Sri Lanka is country located in South Asia, about 20 miles from the southern coast of India.
The highly educated nation is well known for many natural resources through which they produce coffee, tea, rubber, coconuts, cinnamon and much more. Along with it, the country is also an Island with one of the world’s famous tourist destination sites because of its beautiful forests, beaches, and landscapes, along with its rich cultural heritage.
Sri Lanka prides countless spectacular religious venues for Muslims, Buddhists, Christians and many Hindus. Having a deep and rich foot print in the history Hindu and Buddhist religion, the amazing nation has many Buddhist and Hindu temples.
Here is the list of 10 most popular temples in Sri Lanka.
1. Sri Dalada Maligawa – The Temple of Sacred Tooth Relic
Photo by Darshana Abeyrathne on 500px.com
Sri Dalada Maligawa or The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic lies in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex and is said to contain a tooth belonging to none other than the Buddha himself. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. Kandy was the last capital of the Sinhalese kings and is a UNESCO world heritage site partly due to the temple. The temple which houses the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha is one of the holiest shrines in the entire Buddhist world.
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2. The Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara Temple
The Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara temple is located in Viharaya around 7 miles from Colombo. Buddhists believe that the temple was hallowed when Lord Buddha came to Sri Lanka for the third and the final time. A historic poem, Mahawansna, written in Pali which talks about the original stupa that had a gem studded throne on which Buddha sat and preached. The temple is considered to be one of the oldest Buddhist temples dating back to 500 B.C. A historic poem Mahawansna, written in Pali talks about the original stupa that had a gem studded throne on which Buddha sat and preached. Also, the temple has come to worldwide notice since an 18 foot long stone statue of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara has been erected at the temple.
3. Sri Vajiraramaya Temple – Colombo
Vajiraramaya Temple is located on the Vajira Road in Colombo. It certainly is one of the most decorated Buddhist temples in the city. This is the place from where different groups of monks have taken the responsibility of spreading the message of the religion to the western countries and also has been a center of Buddhist learning for a century now. It does not only have grand statues of Buddha or a beautiful architecture, the temple is amazingly built, is grand in its nature and has a deafening silence associated with it. You can still whisper in the temple though. A temple is also a place for hundreds of Buddhist children for learning in the form of a school on the weekends.
4. Dambulla Cave Temple – Golden Temple of Dambulla
Source – Pixabay.com
The Dambulla Cave temple is also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla. It is the largest cave temple complex situated in Dambulla, Sri Lanka. The cave is found under a huge overhanging rock that stands about 160 meters high and towers over its surrounding plains. It is also one of the best-preserved cave temples which contains cave paintings and statues praising Buddha. Drip lines are carved on the rock to permit water to pass through to make the cave dry within. This is also why the cave complex is well maintained as there is a minimal erosion because of water. The complex consists of five caves as the main attractions of the place.
5. Hendeniya Rajamaha Viharaya
Hendeniya Rajamaha Vihara is a rock cave temple located in Udu Nuwara. Also known as ‘Galgane Vihara’ the temple along the Kandy-Daulagala Road, is about 12 km from Kandy. Local traditions state that this Len Vihara (cave temple) was built at the request of Henekanda Biso Bandara (consort of King Wickremabahu III) from the Gampola period (1357-1374), and served as her resting place when she visited Lankatillake Vihara and Embekke Devale nearby. The Kingdom of Kandy in the earliest times was referred to as “Kanda Uda Pas Rata” (The five counties). It had been from this that the name Kandy was derived.
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