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Kandy Sri Lanka

Kandy, Sri Lanka's hill capital is probably the most beautiful city in the island. Situated just 100 kms north east of Colombo, the city of Kandy lies at an altitude of 488.6 meters (1629 feet) above sea level in the center of the island. It is surrounded by a range of mountains and enjoys a cooler climate than most cities in Sri Lanka. 
 

In the Sinhala language, Kandy is referred as "mahanuwara" meaning the "great city". In fact, the name Kandy was derived from the word "kanda", which means mountain. 
 

 
The city's history dates back to the 5th cent. B.C. Kandy was temporarily occupied by the Portuguese (16th century) and the Dutch (18th century) but as a stronghold, it remained free until 1815, when the British captured it and exiled the last king to India. A palace, an art museum, and a library provide you a glimpse of the royal period. 

The main part of the city overlooks a scenic artificial lake built by the last king of Kandy in 1806. Near the lake is the Temple of the Tooth, said to house one of Buddha's teeth. The relic, has made Kandy a pilgrimage and tourist attraction especially at the annual Esala Perahera pageant. The event marks one of the most spectacular pageants in Sri Lanka, the Kandy Perahera.

Just 10 minutes drive from The Abode is the home of the world famous Royal Botanical Gardens - begun as a pleasure garden by a Sinhala king. The garden dates from 14th century reign of king Vikrama Bahu III. The best know attraction of the garden is the orchid house, which houses more than 300 varieties of exquisite orchids. The Mahaveli river, Sri Lanka's longest river, surrounds the garden.

Kandy is also an exciting place for shopping including handicrafts, handlooms, batiks and jewellery. 

Links to Kandy:

Sri Lanka hill capital

AllRefer Encyclopedia - Kandy, Sri Lanka

Kandy History and Heritage

Sri Lanka: Kandy Photos, Captioned Pictures, Images ...

 
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