If you are planning your next cultural tour, then look no further than Sri Lanka. Dubbed the ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean’, Sri Lanka’s culture is a proud legacy of the Country’s rich history. Home to a diverse community, Sri Lanka pays homage to four of the world’s widely practiced religions, thus making it an important pilgrim destination.

A predominantly Buddhist country, Sri Lanka is home to many historic Buddhist temples. While many of Sri Lanka’s most famous temples are situated in the Central Province which bore the Country’s earliest cities, Sri Lanka’s southern region boasts a fair-share of the Country’s Buddhist heritage. One such temple is the Kothduwa Temple in Balapitiya. Kothduwa Raja Maha Viharaya sits serenely in the Kothduwa Island in the Madu River near many a Villa Bentota. Take a boat ride from River House Balapitiya and explore Madu River’s famous mangroves and famous Kothduwa Temple.

At the island’s embankment, ascend the steps of the wide staircase and pass under the intricately carved arch to enter the Temple compound. Kothduwa Temple welcomes thousands of devotees each year to pay homage to the its majestic Bo tree which is one of 32 Bo saplings planted by Minister Deva Pathiraja in the 14th century. Devotees can be seen sitting in prayer under the cool shade of the Bodhi tree, that is an off shoot of the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi and in the beautiful shrine that houses an array of Buddha statues. Belonging to the Amarapura Nikaya sect, the Temple’s first higher ordination ceremony was held aboard a fleet of boats in 1803.

Steeped in history, it is believed that in the 4th century, the sacred tooth relic was hidden for a short time in Kothduwa by Prince Dantha and Princess Hemamala before gifting the relics to the Sinhalese King. Later during the turmoil of the Portuguese invasion, Prince Veediya Bandara hid the relics in Kothduwa. However, the most bewildering of the temple’s legends is that of Mudaliyar Rajapakse who witnessed a mesmerizing spectacle of ‘deity’ lights in Kothduwa which motivated him to develop the Temple to its present splendour.

Thanuja Silva is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Auburn Silver. She has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
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