Famous Elephants who carried tooth relic of Kandy Perahera

The pageant heavily relies on the presence of elephants. It is difficult to choose the most stunning among the lavish decorations. They carry gold and diamonds as they walk amid the torch bearers, fire jugglers, and musicians. The honor of transporting the coffin containing the Tooth Relic throughout the city is given to the largest elephant, which can be easily identified by its long, white tusks (it is always a tusker).Some of the participating elephants are residents of the Sri Dalada Maligawa. Others travel from other temples, from locations throughout Sri Lanka, or from their day jobs in forests or on tea plantations. For an elephant owner, having their animal participate is a wonderful honor.

There are currently nine Tuskers and three bull elephants assigned to Kandy Temple of the tooth. They are Indi Raja who is 45 years old. The other Tuskers are Sinha Raja, Thai Raja, Jana Raja, Migara, Kaveri Raja, Mayan Raja, Burma Raja and Pulasthi Raja. There are three bull elephants called Kandula,Nalaka and Kadhira. Time to time there were majestic Tuskers who carried the main Golden casket which bears the Tooth relic of Buddha. The Most famous one is the Raja the Tusker

Raja the Tusker

The Maligawa Raja, also known as the tusker Raja, was a Sri Lankan elephant that belonged to the Sri Dalada Maligawa (1913–1988). Raja, who participated in the yearly procession for about 50 years and is regarded as the greatest tusker in Esala Perahera history. For 37 years, he carried the hallowed coffin at the last Randoli Perahera. He was renowned around the world for his honorable conduct and traits of serenity and obedience. In 1950, Raja took the responsibility of carrying the sacred casket. He was selected due to his great physical characteristics among other elephants. He continued his responsibilities as the chief tusker of the Esala Perahera, until passing away in July 1988. You can see Raja, the great tusker’s stuffed remains in the museum on the grounds of the Temple of the Tooth.

Nedungamuwe Raja

Nadungamuwe Raja was born, so says the Temple of the Tooth, in India in 1953. He was one of two elephant calves given to the renowned native medicine monk living at Nilammahara Temple Piliyandala by a Mysuru Maharaja in gratitude for curing his relative's protracted ailment. The late Nawam Raja of Gangaramaya was the other elephant.

According to records, Dharmavijaya Veda Ralahamy of the Nadungamuwa area, an esteemed Ayurvedic physician at the time and the father of the current owner Dr. Harsha Dharmavijaya, purchased Nadungamuwa Raja from his second owner Herbert Wickramasinghe, a former MP of Bandaragama, in 1978.

Nadungamuwe Raja is known for his massive height of 10.5 feet and was considered as a national treasure and he was given the position of main bearer of the golden casket housing the sacred tooth relic. This tusker was often provided by security of the armed forces. Nadungamuwe Raja carried the Golden casket for around 12 years. Nadungamuwe Raja passed away when he was 68 years old.

Indi Raja

The next successor of carrying the Golden Casket of Sacred tooth relic is Indi Raja. It was donated by the Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Ghandi to the Temple of the Tooth Relic in 1989 when he was seven years old and was assigned as the flanking tusker when he reached 18 years old. Now he carries the Golden Casket in Kandy Perahera flanked by two more tuskers “Miyan Raja” and “Buruma Raja”.