6
[9

INDIA

is perhaps the centre of living, as Anuradapura is the
centre of dead, Buddhism in Ceylon, The Malagawa
temple at Kandy contains the Dalada, or sacred tooth,
which was brought to Ceylon in the year A.D. 311,
concealed in the hair of the Princess Sanghamitta. After
many vicissitudes it was (according to veritable history)
taken to Goa in 1560,
and there burnt in presence
 of the Portuguese
Viceroy and all his court.
But another tooth, 2
inches long and less than
{ inch in diameter, now
enjoys all the reputation
of the original relic. To
this has lately been added
certain veritable relics of
the founder of Buddhism
discovered on the borders
 of Nipal, and the
temple still remains the
most important seat of
*he Buddhist hierarchy.
From the northern
terminus of the Ceylon
railway at Matalé, north
of Kandy, the great
highroad to Trincomali
stretches away over the
falling plateau, and
through flat forestcovered
 plains till it
reaches Dambulla. Here it branches, and leaving the
ancient stronghold of Siguri, and the yet more ancient
capital Pollonarua, away to the right, it runs north-east to
Trincomali. A north-western branch takes the traveller
to Mahintalé and Anuradapura. A short description would
absolutely fail to give any impression of the magnitude and

Colambe

Ce

LA railway is now under construction to the extreme north of the island.