Kandy, a city located in Sri Lanka’s Central Province, is very cosmopolitan. It was once the capital of the Kingdoms of Sri Lanka. The city is located in the middle hills of Kandy Plateau. This plateau also includes a large area of tea plantations. Kandy is the capital of Central Province and serves as both an administrative municipality and religious city.

Kandy is home to the Temple of the Tooth Relic, Sri Dalada Maligawa, which is one of the most sacred places of devotion for the Buddhist community. In 1988, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Kandy Orgin
Many titles and combinations have been used to identify the city and its surrounding area. According to some scholars, Kandy’s original name was Katubulu Nuwara. It is located near the current Watapuluwa. However, Senkadagala, or Senkadagalapura is the most popular historical name. This was formerly Senkadagala Siriwardhana Maha Nuwara, which means ‘great city, Senkadagala growing resplendence’. It is often simplified to ‘Maha Nuwara.

According to legend, the term was derived from only one other source. One was Senkanda the brahmin who lived in a nearby cave. Another was Senkanda the princess of Vikramabahu, and Senkadagala the colored stone. Other titles have also been used to identify the Realm of Kandy. Kandy is an English name that was created during colonial times. It comes from the Sinhala Kanda UdaRata (the mountain land) or the Kanda Uda Pas Rata (“the five counties on the mountain”) anglicized.

The Portuguese simplified this to “Candea”, using the term for both its headquarters and the kingdom. Kandy, Sinhala’s capital, is called Maha Nuwara. This translates to “Great City” or Capital.

Kandy History
Sen Sammatha Wickramabahu, 1473-1511, was the first ruler in Kandy’s kingdom. He was a prince of the Kotte Royal Bloodline and governed Kandy under the Kotte Kingdom as a semi-independent country. This made it the modern headquarters for the Kandyan Kingdom. Jayaweera Astana, his son, was Sena Sammatha Wickramabahu’s predecessor (1511-1551). Next came Karaliyadde Bandara (1551-1581), who was then followed by Dona Catherina (1581-1581). Rajasinha II was the predecessor of Dona Catherina. Rajasinha, however, chose to rule the hill country of Sitawaka, to the west of the island. The end of the struggle for dominance was achieved with Konappu Bandara’s elevation to the throne. He became Vimaladharmasuriya II. He converted to Buddhism and took the tooth relic from the Lord Buddha to Kandy, where he was a Delgamuwa.

After the Portuguese invaded the coast areas, Kandy was made the capital of the last remaining sovereign kingdom. Many Portuguese invasions were defeated, including the Danture fight. The Sinhalese-Portuguese War and the establishment of Dutch Ceylon saw the Dutch attempt to invade the kingdom.

Although the Kingdom acknowledged the Dutch involvement on Sri Lanka’s coast, assaults were occasionally launched. In 1761, King Kirti Rajasinha invaded the coast and invaded the majority of it, leaving Negombo, which was well protected, unaffected. This was the most successful offensive. Kirti Sri Rajasinha fled the coast to retreat to the interior after the Dutch Retaliatory Army had returned to the island in 1763. As the Dutch moved to the jungles the next year, they were constantly threatened by heat, disease, lack of supplies, and Kandyan Snipers, who concealed in jungles and inflicted heavy losses on them.

Kandy Climate
According to the Koppen Geiger climate classification method it is a tropical area (Af). Kandy is located in the middle of the island at high altitude. This means that the city experiences comparatively colder and wetter temperatures than the tropical climates of the rest, especially the coast regions. Because of its higher elevation, Nuwara Eliya has a cooler atmosphere. Kandy has a tropical climate with average temperatures of 18 degrees Celsius throughout the year. It experiences a dry cycle between January and April.

The monsoon season is from May to July, October to December and November to December. It is unpredictable and harsh. The inter monsoonal season is from March to mid-May, when there is light rain and high humidity. The humidity ranges from 70% to 79%.

Kandy Cityscape
At 465m (1,526ft) above the sea level, Kandy is the highest city in India. The city’s layout is built around two open spaces. An extended square at the end of which are the administrative facilities of Kandy’s old capital and a manmade lake that is quadrangular in shape, are these open spaces. The city’s spatial system is inclusive thanks to the community garden.

Kandy now includes Peradeniya. This is home to Peradeniya’s University of Peradeniya as well as the Botanical Gardens. Kundasale and Tennekumbura are also present. Katugastota is to the north.

Kandy Summary Kandy is a multicultural town in central Sri Lanka. It was once the last stronghold for the ancient Kingdoms of the nation. The Temple of the Tooth Relic is located in Kandy, which is one of the most sacred places of devotion within the Buddhist nation. It is located in the middle of the Kandy Plateau’s hills. The town also crosses large fields of tropical plantations, mainly tea. It serves as both an urban and religious municipality, as well as being the seat for the Central Province. It was named after Senkanda, a princess, a colored rock, and a brahmin. The temple was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988.

After the Portuguese conquered the coast lands in 1592, Kandy was established as the capital of the last independent monarchy left on the island. Kandy is at 465m (1,526ft) above the sea level. On the northern shore of the lake are the city’s religious landmarks such as the Royal Palace or the Temple of the Tooth. They are enclosed by white stone ramparts that date back to the 19th century. The city experiences a dry period between January and April. However, it is also subject to a monsoon, which can cause severe and unpredictable weather conditions. Average annual temperatures throughout the year are 18 degrees Celsius.

Things to do in Kandy

Kandy, in the center of Sri Lanka, is one of those locations that create a lasting impact on the minds and souls of any enthusiastic traveler. The city is full of beautiful hymn tunes, emblazoned with a calming charm, and the mystical, good vibrations of nature. Whoever goes on a trip to Sri Lanka gets profoundly affected by the sophisticated beauty and the best things to do in Kandy that results in a wealth of unforgettable memories.

A significant center of Buddhism and other popular Asian destinations, Kandy is a spot immersed in serenity. Couples enjoy intimate moments in a pool facing a restaurant across Kandy Pool, ladies dressed in tasteful dresses, happy caring people brimming with warm gestures, and thrilling historic monuments overlooking spectacular views, making Kandy a thrilling location in Sri Lanka.

There are so many exciting things to do in Kandy, and we highly recommend taking a couple of days in town to take it all in. Here’s a quick list for you:

• Cycling in Kandy
• Day Tours from Kandy
• Explore the Market Streets of Kandy Old Town
• Walk the Kandy Lake
• Kandy to Ella Train Ride
• Kandy City Tours
• Bird Watching in Kandy in Sri Lanka
• Hiking and Trekking
• Cultural Dancing Show
• Visit Victoria Golf Course
• Knuckles Mountain Range
• Vedda’s Village Tours from Kandy
• Hanthana Mountain Range
• Kandy Three Temple Loops
• Riverston from Kandy for Trekking