Lanka Excursions Holidays - Kandy
Sri Lanka travels with Nuwan
  • Home
    • Covid 19 Info
  • Tours
    • ready-made tours
    • tailor-made tours >
      • tailor-made
    • Excursions
    • day-excursions food-safaris >
      • Negombo Food Safaris
      • Sigiriya Food Safari
    • Classic Tours >
      • 3 days 2 nights
      • 4 days 3 nights
      • 7 days tour
      • 8 days tour
    • your-price-choice
    • Outdoor Anuradhapura
    • Sri Lanka Transport Service
    • 7 days with 4 hikes
    • 10 days with 7 hikes
    • 15 days with 3 surf beaches
    • 15 days with 7 means of travel
    • Bentota beach holidays
    • Nilaveli beach holidays
    • 4 weeks honeymoon tour
    • Terms
    • Services
    • Tripadvisor
    • Cambodia
    • Nepal
    • deutsch
    • по-русски
  • About
  • Info
    • Where is Sri Lanka >
      • Names of Sri Lanka
    • Regions >
      • Cultural Triangle images
      • Central Highland images
      • Western Plains images
      • Southwest Wet Zone images
      • Deep South images
      • Eastern Shores images
      • Northern Province images
    • Sri Lanka off the beaten path >
      • highly recommended
      • around Colombo
      • around Yapahuwa
      • around Anuradhapura
      • around Jaffna
      • around Trincomalee
      • around Polonnaruwa
      • around Sigiriya
      • around Kandy
      • around Nuwara Eliya
      • around Arugam Bay
      • around Hambantota
      • around Bentota
      • all over Sri Lanka
    • Things to do
    • Slide Show >
      • Famous Places Slide Show
      • Less-known Sites Slide Show
    • Directory
  • Mihintale
    • Mihintale attractions
    • Guesthouse Rooms
    • Rent my Villa
    • Activities around Mihintale
    • Hiking in Mihintale
    • Mihintale-sightseeing
    • Picnic at Kaludiya Pokuna
    • car
    • Day trips by car
  • Culture
    • Food >
      • Rice
      • Breakfast
      • Kottu Roti
      • Pasta Sri Lanka style
      • Rice Noodles Sri Lanka style
      • Egg-fried rice Sri Lanka style
    • Tea
    • Ayurveda
  • Destinations
    • World Heritage Sites >
      • Anuradhapura
      • Polonnaruwa
      • Sigiriya
      • Dambulla
      • Kandy Sacred City
      • Galle Fort
    • Cities >
      • Colombo
      • Nuwara Eliya
      • Trincomalee
      • Ratnapura
      • Batticaloa
      • Kurunegala
      • Matale
      • Kalutara
      • Tangalle
      • Hambantota
      • Puttalam
      • Chilaw
      • Matara
      • Avissawella
      • Badulla
      • Tissamaharama
      • Kalmunai
      • Embilipitiya
      • Habarana
      • Kilinochchi
      • Pottuvil
      • Giritale
    • Sacred Places >
      • Kataragama
      • Mahiyangana
      • Seruwila
      • Somawathiya
      • Sita Eliya
      • Maha Saman Devale
      • Kelaniya
      • Munneshvaram
      • Kanniyai
      • Manavari
      • Adisham Hall
      • Karagahagedara
      • Madampe
      • Seenigama
      • Divurumpola
    • Ancient Temples >
      • Haththikuchchi
      • Ritigala
      • Yapahuwa
      • Wilandagoda
      • Thiriyai
      • Velgam Vehera
      • Medirigiriya
      • Sithulpahuwa
      • Pidurangala
      • Nalanda
      • Mulkirigala
      • Panduwasnuwara
      • Padeniya
      • Padavigampola
      • Namal Uyana
      • Arankale
      • Menikdena
      • Manakanda
      • Nillakgama
      • Panavitiya
      • Gadaladeniya
      • Lankatilaka
      • Embekke
      • Lahugala
      • Kudumbigala
      • Dambadeniya
      • Kiralagala
      • Kalupokuna
      • Degaldoruwa
      • Ramba Vihara
      • Medawala
      • Dadagamuwa
      • Buddhangala
      • Dematamal Viharaya
      • Pilikuttuwa
      • Dodanwela
      • Dimbulagala
      • Beligala
      • Bogoda
      • Barandiya Kovil
      • Kokabe
      • Divulwewa
      • Madagama
      • Pettagangala
      • Isenbessagala
      • Kuruwita
      • Koskandawala
      • Attanagalla
      • Alawwa
      • Awariyawala
      • Hanguranketa
    • Historical Caves >
      • Ridigama
      • Salgala
      • Veheragala
      • Wavulpone
      • Sankapala
      • Varana
      • Aluvihara
      • Anamaduwa
      • Aluthepola
      • Maligatenna
      • Divaguhawa
      • Batadomba Lena
      • Beli Lena
      • Pahiyangala
      • Maradankadawala
    • Giant Stupas >
      • Yudaganawa
      • Dedigama
      • Dighavapi
    • Rock Buddha statues >
      • Gal Vihara
      • Aukana Buddha
      • Sasseruwa Buddha
      • Buduruwagala
      • Dowa
      • Maligawila
      • Kushtaraja Statue
      • Thanthirimale
      • Bakamuna
      • Maboda Temple
    • Mountains >
      • Adam's Peak
      • Horton Plains
      • Pidurutalagala
      • Knuckles Range
      • Sinharaja
      • Haputale
      • Ella
      • Namunukula
      • Deanston
      • Ramboda
      • Ambuluwawa
      • Bible Rock
      • Medamahanuwara
      • Hunnasgiriya
      • Hakgala
      • Kadugannawa
      • Uda Pussellawa
      • Passara
      • Victoria Lake
      • Retiyagama
    • Waterfalls >
      • Bambarakanda Falls
      • Diyaluma Falls
      • Dunhinda Falls
      • St. Clair's Falls
      • Devon Falls
      • Bopath Falls
      • Dodam Falls
      • Mannakethi Falls
      • Aberdeen Falls
      • Lakshapana
      • Kirindi Falls
      • Bambarakiri Falls
      • Ravana Falls
      • Hunas Falls
    • National Parks >
      • Yala NP
      • Wilpattu NP
      • Maduru Oya NP
      • Gal Oya NP
      • Udawalawe NP
      • Minneriya NP
      • Kaudulla NP
      • Kumana NP
      • Bundala NP
      • Ussangoda
      • leopards
    • Activity Attractions >
      • Kandy Perahera 2019
      • Kithulgala
      • Pinnawela
      • Madu Ganga
      • Muthurajawela
      • Meetiyagoda
      • Rekawa
      • Induruwa
      • Brief Garden
      • Lunuganga
      • Gampaha
      • Kanneliya
      • Bodhinagala
      • Mahapalessa Hot Springs
      • Thoppigala
      • Rufus Kulam
      • Wewurukannala
      • Kalawewa
      • Kandalama
    • Beaches >
      • Beruwela
      • Bentota Beach
      • Balapitiya
      • Ambalangoda
      • Hikkaduwa
      • Unawatuna
      • Weligama
      • Mirissa
      • Dondra
      • Hiriketiya
      • Hoomaniya Blowhole
      • Kirinda
      • Okanda
      • Arugam Bay
      • Thirukkovil
      • Pasikuda
      • Thennadi Bay
      • Nilaveli Beach
      • Pulmoddai
      • Mannar Island
      • Kaplitiya Peninsula
      • Marawila
      • Negombo
    • Jaffna Peninsula >
      • Jaffna
      • Nallur
      • Kandarodai
      • Nilavarai
      • Point Pedro
      • Manalkadu
      • Naguleshvaram
      • Jambukola
      • Nainativu
      • Delft Island
      • Elephant Pass
    • top 20 attractions >
      • top 20 in Colombo
      • top 20 in Kandy
    • Sri Lanka off the beaten track
  • Blog
  • Reviews
    • Reviews since 2020
    • Tripadvisor Reviews
    • Reviews 2015-2020
    • instagram
  • Contact

Kelaniya Temple near Colombo

2/10/2018

0 Comments

 
stupa of the Kelaniya temple near Colombo
stupa of the Kelaniya temple
carved Gana musicians at the Kelaniya Temple
carved Gana musicians at the Kelaniya Temple
Kelaniya Rajamaha Viharaya, simply known as Kelaniya Temple, is the most important Buddhist place of worship in Sri Lanka’s Western Province. Kelaniya is a suburb of Colombo, situated on the opposite side of the Kelaniya river. The ancient Pali names of the temple, the town and the river is Kalyani. This name is well known from the history of Myanmar (Burma), as it remembers the most significant monastic reform in Myanmar’s Buddhist order. In the 15th century a new line of ordination was introduced by Southeastasian monks having received higher ordination in Kelaniya.

The temple flourished during the Kotte era in the 15th century, when the Sinhalese capital shifted to the area of Colombo for the first time. But Kelaniya, like most temples in the coastal plains of Sri Lanka, was destroyed by the Portuguese invaders who promoted Christianity in a violent way. Today’s temple at the historical site is from the late 19th century. The main shrine is an image house. It’s famous for it’s murals, some of them are in the Kandyan style, large paintings are from Solias Mendis, Sri Lanka’s most important artist in the first half of the 20th century.     

The Kelaniya sanctuary attracts Buddhist and Hindu worshippers alike. The place is said to have been hallowed by a visit of Lord Buddha at the beginning of his third and final stay on the island. Even earlier on, the demon Vibhishana, brother and successor of the mythical King Ravana, took his residence in Kelaniya. He was rewarded with the kingship by Lord Rama, whom he helped to liberate his wife Sita from captivity in Ravana’s kingdom. This story is told in the Indian Ramayana epic. Vibhishana became the guardian deity of the west of the island. He is also venerated by Sinhalese Buddhists. The Vibhishana temple just in front of the main shrine of Kelaniya attracts pilgrims from India, too.
ordination ceremony of monks from Myanmar
ordination ceremony of monks from Myanmar
destruction of Kelaniya, painted by Solias Mendis
destruction of Kelaniya, painted by Solias Mendis
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Nuwan Chinthaka Gajanayaka,
    Lanka Excursions Holidays,
    921/A Peradeniya Road, Kandy 20000, Sri Lanka
    Tel 0094 71 6097795

    Categories

    All
    Accommodation
    Activities
    Animals
    Archaeology
    Art
    Beaches
    Birds
    Boat Tours
    Buddha Statues
    Buddhism
    Central Province
    Christianity
    Citations
    Cities
    Climate
    Culture
    Current Affairs
    Dates
    Destinations
    Diary
    Eastern Province
    Elephants
    Europe
    Events
    Festivals
    Friends
    Gardens
    Guest House
    Handicraft
    Highlands
    Hinduism
    History
    Internals
    Islands
    Kandy
    Mihintale
    National Parks
    News
    North Central Province
    Northern Province
    North Western Province
    Off The Beaten Path
    Off-the-beaten-path
    Politics
    Private
    Question
    Railway
    Sabaragamuwa Province
    Safaris
    Southern Province
    Stupas
    Tea
    Temples
    Uva Province
    Waterfalls
    Weather
    Western Province
    Wildlife

    Archives

    June 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    January 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    June 2016
    April 2016
    December 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015

    RSS Feed


    Buddhism A-Z

Sri Lanka destinations A-Z
Sri Lanka's Travel Regions
Picture
What guests write about us
You can Leave a comment ...
Why travel with Lanka Excursions Holidays?

+ We are a local agency owned and run by Sri Lankans, not part of international holdings
+ We are well known for our direct and personal relationships with travellers 
+ We facilitate authentic meetings with locals who are not from the tourism sector 
  + We follow a strict policy not to push guests to visit shops and shops and shops
+ We have an unrivalled expertise to show you places off the beaten path
+ We provide genuine information instead of clichés and tourism industry slogans

Our ambition is to provide high-quality information in preparation of your Sri Lanka holidays ... and even more superb travel experiences
Lanka Excursions Holidays office hours 8.00 to 9.30 p.m. daily (except from June Fullmoon Day)

AIRBNB SUPERHOST
First House Mihintale
Rooms in Mihintale
First House Mihintale
87, Missaka Mawatha, Mihintale 50300, Sri Lanka.
0094 71 6097795

  • TripAdvisor
Lanka Excursions Holidays

921/A Peradeniya Road, Kandy 20000, Sri Lanka
Tel 0094 71 6097795
lankaexcursionsholidays@gmail.com
  • TripAdvisor

all rights reserved, © 2016 Lanka Excursion Holidays