Jaffna
Jaffna, the cultural capital of Sri Lanka’s Tamil community in the far north, is a city of proud resilience, distinctive culture and deeply rooted Hindu tradition. The city’s skyline is punctuated by the elaborate towers of ancient kovils – Hindu temples of Dravidian craftsmanship, while its streets carry an atmosphere and identity entirely distinct from […]
Kataragama
Kataragama is one of Sri Lanka’s most powerful and atmospheric sacred places, a centre of multi-religious pilgrimage for over two thousand years, revered by Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, and the Vedda indigenous people, who consider it among their most sacred sites. The deity of Kataragama, the war god Skanda, known here simply as Kataragama Deviyo, is […]
Koneswaram Temple, Trincomalee
The Koneswaram Temple is a clifftop promontory called Swami Rock that plunges 130 metres directly into the sea at Trincomalee harbour, offering panoramic views of the Bay of Bengal in every direction. The temple is a major centre of Shaivite Hindu worship in Sri Lanka, its origins traced back over two thousand years to a […]
Adam’s Peak
Adam’s Peak is a sacred summit of 2,243 metres that is revered simultaneously by Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians, each tradition venerating the mysterious footprint-shaped indentation at the summit in their own way. The pilgrimage season runs from December to May, when a stream of devotees and adventurous travellers climb along a staircase of thousands […]
Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is one of the holiest sites in the entire Buddhist world. The temple complex is a masterpiece of Kandyan architecture, its golden roof, ornate moat-house gateway, carved stone entrance hall and richly decorated inner sanctum creating an atmosphere of sacred beauty. The daily puja ceremonies, when drums, conch […]