posted September 19, 2001 06:26 AM            

Ananova :

Tooth relic may bring rain to drought-hit Sri Lanka

A tooth believed to be Buddha's is to be put on public display in Sri Lanka in a bid to end the worst drought in 50 years.

Thousands of Buddhist monks and devotees will get the chance to see the relic at Dalada Maligawa, or Temple of the Tooth, during a two-week long ritual beginning on September 22.

It is believed that displaying the tooth in public will help invoke divine blessings and bring much-needed rain to the region.

According to old records at the temple, similar events have brought abundant rain in the past.

The relic is believed to have been taken to the island in the 4th century AD by a Princess from the Indian state of Orissa, who carried it hidden in her hair so human hands wouldn't defile it.

It was last seen in 1994 when it was brought out to give Buddhists an opportunity to pray for the country.

This month, the Indo Asian News Service says the tooth relic will be taken out of its golden, gem-studded casket, embedded in six other similar caskets, and placed on a crystal stand given by the people of Thailand.

Unprecedented security arrangements have been made around the shrine in Kandy. The temple was damaged by Tamil rebels in 1998 but the relic was unharmed.

Story filed: 11:15 Tuesday 18th September 2001

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