The Gadaladeniya Viharaya is a medieval Buddhist temple in Pilimathalawa in Kandy District. Due to their location to the west of Kandy city, the three Gampola-period temples of Gadaladeniya and nearby Lankatilaka and Embekke are known as Western Temples. According to historical inscriptions, the Gadaladeniya Viharaya was built under the patronage of King Bhuvanaikabahu IV, who reigned in the mid 14th century. The architect was of South Indian origin. That’s why the style of the main image house of Gadaladeniya Viharaya is inspired by Dravidian architecture. The stupika dome on the pyramidal stone roof callled Shikara resembles the Chola style of Tamil Nadi. The entrance is designed in the contemporary Vijayanagara style of the last Southindian empire. However, the stupa of the Gadaladeniya Viharaya shows Southeastasian influences. The late Middle Age was a period of cultural exchange between Sri Lanka and Myanmar in particular. The Gadaladeniya Viharaya is famous for its door decorations in particular, which are the best-preserved paintings from the Gampola period. The so-called flower maiden and the trumpeting Kinnara have become a sujet often imitated.

There is a simple reason to visit Kandy: It’s in the very centre of the island. Almost all travelers visiting both Sigiriya Lion Rock in the lowlands and the tea growing area of the central higlands will have to cross Kandy anyway. Kandy is a major attraction in itself, of course, as the cultural capital of the Sinhalese is definitely the city number one worth seeing in Sri Lanka, much more lovely than Colombo. Surrounded by green hills and grouped on either side of the picturesque Kandy Lake, the city is a cozy place for relaxing days, although the town centre is quite busy. The colonial ambiente contributes to the much to the charming cityscape, too.

Kandy’s main attraction is the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, which is of utmost significance for the Sinhalese Buddhist culture of the island nation. The ceremonies called pujas can be joined by foreigners three times a day. Another important centre of Buddhist culture is the Malwatta monastery on the opposite side of the Kandy Lake. It’s the headquarter of the most significant branch of the Buddhist order in Sri Lanka. The ceremonial hall and a museum in traditional monk accommodations and some other buildings are open to the public. Hindu temples also frequented by Buddhists are part of the garden-like World Heritage Site area around Kandy's Tooth Temple, too. Tamil Kovils and Muslim mosques shape the market area within walking distance from the Buddhist sacred sites. Furthermore, Kandy is a perfect place for shopping and even nature activities such as hiking or birdwatching. The world-Famous Peradenia Botanical Gardens are in situated in Kandy’s university suburb.

Gal Viharaya literally translates to „rock monastery“. The name refers to Sri Lanka’s most famous group of rock-cut Buddha statues, which is part of the archaeological park of Polonnaruwa. Originally the rock images were part of image houses, for veneration inside shrine rooms. But the walls of those buildings almost disappeared. Now the rock scultures seem to be part more of a free-standing rock than of a temple. The original name of Gal Viharaya was Utthararama, which simply means Northern Monastery, as the location is at the northern end of Polonnaruwa’s main axis of edifices.

The Gal Viharaya group of rock-cut statues consists of a large seated sculpture in meditation posture, one more seated Buddha of smaller size inside an artificial cave room, a standing figure with an unsual Mudra gesture and a superb reclining figure depicting the death of the Buddha which is atttaining supreme Nirvana (Parinibbana). The decorations of the large seated Buddha show signs of Mahayana influence, whereas the Parinibbana-Buddha at the opposite end of the group highlights the Theravada character of the sanctuary.

The standing sculpture in between them is often said to depict the disciple Ananda, but it’s more likely, this is a Buddha statue, too, as it was venerated in a separate shrine room and therefore not part of the image house of the reclining Buddha. This arrangement would make little sense, if the standing sculpture was inteded to depict Ananda venerating the recling Buddha. The Svastika Mudra of the standing sculpture is a gesture of veneration. A Buddha usually is the most venerable being not venerating others. However, the Buddha can pay respect to symbols of Nirvana, for example he can be shown in a humble gesture in front of a Bo-tree. The Svastika gesture of veneration – often taken as indication that this is an Ananda image and not a Buddha image – may be rare, but it is not completely unknown of Buddha statues.


We have a comprehensive article on the Gal Vihara group of rock scilptures in Polonnaruwa here...

Many tourists don’t know that most of the area they cross when joining a safari in Bundala National Park does actually belong to the Wilmanna sanctuary. When the Bundala National Park was restructured and mainly divided into two parts, viz. a reduced national park area and the adjacent Wilmanna Sanctuary, which was opened in January 2006. With 3,300 hectares it’s almost of equal size as the national park. The main difference is: Bundala National Park consists mainly of lagoons and water surfaces, whereas Wilmanna sanctuary is mainly dry zone scrubland dotted with numerous small ponds. Both areas are habitats for various bird species in particular.

Kirimalai in the very north of the Jaffna Peninsula is famous for one of Sri Lanka’s four most sacred temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, the supreme deity venerated by Tamil Hindus. The Naguleshwaram Kovil, also known as Thiruthambaleshwaram Kovil, attracts pilgrims from India, too, particularly in the Tamil month of Aadi. Hindus believe, that the Keerimalai springs have curative properties due to their miraculous origin. Indeed, it’s a natural phenomenon to find such an amount of freshwater only a few meters from the ocean. Legend has it, that the sage Nagula Muni had had a face that likened that of a mongoose (Kiri in Tamil), but was cured from it when taking a bath in the pond. The original Naguleshvaram temple of Kirimalai was destroed by Christian fanatics during the Portuguese colonial period. The sanctuary was revived during the period of Hindu revivalism of Jaffna Tamils in the late 19th century.

Read our detailed report about Kirimalai here...

Ambuluwawe, also transliterated Ambuluwawa, is the local mountain towering the city of Gampola in Sri Lanka’s central highlands. The peak of Ambuluwawe, in an altititude of 1087 m above sea level, can be reached by car, as it has been developed into a multi-religious modern temple complex with a lansdcape garden. It attracts Sri Lankan day trippers in particular.

Kumara Pokuna translates to prince‘s pond. Indeed, this seems to have been a royal bath, as the pond is located close to Parakramabahu’s palace and audience hall just outside the walls of the citadel in Polonnaruwa. Royal baths were often included in the layouts of ancient palaces in South Asia. Kumara Pokuna is located below the level of the citadel, allowing water from the nearby canal to flow easily into the basin. As the entire citadel, the Prince’s Pond was constructed during the period of King Parakramabahu the Great ( 1153-1186). The original name of the pond was "Sila Pokkharani" according to the Chulavamsa. The Kumara Pokuna is square in shape and has various levels. Water flows in to the pond via two Makarara sprouts which are located besides the entrance.

A pavilion located near the pond is said to have been used as changing room. Due to ist prestigious decoration with a frieze of lions, it seems more likely that this charming terrace once served as the platform of a royal summerhouse.

The Potgul Maliga Rajamaha Viharaya in Hanguranketa was constructed during the British colonial period, it was built on the spot of an earlier Buddhist temple from the Kandyan period. The sacred site could even date back to the Polonnaruwa period. Kandyan Kings used Hanguranketa as a second residence, particularly during periods of foreign attacks on Kandy. The royal palace, known as Hanguranketa Maligawa, was destroyed by British forces during a period of unrest. The Potgul Maliga Rajamaha Viharaya is said to have been built with parts of that former royal palace. „Potgul“ means book. Actually, this temple has a a massive library of historic palm-leaf manuscripts with ancient Buddhist writings. This collection of ola-leaf books can be seen attached to the small museum in the first floor of the large entrance building. The temple proper just behind it is only on ground level, but it several sanctuaries under one common roof. The rooms are decorated with murals in the typical style of Kandyan paintings.

Passekudah, also known as Passikudah or Pasikuda, has developed into the number one beach holiday resort at the eastern coast in the recent decade. as Passekudah’s bay has the longest stretch of shallow reef coastline in Sri Lanka. Guests can walk kilometers into the sea. Unlike most other beaches in Sri Lanka, Passekudah is safe for children in particular. The name of the town is Tamil and translates to „green algae bay“. Passekudah is also home to a traditional Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess Mariamman, who is popular with Tamils in India and Sri Lanka.

The Jetavananarama was a Buddhist monastery during the mid and late Anuradhapura period. Actually, it was the latest of the three giant temples of Anuradhapura, which were also the three largest religious institutions and, apart from the king, the most important land holders with areas of agriculture distributed all over the ancient Sinhalese kingdom. In contrast to the other two pivotal monasteries of Anuradhapura, viz. Mahavihara and Abhayagiri, the youngest one, Jetavanarama, was built in a systematical and symmmetrical ground plan, with the stupa on a wide courtyard in the very centre of  a rectangle of other ceremonial buildings and monks‘ resdidential quarters

With a total height of    122 m and covering 23,3 hectare, the Jetavanarama Dagoba from the 4th century AD is the largest ancient stupa, and with almost 100 million bricks, it’s also the world’s largest construction built of baked stone.

The Jetavanarama of Anuradhapura is not to be confused with the Jetavana monastery in India, which is situated just outside the ancient city of Savatthi (Srvasthi). The Jetavana in northern India was the place where the Buddha gave the majority of his teachings and discourses.   

The foundation of the Jetavanarama in Aniradhapura was the result of sectarian differences between Buddhist monks and even of a sacrilige. According to Buddhist monastic rules incorporated in the Vinaya part of the Holy Scriptures, a consecretad territory of a Buddhist monastery can not be rededicated without the consent of the monks inhabiting it. The Jetavanarama was founded on parts of the temple land of the older Mahavihara, which was expropriated against the resistence of the Mahavihara monks and without proper ceremonies as a result of a conflict between King Mahasena and the clergy of the Mahavihara.