Pilgrimage in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a deeply religious country. It has number of religious places that attract tourists from all over the world. Most of these are related to Buddhism. Major among them are Temple of Tooth that houses the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha and Sri Pada Peak (Adam's Peak). These religious places provide solace to the people and give them courage to face the challenges of life.

Adam's Peak
Adam's Peak is an ancient pilgrimage that is considered sacred by Buddhists, Christians, Hindus and Muslims. It is a conical mountain 2,243 meters high. It is believed that Lord Buddha during his third visit to Sri Lanka placed his footprint on the summit of this sacred mountain.

Bogoda Bridge and Temple
Bogoda, with its ancient temple and wooden bridge lies some 30km from Bandarawela and 10 km from Badulla, off the Hali-ela junction. Believed to be the oldest surviving wooden bridge in the world, the Bogoda Bridge dates back to the 1600s, but the temple just by it, has a much longer history, going back to the 1st century BC.

Buduruwagala
Buduruwagala is located 5km south of Wellawaya. Literally it means images of Buddha. The complex consists of seven statues and belongs to the Mahayana school of thought. The statues date back to 10 century AD. The gigantic Buddha statue still bears traces of its original stuccoed robe and a long streak of orange suggests it was once brightly painted.

Dowa Cave Temple
Dowa Cave Temple is located 6km from Bandarawela on Badulla-Bandarawella highway. Nestled amidst the hills, the historic cave temple complex was once the sanctuary for King Walagamba. The temple has a beautiful ornamental gateway that attracts visitors.

Maligawila and Dambegoda
Maligawila-located about 15 km to the south of Monaragala-is famous for the two colossal statues of Buddha dating back to 7th century AD. Both the statues are carved from crystalline limestone. One of the statues is 11m high and is considered to be the world's largest free standing Buddha figure.

Muthiyangana
Muthiyangana is one of the sixteen most venerated religious places for Buddhists in Sri Lanka. It has a shrine that was built in 4 century AD and houses the jaw-bone of Lord Buddha. It is believed that the Lord Buddha personally blessed this site during one of his three visits to Sri Lanka.

Temple of Tooth
Temple of Tooth also known as Dalda Maligawa is located in the city of Kandy. It is one of the most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage sites and houses the sacred tooth of Lord Buddha. The tooth was said to be taken from the flames of Buddha's funeral pyre in 543 BC and was smuggled into Sri Lanka during the 4th century AD, hidden in the hair of princess.