Temple of the Tooth hosts Vap Poya on 25 October
Published on 10/18/2026 at 02:29 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Temple of the Tooth (Dalada Maligawa) in Kandy will host Vap Poya observances on 25 October 2026, the full moon day listed in the temple's calendar. The religious programme includes sil, pujas and the three daily thewawa services at the Sri Lankan shrine.
Vap Poya falls within the current visitor period from 13 October to 17 November 2026. The date gives travellers a specific reason to visit the temple during October, while the observance connects the site's daily ritual programme with the end of the Buddhist rains retreat.
Vap Poya brings a full moon programme to Kandy
The official Poya calendar places the Vap full moon on Sunday 25 October 2026. It records the full moon beginning at 11.54am and ending on Monday 26 October, with Sunday marked for sil, the observance of Buddhist precepts.
The event listing for Kandy identifies the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic as the venue. It describes the programme as an early-morning to evening observance, with pujas and thewawa services forming the temple-centred part of the day. The official 25 October Poya calendar provides the date, while the Kandy event listing names the venue and programme.
Temple of the Tooth links Vap Poya with its living shrine
The temple houses the left canine tooth of Gautama Buddha, according to its official history. The relic is enshrined in a place of worship that serves local and foreign devotees, giving the Vap Poya programme a direct connection with the building's religious function.
The site was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988. Its architecture combines Kandyan forms with the style of earlier shrines known as Dalada Mandira, which housed the Sacred Tooth Relic in other royal capitals.
The setting also shapes the visit. The temple stands in Kandy beside the former Royal Palace, with Udawaththa Kelaya forest reserve to the east, Kandy Lake to the south and the Natha and Paththini Devala to the west. Vap Poya therefore places a calendar observance inside a historic royal and religious landscape rather than at a separate festival ground.
Vap Poya marks the start of the Katina robe month
The Kandy listing says Vap Poya ends the Vassana rains retreat and opens the Katina robe month, which continues until Ill Poya on 24 November 2026. That wider religious context explains why the 25 October programme is more than a public-holiday date in the calendar.
The event is not presented as a street procession. At the Temple of the Tooth, the listed focus is sil, offerings and thewawa, with the principal activity taking place around the shrine and its daily services. Travellers arriving for the observance should therefore expect a religious visit centred on ritual rather than a staged entertainment programme.
Visiting Temple of the Tooth: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Vap Poya takes place at the Temple of the Tooth on 25 October 2026, with the observance running from early morning towards the evening thewawa service.
- The venue is the temple compound in Kandy. The listed programme is sil, pujas and the three daily thewawa services, with no separate street procession named for the site.
- The temple is on Sri Dalada Veediya in Kandy, beside Kandy Lake and near the former Royal Palace. The event listing identifies walking access from Kandy city centre and tuk-tuks serving the temple area.
- Visitors entering a working Buddhist shrine should cover their shoulders and follow the temple's instructions on footwear and photography, especially around the inner shrine.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Temple of the Tooth
When does Vap Poya take place at the Temple of the Tooth?
Vap Poya takes place on 25 October 2026. The temple calendar marks that Sunday for sil, with the full moon beginning at 11.54am.
What is the Temple of the Tooth?
It is a Buddhist shrine in Kandy that houses the left canine tooth of Gautama Buddha. The site became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988.
Where is the Temple of the Tooth and how do you get there?
The temple is on Sri Dalada Veediya in Kandy, beside Kandy Lake and near the former Royal Palace. The event listing identifies walking access from Kandy city centre and tuk-tuks serving the temple area.
