Things To Do Kataragama

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Places To Visit In Kataragama

Kiri Vehera

The Kiri Vehera is also known as 'the milk stupa', is situated at Kataragama is one of the sixteen sacred places which had been visited by Buddha Shakyamuni. The Kiri Vehera depicts a beautiful relationship between Hinduism and Buddhism. The relationship between Buddha Shakyamuni and Lord Murugan facilitated a peaceful coexistence between Buddhist and Hindu devotees in the region. The stupa is in the garden of the Kihir trees, which was known as Kihir Vehara. However, later for convenience and ease of pronunciation, the name was changed to Kiri Vehara. Kiri Vehera is one of the most famous Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the country. The stupa is said to have been built by King Mahasena, a regional ruler of Kataragama area in the 6th Century. The stupa is 95ft in height and has a circumference of 800m is a peaceful place visited by many Buddhists to meditate. All this makes it a must visit place for the blessings of Buddha, and it inspires peace and tolerance among the different people belonging to different faiths and religions. Read More

The Kataragama temple is one of the ancient sites which are revered by Hindus, Buddhists as well as the Veddas. The temple also attracts many people from South India. The temple complex is a shrine to the Buddhist guardian deity Kataragama 'deviyo' and Hindu War God Murugan. The complex contains the Buddhist temples which are managed by Buddhists, the temples and shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva the Hindus maintain and a mosque which the Muslims govern. This unique feature of Kataragama temples makes the complex, one of the most secular sites in Sri Lanka. Many years ago, the jungle shrine was entirely inaccessible, but today it can be easily accessed by an all-weather road. Kataragama was initially a small town which was a small village nestled between the jungle in the ancient and the medieval period, which slowly transformed into a small town which has attracted many pilgrims becoming a popular pilgrimage site. The legends and myths of the place are changing with the different deities influenced by religion, ethnicity, race and time. Also, as there is a change in devotees, the mode of worship has changed from Hindu orientation to the Buddhist style. Today the entire complex is declared as a holy site by the Sri Lankan government in the 1950s, for which many political leaders have contributed for its maintenance and upkeep. Read More

Kebiliththa Dewalaya is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Kataragama, which is supposed to be a divine power of changing spiritual powers. The Kebiliththa Dewalaya is amid the jungle in the Yala National Park which makes it quite difficult to access, yet many devotees head there to seek the blessing of the Lord. The journey to Kebiliththa Dewalaya requires prior preparation where you need to abstain from the consumption of any meat or alcohol for seven days before the trip. Along with this, it is crucial for one to have control over your anger, refrain from using harsh words and foul language, and not talk about the pending travel. The shrine is considered to be very sacred by the devotees, and they believe that Lord Kataragama resides there. The temple is in the central area of the national park, and there are four different routes which are each equally difficult to access. Before embarking on the journey, the lighting of a lamp where every a pilgrim that crosses through it requests for protection and a safe journey. An offering is also made, which consists of fruits, rice, beverage, and flowers before proceeding to the shrine.On the journey, one will reach a small sapling cum tree behind which is the shrine of the Lord Kataragama. At the back of the tamarind tree and on the surface of the bark is a sketch of Lord Kataragama as a deity with six faces and twelve arms in a state of deep meditation. The only thing which is missing is his weaponry and finery. Read More

Kinniya Bridge is known to be the longest bridge in Sri Lanka having a length of 396 metres. It crosses the lagoon area that is surrounded by Koddiyar Bay and the Tambalagam Bay. It connects Trincomalee with Kinniya, It allows the civilians to cross the Kinniya lagoon to reach Kinniya and Muttur areas using the A15 highway. The bridge was completed and declared open to the public on 20 October 2009. This was done by President Mahinda Rajapaksa himself. Before that, the Manampitiya Bridge was Sri Lanka's longest bridge. The bridge was made with the financial assistance of the Saudi Arabian government. Read More