Gadaladeniya is a temple complex atop a rock outcrop, which was built during the reign of Bhuvanekabahu IV (1341- 1351AD). At the entrance are figures of musicians and dancers, and at the foot of the steps to the main shrine, there is a moonstone and two ‘gajasingha’ (elephant-lion) balustrades. There are some discoloured paintings that are Indian in style.
The image house has a seated Buddha statue and a Vishnu devale is on one side of the entrance Sri Lanka is embellished by countless viharas and devales – the temples that represent Buddhism and Hinduism. Not surprisingly, there are many such places of spiritual concentration around Kandy. With fine architecture, striking murals, colourful history and extraordinary atmosphere, these temples – often set in delightful countryside – provide opportunities for some remarkable excursions.
Having visited the Sri Dalada Maligawa, the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy, I had an opportunity to visit a few remarkable historical temples scattered around Kandy during my visit to Senkadagala or Mahanuwara (Great City). Below I detail five places of spiritual and architectural significance within fairly easy reach of Kandy. Individually or in clusters (for instance Embekke, Lankatilaka and Gadaladeniya comprise the tour known as the three-temples loop), these places make for interesting excursions from Kandy.
Starting my journey, I first visited Gadaladeniya, a temple complex atop a rock outcrop, which was built during t.