Kataragama

The small remote town of Kataragama is an important pilgrimage site in Sri Lanka and a holy place for Buddhists, to seek divine assistance. It is a wonderful place where the legends become real, and wafting magical smell of incense is intoxicating. The shrine is believed to be built by King Dutugemunu in the 2nd century BC, dedicated to the Kataragama Deviyo (God). The famous Kataragama festival is when then sleepy quiet town comes alive. It is a primetime for devotees for pilgrimage. The Kirivehara and the Maha Devale shrine are two other places rich in Buddhist culture in Kataragama.