Sri Lanka Kelaniya Temple : Sri Lanka  

Sri Lanka Kelaniya Temple - Travel guide

Sri Lanka

Kelaniya Temple

This temple, consecrated during the third and final visit of Lord Buddha to Sri Lanka, eight years after gaining enlightenment, is situated 7 miles from Colombo in Gampaha District on the banks of the Kelaniya River. Its history goes back nearly 2,563 years. The Mahawansa records that the original Dagoba at Kelaniya enshrined a gem-studded throne on which the Buddha sat and preached. The temple is also famous for its image of the reclining Buddha and paintings which depict important events in the life of the Buddha, in the history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, also incidents from the Jataka tales. lt is the venue of the annual Duruthu Perahera held in the month of January.