Udawattakele Sanctuary – Royal Forest Park of Kandy City By Arundathie Abeysinghe   Udawattakele Sanctuary, popularly known as “Udawattakele” is a historic forest reserve situated on a hill-ridge behind Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic) in Kandy City. Udawattakele Sanctuary is also known as the Royal Forest Park. During the Kandyan Kingdom, Udawattakele Sanctuary was known as Uda Wasala Watta (Upper Palace Garden or the garden situated above the Royal Palace) as it was used by the royals, was a forbidden forest and out of bounds (Tahansikele) for ordinary people. According to folklore, King Sena Sammata Wickramabahu (1473 – 1511), the first king of the Kandyan Kingdom, had his Royal Palace inside Udawattakele. The forest reserve had been a pleasure garden and a safe haven for the Royal family. During the Kandyan Kingdom, the Queens had used the pond in the Park for bathing and it was called ...

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