It is worthy of note that an eyetooth remains the most significant religious symbol in Sri Lanka since Buddhism was first introduced to the Sinhalese in 250 B.C. This is no ordinary pointed conical tooth – it is believed to have belonged to Siddhartha Gautama, otherwise more popularly worshipped as the celestial Buddha. Its legendary power to bring rain to the land, made it the symbol of Sinhalese kingship, for whoever had the power to make the rain fall in the dry season and bring prosperity to the kingdom, had the legitimate right to rule the country. The cause of wars between kingdoms, the sacred tooth relic was moved from Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa, on to India and back to Sri Lanka. Today, this national treasure is housed in the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Dalada Maligawa) in Kandy, which has gained the reputation as one of the most sacred places of worship in the Buddhist world. Aside from the Buddhist faith, which Sri Lanka inherited from India, exchanges between the two countries also brought with them the traditional caste system. Even monks are segregated into three nikayas or sects, according to the order of the Buddhist Sangha. While Buddhism remains the predominant religion in the country today, Hinduism comes a close second, counting among its devotees both Jaffna Tamils and Indian Tamils. Most Sri Lankan Hindus are Shaivites, who pray only to god Shiva, ‘the destroyer’, as they believe strongly in the teaching of non-permanence in all life forms. Over the centuries, Sri Lanka has become a melting pot of believers. You will meet Muslims who are descendants of Arab traders, “Burghers” who are the offspring of European colonialists and embrace Christianity, as well as age-old Veddha tribes. Interestingly, a small percentage of the population consists of gypsies – the Ahikuntakaya snake charmers, the Maddiliya monkey trainers and several groups specializing in the art of tattoo making.

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