The 10-day public exhibition of the sacred tooth relic which commenced on April 18 after a respite of 16 years ends today.

Revered by millions and regarded as Sri Lanka’s seal of sovereignty, the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha, since its arrival in the island, had been the insignia of the royalty, shifting to wherever the seat of the government had moved. The most sacred relic had been sheltered in the last Sinhala kingdom of Kandy for the past three centuries in the Dalada Maligawa or the Palace of the Tooth Relic. The sacred tooth relic is revered with a continuum of deeply seated rites and rituals, evolving a tradition of its own which had caught the imagination of many foreign travelers to the island as well.

BY RANDIMA ATTYGALLE

John Davy an English physician who accompanied the Governor of Ceylon, Sir Robert Brownrigg on his tour of the Central and the Uva provinces, documents in his work, ‘An Account of the interior of Ceylon and of its inhabitants with travels in that island’ (1821) his impressions of the Dalada Maligawa and the tooth relic: ‘The Dalada Maligawa, was the domestic temple of the king, and it’s the most venerated of any in the country, as it contains the relic, the tooth of Boodhoo to which the whole island was dedicated and which is considered by good Boodhists as the most precious thing in the world.’

(spelled as in the original writing) Davy who goes onto note that he had the rare opportunity enjoyed by only a few Europeans ‘of seeing the celebrated relic when it was recovered, towards the conclusion of the rebellion (of 1818) and brought back to be replaced in the Dalada Malegawa, from which it had been clandestinely taken,’ provides a detailed description of it and even provides a sketch to give some idea of its size and form. ‘Never a relic was more previously enshrined; wrapped in pure sheet-gold, it was placed in a case just large enough to receive it, of gold, covered externally with emeralds, diamonds and rubies, tastefully arranged.’ Describing the outermost of seven caskets containing the relic, Davy writes: ‘the ornaments attached to it are extremely rich and consists of gold chains and a great variety of gems, suspended from it. The most remarkable of these is a bird hanging by a gold chain and formed entirely of diamonds, rubies, blue sapphires, emeralds and cat’s-eyes, set in gold, which is hid by the profusion of stones.’

Encrusted with gems

Colonial Secretary of Ceylon, James Emerson Tennent in the Volume 2 of his book Ceylon, provides another account of the relic accompanied by a sketch of the shrine in which it is deposited. ‘The apartment in which it is deposited is in the inmost recess of the Vihara, a small chamber without windows, in which the air is stiflingly hot, and heavy with the perfume of flowers. The frames of the doors are inlaid with carved ivory and on a massive silver table stands the bell shaped carandua, the shrine which encloses the relic, encrusted with gems and festooned with jewelled chains. The outer case contains a number of others, similarly wrought, but diminishing in size, till on removing the inner one a golden lotus is disclosed, in the centre of which reposes the mysterious tooth.’

An American professor of Historical Theology, John F Hurst in his documentation, The Country and the People of India and Ceylon (New York 1891) pens a section under the banner, The Enchanted Road to Kandy. Visiting the Temple of the Tooth, Hurst is impressed by the Kandyan craftsmanship describing it to be of a ‘style well worthy of the early Italian workers.’ He goes on to to provide a detailed account of the temple consisting of several doorways. ‘By this last doorway you enter the dark and mysterious sanctum sanctorum of the whole Buddhist faith. There is first a silver table, which stands before the shrine and await the worshipper’s gifts. You look through iron bars and behold a gilded shrine, shaped like a bell. This is a mere covering for six other shrines of decreasing size, one within the other. All are of solid gold with rubies, pearls, emeralds and other precious stones. Here are Oriental cat’s eyes encrusted into gold and silver. The two smallest of these shrines are covered with squarely cut rubies. The sacred tooth, invisible in these days, is contained in the smallest of all.’

A journey like no other

It is believed that Arahat Kema recovered the fourth left canine of Lord Buddha from the flames after the cremation and handed it over to the King of Kalinga in eastern India. For 800 years it became an object of veneration by Kalinga (present Orissa) kings. King Guhasiva during his reign, fearing that the relic being stolen by his enemy who declared war against him, entrusted it to his daughter Princess Hemamala and her husband Prince Dantha to take it to neighbouring Sri Lanka. King Kirti Sri Megawanna who reigned in Anuradhapura from 300-331 AD made the best of royal pageantry possible to receive the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha which Princess Hemamala brought safely hidden amidst her tresses, 800 years after the passing away of Lord Buddha. Sri Lanka’s historic chronicle Mahavamsa records that the King having deposited the sacred relic in Dhammacakka Vihara (built by King Devanampiyatissa), further decreed that the sacred relic should be taken in parade around the city of Anuradhapura once a year. Mahavamsa further notes that the king spent over 900,000 kahapanas in celebrating the festival of the tooth relic. The famous Chinese Buddhist pilgrim traveller Fa Hien who visited Anuradhapura in 399 AD in his travelogue describes witnessing the celebrations replete with processions of jewel-encrusted elephants.

Thus began the tradition of the monarch of Lanka being the guardian of the sacred tooth relic. Its possession alone conferred on its owner a substantial claim to the sovereignty of the island. It was during the reign of King Vimaladarmasuriya I that the sacred tooth relic was deposited in a three-storied shrine near the palace of Kandy. His successors laboured to expand the shrine which came to be known as Dalada maligawa.

Insignia of the royalty

The relic was zealously guarded by our royals shifting its abode to multiple places of safety during foreign invasions. Prof. Lorna S. Dewaraja in her book, The Kandyan Kingdom of Sri Lanka, notes that the possession of the tooth relic alone conferred on its owner a substantial claim to the sovereignty of Sri Lanka and even Nayakkar kings ‘jealously guarded it specially when foreign invasions threatened its safety’. Prof. Dewaraja mentions that in the reigns of Sri Vijaya Rajasimha and Kirti Sri Rajasimha public exhibitions of the relic were held. ‘On both occasions a pavilion was erected in front of the Temple and the king himself exposed the relic to public view placing it on the palm of his hand. The scholar citing, several historical sources says that the practice which persists even today of displaying the relic to distinguished visitors from abroad prevailed even at that time, for Kirti Sri Rajasimha held a special exhibition of the relic for the benefit of the bhikkus and dignitaries who came from Siam. ‘The relic was held in great esteem in Siam, for the king sent a model of it to the Siamese monarch, much to his delight.’

During the 1818 rebellion in the uplands against the British rule, Wariyapola Sri Sumangala Thero smuggled the tooth relic from the Dalada Maligawa, fearing its seizure by the British and went into hiding in Hanguranketa. When the British captured the prelate and recovered the tooth relic, the rebellion too ended. John Davy in his account records that, ‘when the relic was taken, the effect its capture was astonishing and almost beyond the comprehension of the enlightened…after the recovery of the sacred relic, the possessor of which is considered by the natives the master of the country that is dedicated to it, the whole of the interior was speedily tranquilised.’

Exposition during the British rule

A descriptive account of the first Dalada exposition during the British rule is provided by Major Jonathan Forbes in Eleven Years in Ceylon. Forbes who was privy to the four-day pageantry in May 1828, replete with ‘Kandyan pipes’ and the ‘din of tom-toms’, notes that, ‘Fifty-three years had elapased since the King Kirti Sri had openly displayed the relic; and from the revolutions which had since taken place in the country, but few people remembered the ceremony, and still fewer had seen the Dalada.’ Further in his observations, Forbes notes: ‘in front of the silver altar on which the tooth was exposed a plain tabled was placed; to this the people approached one at a time and having seen the Dalada and deposited their gifts, they prostrated themselves, then passed on and made room for others. The offerings consisted of things the most heterogenous; gold chains and gold ornaments, gold, silver and copper coins and all denominations, clothes, priests’ vestments, flowers, sugar, ereca-nuts, betel-leaves.’

Exposition as an extended ritual

Ancient texts such as Dalada Siritha offers a comprehensive account of the rituals which need to be followed by kings to pay reverence to the sacred relic as well as a code of conduct associated with it. “Since Anuradhapura times, it had occupied the pride of place with daily rituals governing it. However, a systematic constitution governing Dalada came into being during the Kurunegala era with the compilation of Dalada Siritha,” says Prof. Wimal Hewamanage from the Department of Buddhist Studies, University of Colombo.

According to historical evidence, exposition of the tooth relic had been an extended ritual of the Dalada Perahera and during foreign invasions when perahera was not possible, there had been expositions only, says the scholar. “It is during the Kandyan kingdom that Dalada exposition evolved as a separate event. The first such under the British occupancy in 1828 is believed to have been to invoke the blessings of the sacred relic to induce rain after a prolonged drought as the ancient agrarian community of ours similar to many other Asian counterparts such as India and China strongly believed in the connection between the rains and the Divine.” The tradition of Dalada exposition independent of the Esala Perahera thus continued, says Prof. Hewamanage who says that the first such exposition after independence was held in 1952.

Ramani Fernando and her team has been an intergral part of Colombo Fashion Weeks.She is still riding the high of Colombo Fashion Weeks from inception. Ramani Fernando salons has continued to create stunning hairstyles and make-up looks for the models. Through the eyes of fashion enthusiasts and attendees, Colombo Fashion week sponsored by Master Card presents itself as a series of perfectly organised catwalks, presentations and events. An entire array of stylists from ramani fernando salons works backstage at alldays making sure every part of the show runs smoothly but it is Ramani who is just one of the creatives behind Colombo Fashion Weeks, hair and make-up looks Here she breaks down the inspirations behind the scenes moments, and creative process that brings Colombo Fashion Week to life.

Ramani Fernando, one of the legends in the fashion world, garners the highest praises throughout the Colombo fashion weeks and beyond whether she’s creating a sleek pony tail, crafting an avant garde hairdo or the iconic looks ..

She speaks about the backstage , the buzz behind the scenes and how she colloborates with different designers to create looks ,what brands she is is using with each hairstyle on the models Immense success at all the fashion weeks from inception,has put her in the fashion map leading her to win many accolades and awards.

I absolutely love fashion weeks and the lead up to it. Being part of the designer vision,understanding who they want thier cast to look and feellike when they walk the runaway and executing the look is the most intense but creatively dynamic experience’ she says.

Fashion weeks are a marathon,not a sprint. It’s all about asking the right questions. My job is to dip deep,piece together the creative puzzle and bring out the vision .the designer My work is all about the designer’s vision and never aligning bound or answering to trends sometimes. Each fashion sh was a celebration of diversity and creativity showcasing hairstyles and make up that are unique and authentic as the collections.

Your work at fashion weeks has been legendary. Can you walk us through what it’s like to be backstage at these major fashion shows? How do you find inspiration to create new looks for almost all the runway shows a year?

Backstage is an exhilarating mix of chaos and creativity. There’s a pulse – a certain kind of eclectic feeling that runs through everyone, from stylists to designers to models. It’s fast, intense, but incredibly exciting My inspiration comes from everywhere—architecture, nature, street fashion, even music. But ultimately, it’s the designer’s vision that guides the look. I take that vision and elevate it with a twist that brings edge, elegance, or drama, depending on the brief.

Its no secret that many of the signature looks of your styles lean more toward the avant-garde than traditional styles. What’s your opinion on that?

That’s very true—and intentional. While we absolutely respect timeless, classic beauty, I believe hair should also be an expression of individuality and art. The avant-garde allows us to push limits, question norms, and celebrate boldness. It keeps creativity alive in the salon and challenges us to stay at the forefront of global trends.

How does it all start coming together?

It usually begins with understanding the designer’s vision. From there, I experiment with textures, shapes, and styles to find what best complements the collection. Once we have the direction, I work closely with my team to define the look so it’s practical, beautiful, and ready to handle the fast-paced environment backstage.

What’s it really like backstage for you?

It’s adrenaline-fueled! There are moments of pressure, of course—but also moments of pure magic. You see an idea you’ve carried in your mind come to life in real time. And that buzz, that intensity—it never gets erased and Love the camaraderie, the unspoken communication, the rhythm. It’s like a well-choreographed performance where everyone knows their part.

You’ve had the chance to work with many celebrities, models, and high-profile clients. Can you share some standout moments?

There have been many special moments, but what stands out most is the trust they place in me. Whether it’s for a show or a shoot, it’s always exciting to help someone feel confident and look their best. Every client brings a unique experience.

What’s in your backstage kit?

Oh, everything! A wide range of brushes and combs, of course. My go-to styling products—texturizing spray, heat protectant, finishing spray, strong-hold gel. Pins in every shape and size. A good hairdryer, flat iron, curling wand. And then there are the wild cards—glitter, feathers, hair nets, even sculpting tools—because you never know what the look might demand.

What’s it like to work at fashion weeks so many years?

It’s the most thrilling rollercoaster you’ll ever ride. The pace is fast, the expectations are high, and yet the creative freedom is unmatched. It’s also deeply collaborative—everyone brings out their best. You walk away exhausted but completely fulfilled, with a sense of pride that’s hard to describe.

Who is your favourite designer to work on?

That’s a tough to answer! Each designer brings a unique energy and perspective. But I’ve always loved working with those who aren’t afraid to take risks—who use hair as an extension of their collection’s narrative. I’ve had incredible collaborations with both local and international names, but the ones who trust you to co-create something bold—those are my favourites.

How do you see the evolution of styles from your early days to now?

It’s been fascinating. When I started, there was a strong focus on structured, polished looks. Over time, we’ve embraced more texture, more individuality, and more rebellion. Styles now celebrate diversity, authenticity, and imperfection—and I love that. The industry has grown more inclusive, and that’s reflected in the hairstyles we create today.

You are the recipients of many awards and how has that influenced your career?

Awards are a beautiful recognition of hard work, but they’re also a responsibility. They push me to keep evolving, to mentor others, and to give back to the industry that’s given me so much. They remind me never to settle—and to always aim higher, not just for myself, but for the teams I lead and the young stylists who look up to me.

Pix by Thushara Attapathu

We all crave that feeling for a skin that’s not just smooth to the touch, but also soft and wonderfully supple – a sign of health, hydration, and self-love. While the quest for this coveted skin texture can seem complex, the Body Shop has long championed a simple yet effective approach to body care. Built around a core philosophy of ethical beauty and sustainability, the beauty brand’s delightful range of cruelty-free, vegetarian products –from invigorating body scrubs to deeply nourishing and iconic body butters– provides an effective pathway to embracing your skin.

The Body Shop’s “secret” how you can easily incorporate it into your own body care routine. The approach centres around three key steps, often highlighted as the foundation of any effective body care regimen: exfoliate, cleanse, and moisturize.

Exfoliate: buff away dry skin and dead cells with an effective and beautifully scented Body Scrub.

Cleanse: Refresh and revitalize your skin with a purifying body wash or shower cream that nourishes while cleansing.

Hydrate: Lock in moisture and elevate your routine with a pampering Body Butter or Body Yogurts

By incorporating regular exfoliation to reveal fresh skin, gentle cleansing to maintain its natural balance, and generous hydration to lock in moisture, you can unlock the radiant, silky-soft skin you’ve always desired.

The Body Shop’s wide range of bath and body essentials is designed for every skin type and preference. You can choose to opt for the convenience of pre-selected skincare bundles, such as the ever-popular Shea range, or unleash your inner curator and mix and match from the brand’s extensive collection; hand-picking individual treasures like the Avocado Body Scrub for its invigorating exfoliation, the Aalmond milk shower cream for its gentle nourishment, the zesty Satsuma shower gel for a refreshing cleanse, the luxurious British rose body butter for deep hydration, and the light and fruity Strawberry body yogurt for everyday moisture. The possibilities are endless, allowing you to create a routine that perfectly suits your needs and skin type.

More than just skincare, The Body Shop champions self-love, confidence, and ethical beauty. With a commitment to cruelty-free formulations, ethically sourced ingredients, and sustainable practices, every product reflects the brand’s dedication to people and the planet. By supporting artisan communities and fair trade, The Body Shop ensures that beauty is more than skin deep—it’s about making a positive impact.Always indulge in self-care, embrace ethical beauty, and let your skin glow with The Body Shop said the release