Kelaniya Temple New Image House: Protecting the Buddha’s Tooth Relic

SRI LANKA, Western Province, Colombo

This mural on the back wall of the south auxiliary chamber in the New Image House of Kelaniya Temple was painted by Solius Mendis, a famous Sri Lankan neo-classical artist. It depicts a scene from the 4th century when war broke out in Kalinga, India, and Princess Hemamala secretly hid a tooth relic of the Buddha in her topknot and went to Sri Lanka, escorted by her husband, Prince Dantakumara. According to the Dathavamsa, the tooth relic was brought to Sri Lanka during the rule of King Sirimeghavanna (reigned 303–311). The relic was given the highest veneration and became a National Treasure.
In the painting, the princess and prince are dressed in brahmin clothing, carrying water flasks and sacks of luggage as they converse and walk along a path through the forest. The trident held in the prince’s right hand suggests the dangerous nature of the journey. A ring of light surrounds the topknot of the princess, indicating the sacred nature of the relic hidden within. Knotted trees are painted in the background.