SURPRISE ME!

On the Buddhist Trail in Sri Lanka

Rakhee Ghelani

Last updated: Apr 3, 2017

Author Recommends

Want To Go ?

Sri Lanka is home to some of the world’s most spectacular Buddhist monuments and historical sites. As a temple enthusiast, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to tour through the ancient cities as I sought to unlock the secrets of a time gone by. I visited Sri Lanka earlier this year on a family holiday and found it to be both enlightening and spiritual in so many different ways.

lake in kandy

The beautiful temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is tucked in the corner of the lake in the town of Kandy

The first stop on our Buddhist trail was the beautiful town of Kandy. Kandy hosts one of the most famous Buddhist relics, the Sacred Tooth Relic. Legend has it that it was saved from Buddha’s funeral pyre and has travelled a long path to finally settle here. The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is located in a quiet corner of the lake and is one of the biggest Buddhist pilgrimage sites.

This stunning lakeside town was also the last capital of the Sinhala kings, and is worth spending some time just wandering through the streets or taking a stroll around the peaceful lake. Surrounded by the cool water and verdant mountains, Kandy is simply idyllic.

golden temple sri lanka

Visitors are left amazed at the site of the large golden statue of Buddha at the foothills of Dambulla Caves

A few hours from Kandy, we ambled through scenic tea plantations to reach the dusty town of Dambulla. As we entered the town, it was hard to miss the entrance to the Cave Temples, guarded by a huge gold statue of Buddha that marks the way up the hill. With almost 2000 years of history, these five caves contain some of the most important Buddhist murals and statues. This makes the rather steep climb up to the caves worth the visit.

We stayed near Kandalama, located on a peaceful lake, dined by the waterside and woke up to the sound of birds chirping. It didn’t take long for our aching muscles to forget the steep climb and settle into relaxation. Thankfully so, considering we didn’t realize exactly what was ahead of us the next day.

sirgiriya sri lanka

Sigiriya has been named as one of the Wonders of the World and this massive rock is nearly 200 metres high

The next morning we headed to Sigiriya, a short drive from Dambulla. Famed as the sacred rock that was once overseen by a lion, all that remains now is the lion’s paw, but its sheer size indicates the grandeur that was once here. A rather harrowing climb up to the summit, was thankfully broken up with some beautiful frescoes and viewpoints overlooking the lush environment.

polonnaruwa sri lanka

Ancient ruins of the second capital of Sri Lanka, Polonnaruwa

We took a day trip from here to visit the ancient ruins of Polonnaruwa, which despite the threatening rain, still remains one of the highlights of the trip. This ancient city was the second royal capital and has some impressive ruins that will transport you to this 12^th century town. The spectacular carvings of the Lankatilaka and Gal Vihara had us gazing in amazement at how they came to be created.

The final stop on our Buddhist trail was the most important royal capital, Anuradhapura. From the dominating white dome of the Ruvanvelisaya Dagoba to the peaceful Samadhi Buddha, there is plenty to discover in this beautiful old town. The nearby town of Mihintale makes a good day trip from here, but we were enjoying seeing the sites of Anuradhapura so much that we opted to take our time and just enjoy this lovely town.

sri lanka bhudha trail

Samadhi Buddha is one Anuradhapura's many famous landmarks

Whilst the trail is over, the memory of the journey stays with me. It has left me with a longing to return to Sri Lanka and discover more temples and Buddhist sites that are buried deep within her center.

Want to find yourself on this spiritual trail? MakeMyTrip offers flights and packages to Sri Lanka.

Rakhee Ghelani

Comments

Dr A K Myint | on 24 August 2017

Dear Rakhee Ghelani Thank you for this interesting article. However, I am disappointed by the fact the photos except the bottom 2 are not visible. The text will be more meaningful if is read together with the photos as "a photo tells a thousand words". I wish to revisit this site again once the photos are attached. Please keep me informed through aungkyimyint@gmail.com. Thank you. With boundless metta. Dr A K Myint (London)