Sri Lanka - Part 19 - Temples and Fish

Sunday, 21 February 2016

Today we drove from Yala to Galle and visited two temples along the way.

In Dondra we stopped at the Uthpalawanna Sri Vishnu Devalaya. While that names implies a Vishnu temple, there was a huge modern standing Buddha and a stupa. This building is the image hall for the Buddha.

The Hindu deities were to be found in this pavilion of shrines off to the side of the temple complex.

One of two temple elephants. Both were chained and didn't seem particularly happy.

This large lizard was found just outside the temple walls.

The second temple was the Sri Sudharshana Bandaramulla temple in Mirissa and was prominent in our guide's family history. The stupa is unusual for having bo leaves at the cardinal points.

The inner wall of the temple.

The temple had very interesting artwork. The poses of these nine women create an elephant.

On the other side of the door was a painting of seven women arranged to make a horse.

The bottom of the outside wall of the temple was painted with graphic-novel-type paintings of Buddhist Hell.

On Sundays, many Buddhist temples run "Sunday Schools" for children.

Fishing boats in Weligama harbor.

Traditionally, fishermen sit on poles planted in the ocean to get the catch.  Now many fisherman make money by posing for tourists.