Made my way to Kandy today with several more stops at Buddhist and Hindu temples. They’re nice to see, but you do tend to get a bit ‘templed out’ after a while. Lots of Buddha statues sit prominently on mountain tops in the area. You can also find lots of Buddha statues and frescoes in caves. The first stop was the Dambulla Royal Cave Temple, where many school groups of children happened to be walking barefoot and making offerings.
Buddhist Pilgrims Carrying Lotus Offerings, Dambulla Royal Cave Temple, Sri LankaGolden Buddha and Dragon Entrance, Golden Temple of Dambulla, Sri LankaCave Temple Entrance beneath the Rock Overhang, Dambulla Royal Cave Temple, Sri LankaSeated Buddha Statue and Cave Paintings, Dambulla Royal Cave Temple, Sri LankaDambulla Royal Cave Temple, Sri LankaBuddhist Pilgrims Visiting the Dambulla Royal Cave Temple, Sri LankaDambulla Royal Cave Temple, Sri LankaFloral Ceiling and Buddhist Murals, Dambulla Royal Cave Temple, Sri LankaReclining Buddha and Cave Paintings, Dambulla Royal Cave Temple, Sri LankaApproach to Aluvihare Rock Temple, Matale, Sri Lanka
We also visited a Hindu temple in nearby Matale during a big celebration inside, which was interesting.
Detail of Sculpted Hindu Temple Gopuram, Matale, Sri LankaWorshippers during a Hindu Temple Ceremony, Matale, Sri LankaTemple Musicians during a Hindu Ceremony, Matale, Sri LankaSculpted Hindu Temple Gopuram, Matale, Sri LankaWorshippers during a Hindu Temple Ceremony, Matale, Sri Lanka
And today, being Friday, a Muslim holy day, we saw huge crowds of Muslims leaving their services on our way into Kandy.
My driver told me that about 32% of Sri Lanka is Buddhist, 12% Hindu, 12% Muslim, and all others, including Christian make up the remaining smaller percentages.
