The history of the annual Dalanda Perahara in Sri Lanka.

The annual Dalanda Perahara (Esala Perahara) held in honor of the tooth relic of lord Buddha traces its origins back to the period of king kithsirimewan who was also known by the name of Kirthi Siri Meghawarna. He succeeded his father Mahasen to the Anuradhapura kingdom and can be fairly given credit to as the one who brought to light the areas kept in darkness by his father. His reign was of much significance especially due to the fact that the sacred tooth relic of the lord Buddha was brought to Sri Lanka during his time. To elaborate, in honor of the sacred tooth relic, an annual procession called a Dalanda Perahara had begun by the king. It is said in the Mahavamsa that in the ninth year from his advancement to the throne, a Brahmin woman brought the tooth relic of the lord Buddha to Sri Lanka from Kalingu rata and king Kithsirimevan, having it handed over to him, made offerings to it with high respect which was afterwards placed by him in a golden reliquary and installed in the house called Damsak built by king Dewanampiyatissa within Rajaramaya. By then onwards, that house was known by the name of Datadathugara. From that time, the king, by spending nine lakhs started the grand Dalanda procession. He ordered to carry the tooth relic to the Abayagiriya every once a year and to continue with such processions.

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King Mahasen, an embodiment of both merit and demerit.

Bad company leads anyone in the wrong path regardless of his or her position, gender, and age. It is common both to an ordinary man and even to a king. If it was a king who was led astray, it endangers a whole community. This is not something peculiar for Sri Lanka, even king Ajasath of India caused patricide following the instructions and guidance of Devadaththa, who despite being a bhikkhu had a growing hostility for king Bimbisara. Similarly, this is what occurred during the reign of king Mahasen of ancient Anuradhapura kingdom, who was preceded by king Detuthis and was succeeded by his son Sirimevan. His name was added to the history as a king who caused an immense demerit to the Mahavihara monastery representing Theravada Buddhism in Sri Lanka, by following the road shown by a bhikkhu named Sanghamithra. But his specialty lies in the fact that Mahasen was not noted only for his demerits. On the contrary, the Mahavamsa mentions in reference to Mahasen that the intelligence ones eradicate the bad company as a poisonous snake and proceed with what he feels to do. As evident by the above account, Mahasen was a king who did both meritorious and de meritorious actions. Strangely, both king Ajasath of India and Mahasen of ancient Anuradhapura kingdom was provoked to move in the wrong path by a bhikkhu. In the case of Ajasath it was Devadaththa while in the case of Mahasen it was Sanghamithra.

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