A place of utmost veneration to Buddhists from around the globe, the Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya is a Buddhist temple located in Kelaniya upon the banks of the Kelani River. This sacred venue believed to have been once blessed by the Buddha himself is best explored while staying at one of the sensational Negombo Sri Lanka hotels. A good budget type hotel in Negombo would be Hotel J, a tasteful choice of accommodation ideal for sightseeing around the area. The history of the temple goes back to 500 BCE and it is said that the large stupa glistening in white enshrines a jewel encrusted throne upon which the Lord Buddha had sat and preached. The exact year of the construction of the temple is not known but it was renovated for the first time by Prince Uttiya, brother of King Devanampiyatissa after the arrival of Arahat Mahinda in 307 BC. However, the new temple that stands there today was completed under the patronage of the philanthropist Helena Wijewardene in 1946. Comprising of a colossal dagaba, Bo tree and four image houses, the Kelaniya Temple stands today an epitome of serenity. Adorned with impressive paintings, murals and statues, the temple today attracts thousands of visitors every month who believe the very ground of this temple to be a blessed sanctuary.
Jayani Senanayake is a writer who dabbles in travel and all things exotic. Under the pseudonym of Calliope Sage, she writes of the allures that must simply be discovered. Google+
