The most attractive scene in “Dalanda Perahera” is Nedungamuwa Raja carrying the tooth of lord buddha. This great stately tusker was the main casket bearer in the procession to the homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha, held in Kandy, Sri Lanka for more than ten years. The well-known name Nadungamuwa Raja was also introduced as “Nadungamuwa Vijaya Raja”. He was one of the tamest elephants in Asia in his lifetime.
Nadungamuwa Raja was born in 1953 in India. Raja was one of two elephant calves bestowed by Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar, the Maharaja of Mysore India. Raja was attended by four mahouts during Raja’s lifetime. ‘Kalu Mama’ was the fourth and the last mahout (second picture).
The tusker Raja joined in Kandy Esala Perahera following a request of Pradeep Nilanga Dela who is the Diyawadana Nilame of Sri Dalada Maligawa in 2005. He was 52 years old during his first participation in the Perahera. He participated in Kandy Esala Perahera for more than ten years. Before participating in the Esala Perahera in Kandy, Raja participated in many perahera festivals in Sabaragamuwa Saman Devalaya Perahera, Gampaha and Colombo. To participate in the Esala Perahera in Kandy, Raja travelled on foot for spending distance of about 90 km from Weliweriya, Gampaha to Kandy.
On 07th of Mar 2023 was a sorrowful day in Sri Lanka. The news of Raja’s death spread throughout the world. The people who loved Raja came to pay their last respects to this great tusker. The President gave the directions for Raja's body to be preserved as a stuffed body and Nadungamuwa Raja was honoured as a national treasure.
After Nadungamuwa Raja, Indi Raja (above picture) was named the main casket bearer in the procession to the homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha, held in Kandy.
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