Dalada Maaligawa occupies a unique position in the life of people of Sri Lanka. Not only during festive days ;B ut through out the year the throb of drums, the wail of the fife, the clang of the cymbals and the call of the conch continues to resonate within the chambers of this hallowed shrine reminding us of oblations that have been performed throughout the ages.

Kandyan king Wimaladharmasuriya I (1592-1604 A.D) built a two storyed Temple for the Relic which had been concealed in Delgamuwa near Kuruwita in Sabaragamuwa.

Vimaladharmasuriya II(1687-1707) built a three storeyed temple and Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe (1747-1782) built the existing inner temple and Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe built the Pattirippuwa.
 

King Narendrasingha re-built and had paintings of 32 jathaka stories of Depict of the wall of court yard.

Paththirippuva (octagan) is part of the royal palace. King used to come and address the people from there. It was constructed by Devendra Moolachari during the period of king Sri Wickrama Rajasingha.

Now it’s handed over to the temple of tooth relic, and uses as a library of ola leaves. In front of the Daladha Maligava you get the “diyarelibemma”. as soon as you come out side in the wall you get the diyarelibemma, in the shape of a waves get in the lake. When the electricity is not there you can keep the oil lamp and light in the “diyarelibemma”.

There are two walls. First one is calld “diyareli bemma”. The one close to the temple calls “walakulu bemma” at the entrance you get the “maha wahalkada” one of the entrance to the palace area.

At the entrance you get a moonstone and by both sides you get nicely carved elephant figures. When you enter the wahalkada you come through a door – way, with makara thorana. And a figur of dhorotupala.(door man) When you pass through a cave called ambarawa.

Then you come to the hevisi mandapaya (drumers' courtyard) in front of the sacred tooth relic temple. The lower chamber of the temple call pallemaluwa. Upper chamber call uda mahala or wedahitina mahala. To the right side of the octagon is aramudal ge in which you get the Buddha's image house. then you get pirith mandapaya. Lower chamber of this building have two rooms called dig ge, long house.

Other one is maha aramudhala. The treasure room, where the gifts offered are housed. The wooden doors framed over late with rich silver plates with the sun and moon symbol either sides. That is in the lover floor. In the upper chamber there are three rooms. handhun hunama, is the name given to first and second room, or sandal wood shed or gandhakutiya, or perfume chamber.

It is the first room that the exposition of the tooth relic take place. The third room is called wadahitina maligawa , where the tooth relic reside. Door frames in these chambers are late with ivory. There are seven golden caskets enclosed for the tooth relic and each studded with precious gems. The outer most caster is embedded by jewellery offered to the relic by various kings and other distinguished quest.

On the right hand of the tooth relic is the perahera karaduwa. There is a relic chamber presented by India with the Buddha's relic from dharmajika sthoopa in Thaksala the relic casket is covered with bullet proof glass frame. In front of it is the wooden alter mal asana in late with silver. over it from the ceiling hangs lotus flower made out of gold with gems at the center.

Daily rituals are performed three times a day. One is early morning at 4.30 a.m. second is at 10.30. a.m. and the third is at 6.30. p.m. in the evening at 4.30 a.m. and 10.30 a.m. 32 measures of rice are cooked as offering for Breakfast and Lunch every day.

32 vegetables are cooked for alms and in the evening various medicinal drinks like koththamalli, tea, fruit juice, with beetle and banana are offered as Buddhist's believe treating Buddha's relic is like treating Buddha alive.