Exploring SriLanka - A journey through hidden treasures

💓💓💓 I had my own speculations about going to Sri Lanka, but I would have regretted it if I had not gone. It solved the double purpose of spending with my mom and my mother-in-law and also making new friends at the same time exploring the country.

My first wow factor came after landing in Colombo and seeing the Tamil language everywhere. 

Day 1 - Chilaw - Triconmalee

🛕🛕Chilaw - Muneeshwaran Temple🛕🛕

It is completely a hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in Puttalam district. Many brahmin priests were there in the temple. We were during navratri time and there was a grand procession. Devotees can offer fruits to the deity and distribute outside. The temple is worth the visit due to its serenity and if you are tamil speaking person you will enjoy more in conversing there.

Mom and MIL witnessing the Navrathri procession

🎕🎕Purple Lillies offered to Amman🎕🎕

🍎🍉🍇Fruit Offerings and flower offerings are very common both in Hindu and Buddhist                             temple 🍎🍉🍇

👀👀I have been to many Lord Shiva temples but here is where I saw all 63 Nayanmaars names inscribed on their base in Tamil  👀👀

🌄🌄Next Stop Triconamalee🌄🌄

🛕🛕Sri Lakshmi Narayana Perumal Koil, Nilavele Road about 10kms from Triconamalee🛕🛕

It is very friendly temple to the devotees we took darshan and honored dinner prasadam there.

Day 2 - Triconmalee - Kandy

🛕🛕Shankari Devi Peetam 🛕🛕 

https://behindeverytemple.org/hindu-temples/shakti/shankari-devi-temple/

The above link has good details about the temple

This is one of the Shakti peetam among the 18 peetams. 

🦌🦌Little walk up the hill, quite a few deers were sighted.

Temple Entrance                                               Outside the temple on the corner of the hill.

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♨♨Kanniya Hot Springs or Ravana hot water springs ♨♨

There are 7 wells square shape and it is had warm water

It is understood that this hot spring water is dated back to Ravana's era.

🦷🦷Kandy: Tooth Relic Temple🦷🦷

Entrance Stone Carving

Lord Buddha's tooth is believed to be stored here

Some weapons are displayed which was used earlier

Flower offering for Lord Buddla

Devotees gather and offer flowers with devotion and sit silently for meditation. They mostly wear different kind of dresses all in white.

Ceiling decoration before the entrance inside the temple

The temple is associated with a museum. A good place to shop for gifts. Bags, rock paintings, fridge magnets to name a few. The museum provides the spread of Buddhism in many countries throughout the world.

Day 3 - Kandy - Ramboda - Gayathri Peetam

🛕🛕Ramboda Hanuman temple🛕🛕

This temple was built by Chinamaya mission in Srilanka. Here is where Hanumanji looked out of Sita Devi. This is the place where Lord Rama gathered the forces to attack Ravana

The Chinmaya Ashram was very comfortable to stay. They morning prasadam was very delicious with dosa and chutneys. Totally south indian breakfast. They also had a very good gift shop and I purchased two long cinnamon sticks which is organic.

🌊🌊Ramboda Falls🌊🌊

The soothing sound of the water falls

🛕🛕Gayathri Peetam - Nuwera Eliya🛕🛕 

Darshan of Shri Gayathri Devi here. This temple has many significance and pastimes and is well connected to Ramayana.

The lamps are dressed up as a personification of beautiful girls. Since it was Navrathri time there was good celebration in the temple. It is believed that all the tri moorthi's appeared in this place as a result of the tapasya by Indrajit.

The details of the temple banner. Temple project is to build 108 Shiv lingam mandapam for 108 shiv lingam found in Narmada River. There is also belief that the shiv lingas are growing bigger

They had a museum along with the temple which had many artifacts from India. Unfortunately I did not take pics of the details of the artifacts. However some pics are below. One interesting thing is for the design of the lamp had rooster (seval). 

Coconut with one eye                                    Old Palm leaves writing. 

Really enthusiastic young devotees who tirelessly served all the visitors and took care of elderly tourists as well. 

🌳🌳Ashoka Vatika🌳🌳 

The place where Sita Devi was imprisoned by Ravana. Footprints of Bhakta Hanuman is there. The water which flows is called Sita Dharna. When I touched it it was super cold. I could feel the austerity mother Sita went through everyday bathing in this cold water. The water was carrying a lot of force. 

The temple here is dedicated to Seetha Amman.  

💎💎Seetha Eliya💎💎

This is the holy place where Mother Sita was subjected to Agni Pariksha. 

This place is managed by Buddhist monks. I asked the priest what does this holy place implies for them. He said they accept the Ramayana scripture and said Lord Vishnu's avatar is Lord Buddha since this past time implies the purity of Sita Devi it is the most positive vibration for them. Hence it is a best place to be present to meditate. Below are the paintings inside the temple.

Waking up of Kumbakarna 

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                                                                        Agni Pariksha of Mother Sita

The buddhist temple priest and the Sita devi was gifted to the temple by an institute in Maharashtra 

This is the place where the Agni Pariksha happened and this is the stamba they build to signify the place. They call it the place of purity.

Day 4 - Katragama - Dondra

This is also managed by Sinhalese Buddhist monastery. Mostly Buddhist people visit the temple. The darshan of the deity is not allowed. Only the curtain darshan is taken. Also the fruit offering to the deity is sent inside and given out. Outside the main katragama temple other deities like Ganesha darshan is available and hindu priests are worshipping the deities. 

It is a very beautiful campus and huge. 

Rati mataji and I managed to talk to the priests to recite Skanda Shasti kavasam prayers for Lord Karthikeya until the crowd comes. The buddhist priests initially they had reservations and we told we came all the way from India to sing this prayer for the deity. 

Near the Katragama temple we stopped by Vishnu temple. It is practically garden and Lord Shanishwara darshan also can be taken

Temple entrance           Loose flowers are wrapped in the leaf for offering. The flowers are not stringed. 

🛬🛬Ravana's airport burnt by Hanuman🛬🛬

This is an archeological site. This land has hard red soil and is not cultivatable. People also mentioned that Hanuman burnt this place very much so that the cultivation is not possible.

🛕🛕Blue Vishnu Temple, Dondra🛕🛕

This temple is managed by the Buddhist priests. The deity is blue, temple is blue and it is near the ocean that is also blue. He is the guardian deity of Sri Lanka and the Buddhists believe that he is the protector if Buddhism in the country. 

Day 5 - Dondra - Cinnamon Islands - Galle

🌊🌊Dondra Beach🌊🌊

Three of us wanted to be on a photoshoot opposite to the hotel. The place was serene, beautiful and colorful. We just wandered around mostly focusing on the sound of the waves. 

This flower is called sea poison flower. Very delicate but very beautiful. 

☮☮ Japanese Peace Pagoda - Rummassala ☮☮

It is a symbol of peace. It is in Galle district when we go around it gives a beautiful view of the forests near by. There were golden statues and the place was huge. 

🐒🐒Rummasaala Hanuman Temple with Sanjeevini hill at Galle🐒🐒

It is believed that when Hanuman ji was carrying the Sanjeevini mountain some part fell here. This temple is very close to Peace pagoda temple. 

🌊🌊Seenigamma Devalaya in the beach🌊🌊

The deity is the representation for injustice. She is also guarding the ocean. There is a temple in nearby island which can be reached by boat.

                                                                        

                                                                       Katragama Karthigeya temple deity near Seenigama temple

💦💦Cinnamon Island Galle💦💦

Beautiful views, little islands, just a snack shop in a little island. I was discussing a lot of cricket with the boatman and his little helper. The little helper looked liked my favorite Matheesha Prathirana the cricketer :)

Day 6 - Galle - Colombo

 🛕🛕ISKCON Colombo🛕🛕

Temple under construction. The cutout of the deities are placed in the altar. HG Mahakarta Prabhu (HDG Srila Prabhupada's disciple has dedicated his life to build the temple in Colombo)

 

🛕🛕Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya, Peliyagoda, SriLanka🛕🛕

"Ravana Malligai" (also called Ravana Jasmine) is a fragrant flower believed to be associated with King Ravana in Sri Lankan folklore. 

This mystical flower is described as having delicate white petals with a golden hue at the center, emitting a strong, sweet fragrance. It is believed to have been cultivated in Ravana’s kingdom for its beauty, medicinal properties, and use in royal rituals. Some say its scent was so enchanting that it was reserved for royal offerings and special ceremonies.

🫅🫅Vibeeshana crowning Lord Rama and Mother Sita.

The statue shown is likely Maitreya Bodhisattva, who is regarded in Buddhism as the future Buddha of this world. Other statues are found exterior to the temple

Some paintings inside the temple:

Jataka Tales & Buddha’s Life – The temple walls are adorned with detailed murals illustrating stories from the Jataka tales (previous lives of the Buddha) and key moments from Gautama Buddha’s life, including his visit to Kelaniya.

Ravana and the Ramayana Connection – Some paintings depict King Ravana, as Kelaniya is believed to be connected to his lineage. There are also murals of Vibhishana, Ravana’s brother, who was later crowned the ruler of Lanka and is still worshipped as a guardian deity.

Below is the picture of Vibeeshna and Lord Ganesha

Below picture is Lord Shiva

Gautam Buddha surrounded by many statues

Below looks like Dwara balakas Jai and Vijay

Lord Krishna:

Murals and Paintings on the walls

💞💞Back Home: Bengaluru Airport💞💞

Bengaluru Terminal 2 Airport is beautifully decorated for Navratri with Gollu dolls 🎠🎠🎎🎎and vibrant rangoli 🎉🎉, creating a delightful visual treat👀. Definitely worth a stop to capture some pictures after an exciting trip to Sri Lanka!

💌💌I hope you enjoyed going through my blog. I tried my best to keep it as concise as possible. I have not covered spice garden here. I skipped the meal and went for oil massage for my head 🤣