Sin: මහනුවර mahanuvara – Tam: கண்டி kaṇṭi
‘Mountain Country’ [Kanda Uda Rata] CP, Sri Lanka
From Sin: kanda, ‘hill, mountain’; uda, ‘above, up, over’; and rata, ‘country, district’.
The city, region and kingdom of Kandy has had many names. The English name Kandy comes from Sinhala Kanda Uda Rata via the Portuguese Candea.
In Sinhala, Kandy is called maha nuwara, ‘great city, capital’.
Kandy was the last capital of the ancient kings of Sri Lanka and held out until the 19thC.
Bogambara Lake is in the centre of the city which is popular for strolling.
Kandy is celebrated for its Buddhist monuments including the Sri Dalada Maligawa temple which houses the dental relic of the Buddha.
Kandy: The View from Arthur’s Seat A. Savin