Christians join to help Buddhist pilgrims at sacred exposition

Apr 29, 2025

By Quintus Colombage
Christians in Sri Lanka joined groups of Muslims and Hindus to assist some 1 million Buddhist pilgrims, who waited in line for long hours to visit a rare exposition of the Buddha’s tooth relic in Kandy town.

The ten-day exposition held after 16 years at the Temple of Tooth Relic in Kandy concluded on April 27, ending the serpentine lines of pilgrims that sometimes ran up to five kilometres. Some pilgrims had to wait for days to see the sacred relic.

“Muslim mosques and Christian churches have stepped forward to provide shelter, free food, water, and sanitation,” said Sarani Jeewanthi, 58, who had to wait in the queue for two days with thousands of others.

Jeewanthi, who travelled with 35 friends and family members, said those lined up included many elderly or sick people who endured rainy nights outdoors.

She said two Muslim mosques on the road to the temple were opened, allowing Buddhist women to rest inside them, where even Muslim women are typically not allowed to enter. They also provided food and water.

The religious harmony comes seven years after some areas of Kandy witnessed violence blamed on extremist groups. It claimed two lives, destroyed hundreds of homes, and caused extensive damage to six mosques and 37 Muslim homes, prompting a 10-day state of emergency.

Jeewanthi said she was happy to see “how things have changed for the better” with all religions “working together in harmony.”

On April 18, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said that “living in harmony and brotherhood among nations and religions is a true honor to the Sacred Tooth Relic.”

Saroj Fernando, a member of a Catholic youth group in Kandy, said that his group, along with several other youth groups and priests, distributed food and bottles of water to pilgrims.

Organizers told local media that they had planned for nearly 2 million pilgrims but had to control the entry after half of that number had visited, as authorities failed to provide basic sanitary facilities for such a turnout.

According to a joint statement of the chief monks of the Kandy temple, the exposition was the largest gathering in a single place in the island's history.

Kandy Municipal Commissioner Indika Kumari told reporters that they “were pleased” that the pilgrimage had ended.

“But we are left with the bigger task of removing various temporary structures put up in the town,” and the garbage left behind by the pilgrims, she said.

According to the Kandy Municipal Council, pilgrims created 600 tons of garbage and discarded approximately 3.5 million plastic water bottles.

The government launched a program to clean toilets in mosques and churches as a gesture of appreciation, fostering interfaith cooperation.--ucanews.com