The Temple Elephant, bearing the Shrine containing the Sacred Tooth, leaving the Temple of the Tooth for the Perahera parade in Kandy, Celon (Sri Lanka). The temple has an ornate stone entryway, decorated with reliefs, most prominently that of an elephant. Numerous worshipers mill around in front of the elephant. The sacred tooth relic, or Dalada, is believed to have once belonged to the Buddha, who came to Sri Lanka between 300 and 331 CE. The tooth is kept in a golden casket, and is believed to provide rainfall. Kandy annually celebrates the Esala Pageant, whereby the relic is placed upon the back of an elephant and is paraded majestically throughout the streets, (1912).

Identifier
NYSA_A3045-78_B3394

Date Original
1912

Language
English

Source
New York State Archives. New York (State). Education Dept. Division of Visual Instruction. Instructional lantern slides, ca. 1856-1939. A3045-78, B3394.

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