The table in front of the shrine is covered with lotus like flowers and the air is heavy with is insence. The floor all around it is covered with praying people, on their knees, flat on the floor and standing as I look at the shrine of the holy tooth relic. The most important relic and pilgrims place in Sri Lanka. The tooth of the Buddha is said to be saved from the fire in which his body was cremated in 483 BC and smuggled into Sri Lanka in the 4th century in the hair of a princess where after some hassle and relocation it finally arrived in Kandy, where the temple was build for it in the 17th century by the king as part of his royal palace, and I must say, it is stunning. it is not possible to see the tooth as it locked up in many different boxes, but the building is beautifully decorated with carved stone and wood work as well as the many paintings of lotus flowers and depictions of Buddha and some Royals.
As I walk out of the building, Graham is still unable to come along as his foot is finally healing and we like to keep it that way, I walk into the gathering of little shrines at the side of the former palace to discover even more temples. They are coverd with women in white clothes as today is a special day, my Sri Lankan lady friend, I just met, expains to me. She takes me with her to the holy tree, which is a branch of the tree under which Buddha received his enlightment. It's covered with flags and coins wrapped in cloth. People walk seven times around the tree with a jug full with water, to water the tree. As we stand there the first monk i've seen there gives me and my friend a piece of tread and makes me a bracelet while saying a chant with every knot she makes in it. It's a Buddhist blessing and it is very special that we get it as it doen't happen often I'm told. I make a little Indian namaste (bow) for her to thank her, but I am still unsure if she is a she or not, as her head is shaven and her robes don't show any body forms. When my friend falls to the ground and touches the monks feet in gratitude I feel like my little bow might not have been enough, but the monk gives me a radiant smile, so I guess it was OK.
My friend needs to leave again as she has to attend class, that's why she is here. She asks me all about myself, and when I tell her that I'm from Holland she looks at me with the blank face that by now tells me: I have no scuby what you ment, but just pretend I do, that people from this continent tend to use. So I tell her that It's close to France and Germany. After some more taking she concludes that i'm an German Catholic, which I decide not to counter act when she tells the monk. It's a truly remarkeble experience.
