Police have issued a guide to devotees attending the special exposition of the sacred Tooth Relic – the ‘Siri Dalada Vandanawa’ from tomorrow (April 18) onwards.

The event will take place from April 18th to April 27th. Tomorrow the exposition will be held from 3.30pm – 5.30pm. From April 19 – 27 it will be held from 12 noon – 5.30pm.

The event is expected to attract around 02 million devotees and a special security plan has been implemented with over 10,000 police personnel deployed. In addition, personnel from the Police Special Task Force, Police K9 Division, Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy, and Sri Lanka Air Force have also been deployed.

Police have also announced parking locations where devotees can park their vehicles and use dedicated public transport to proceed to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.

Parking Locations:

1. Vehicles from Gampola and Colombo should stop at the Getambe Junction and can be parked at the Getambe Grounds and along the Gannoruwa Road.
2. Vehicles from the Kurunegala-Katugastota Road should stop at the 4th mile post.
3. Vehicles from the Madawala Road should stop at the Polgolla Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre premises.
4. Vehicles from Matale should stop at the Ra-Kade Junction, with parking available at Dharmasoka Mawatha, while light vehicles can park at the P. T. Ranjan Grounds.
5. Vehicles from Mahiyanganaya using the 18 Bend Road should park at the Pallekele Bandaranaike School Grounds.
6. Vehicles from Badulla should park in Gurudeniya.

Private vehicles will not be allowed to park in Kandy City.

Car parking will also be available at:

1. Car Park next to the Vevalpitiya Grounds (Light Vehicles)
2. Sahas Uyana Car Park (Light Vehicles)
3. Getambe Mahanama Ground (Light Vehicles)
4. Opposite Mahaiyyawa Cemetery (Buses)
5. Dharmashoka Bend to Japan-Kade Junction (Buses)
6. KMC Car Park (Light Vehicles)
7. Rajapihilla Bus Parking (Buses)
8. Karaliya Car Park (Light Vehicles)
9. Bogambara Prison (Buses)
10. Bogambara Grounds (Buses)
11. Thennekumbura Junction to Haragama Road (Buses)
12. SWRD Bandaranaike Mawatha (Buses)

Police have stated that long-distance buses operating via Kandy, as well as bus services originating from Kandy, will operate as usual. These buses will be permitted to stop at the Raja Pihilla Bus Stand and opposite the Bogambara Grounds. However, short-distance buses will not be permitted to stop and park within Kandy City.

Alternative routes

Police have introduced alternative routes for vehicles passing through Kandy during the aforementioned period.

1. Vehicles from Kurunegala and Matale heading to Colombo and Nuwara Eliya via Kandy can proceed to the Gohagoda Road from the Katugastota Bridge, head to Peradeniya, and then proceed to Colombo and Kandy.
2. Vehicles from the Colombo-Kandy Road and from Nuwara Eliya heading towards Kurunegala, Matale, and Mahiyanganaya can use the Peradeniya-Gohagoda Road.
3. Vehicles heading to Badulla can enter Dharmashoka Mawatha from the Mahaiyyawa Tunnel and proceed to Thennekumbura.

Sri Lanka has clinched two international medals at the 6th Asian U18 Athletics Championships 2025 which began on April 15 in Saudi Arabia.

Dananjana Sewmini Fernando won the silver medal in the girls under-18 100m with a time of 11:9:2 seconds while Lahiru Achintha won the bronze medal in the under-18 1,500m.

Achintha achieved this medal by completing the event in 3:59:47 minutes.

Sri Lankan seamer Kasun Rajitha has joined Essex on a five-match deal for the Rothesay County Championship.

Chris Silverwood, former Sri Lanka head coach and current Essex director of cricket, played a key role in signing Kasun Rajitha.

“We are delighted to welcome Kasun to Essex and very much look forward to watching him perform in the County Championship,” said Silverwood. “I know his experience and skill set will certainly help strengthen our already superb bowling attack.”

In a statement released by Essex, Rajitha added: “It is a really proud moment for me to be joining Essex. I have followed the team over the years, and they have always produced excellent and entertaining first-class cricket.

“I am joining a strong bowling unit and look forward to contributing on the field and helping the team win matches. I would like to thank Chris Silverwood for giving me this opportunity and Sri Lanka Cricket for allowing me to further hone my skills.”

Rajitha joins Essex after fast bowler Sam Cook’s injury. Rajitha’s addition is also seen as a solution to the loss of Shardul Thakur, who was called up for the IPL, according to the Essex management.

The 31-year-old The right-armer has 18 Test caps, with 55 wickets at 29.58, and returned a career-best 5 for 56 in the last of those appearances, in March 2024 against Bangladesh.

He is scheduled to make his debut tomorrow (April 18) against Worcestershire at Chelmsford.