva of the republic of Kalinga and a king named Pandu. The relic in Sri Lanka Legend states the Abhayagiri vihāra was first appointed custodianship of the relic when it was brought to the i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sri Dalada Maligawa
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic or Sri Dalada Maligawa, ( si, ශ්රී දළදා මාළිගාව) is a Buddhist temple in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, which houses the relic of the tooth of the Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. The relic was historically held by Sinhalese kings. The temple of the tooth is a World Heritage Site mainly due to the temple and the relic. Bhikkhus of the two particular chapters, the Malwathu chapters and Asgiri chapters, conduct daily worship in the inner chamber of the temple. Rituals are performed three times daily: at dawn, at noon and in the evenings. On Wednesdays, there is a symbolic bathing of the relic with a herbal preparation made from scented water and fragrant flowers called ''Nanumura Mangallaya''; this holy water ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Diyawadana Nilame
Diyawadana Nilame is the office of the chief lay custodian of the Temple of the Tooth, Kandy, Sri Lanka. Formerly an office of the royal household, at present it is the trustee for the Temple of the Tooth as defined by the ''Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance of 1931''. A ceremonial position, enriched with over two thousand years of history to protect and carry out ancient rituals for the relic of the tooth of the Buddha. The Diyawadana Nilame recognised as a states man has the responsibility of overseeing of all aspects of the Sri Dalada Maligawa. He has the traditional duty of organizing the annual pageant, the Kandy Esala Perahera. The current Diyawadana Nilame is Pradeep Nilanga Dela. Prior to 1815, during the Kingdom of Kandy, the Diyawadana Nilame was a courtier of the royal court tasked with supplying the King with water and carrying out the ancient rituals to ensure rain during correct seasons. This duty is still carried out by the Diyawadana Nilame for the most relic of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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