Sacred elephant

Nedungamuwe Raja can be identified as a sacred elephant who was much loved by the people of Sri Lanka. Nadungamuwe Raja has been participating in the Perahera since 2005 as the main elephant in the Temple of the Tooth.  He was bron on 1953 mysoor in india. Now he is 68 years old. Mysoor maharaja as gift this elephant to neelammara thero. Neelammara thero was the 1st owner of nadungamuwe raja. Neelammara thero had two elephant as a gift. Once a nawam raja. He was past away in 2017 under the gangarama temple. Other is nadungamuwe raja.

 He was bought by Nedungamuwa Panditha Vedarala from Uduwa, Horana after 25 years. After that they named him as a "Nadungamuwe vijaya raja". 

Doctor harsha dharma vijaya is the present owner of this sacred elephant. This elephant has been selected by Mr. Pradeep Nilanga Dela Bandara to carry the lord buddha's tooth at Temple of the Tooth since 2005.

He has been carrying the Tooth Relic for 15 consecutive years. Devotion was well demonstrated at the Perahera this year. He never step without carpet while he holding lord buddha's thooths he Nedumgamuwe Raja is 11 feet tall and is the tallest tame elephant in Asia. due to height of

the elephant, Ransiri house  they make slightly altered. Nedungamuwe Raja's ivory is about five and a half feet long. He is the only elephant to coming on foot for the Perahera at the Temple of the Tooth. He walk 90km arround 7 day to come kandy.  Nadungamuwe raja not only paricipating kandy perahara but also samam dewala perahara, bellanvila perahara , kaleni temple perahara, sama temple gampaha, Rankaduwa temple kaduwela, wadduwa perahara. Nedungamuwa Raja also participates in these processions on foot.

Wilson kodithuwakku we know his as "kalumama" is the person who protect this elephant. He is well healthy because of Dr. Dharmavijaya's medicine and nutritious food. Kalumama also protect him like his own child.

Before they went to  home at the end of the procession he does not forget to take lotus flowers  and kneel worship at the Temple of the Tooth. Finally I wish we could see Nedungamuwe Raja carrying the Ark of the Tooth once again.