Kataragama in Sri Lanka: Hindu warrior god who is worshipped by Buddhists

Have you heard about Sri Lanka's warrior god?

Did you know that he is worshipped both by Buddhists and Hindus?

Also that, people believe that he moved from the himalayas to the island country in love for a beautiful princess?

Now you will. Watch this video to know the fascinating story of Kataragama in Sri Lanka.



Most Indians think of the Ramayana when they think of Sri Lanka. But the fact is that the cultural and religious ties between our countries extend far beyond the religious epic.

So today I am going to tell you the story of a place you probably haven't heard of.

And the lucky person that I am, I have already been there.

So here goes the story of Skanda, the warrior god of Kataragama in Sti Lanka.

Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati had two sons. They used to live in their abode in the Himalayas in northern India.

Their elder son Karthikeya, was once told by Narad.

You probably have heard of character, he is the celestial messenger.

Narad told Karthikeya that there was a princess named Valli in the southern forests of Sri Lanka and that her beauty was unparalleled.

His description expressed her beauty in such a way, that it is said that Karthikeya fell in love with her. Without actually having seen her.

And he decided to go to Sri Lanka to find her. He had many adventures along the way and he finally met her.

And yes, he married her.

But there is a twist in the story. Karthikeya was already married to Thevani Amman.

She decided to trace her husband and went south to Sri Lanka herself.

Alas, she could not convince him to come back with her.

So the three of them finally they lived happily together in Kataragama.


That my friends is the story of Skanda or Murukan or Karthikeya, the god of war. He is revered by hindus from Sri Lanka and even India.

And he is the regining deity at this beautiful temple towm of Kataragama.


But there is another story from the Sinhala Buddhist perspective.

They believe that Gautama Buddha, the blessed one, visited the island three times in his life. It was during one of these visits that he met King Mahasena, a very just, able and courageous king.

On listening to Lord Buddha's sermons, King Mahasena decided to dedicate his life to promoting and protecting Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

Lord Skanda of Hindus in Kataragama is the deified form of King Mahasena for the Buddhist.

Unlike most temples of Hindu gods, this one is pretty humble. Though its scale does not signify its importance in the island's religious and cultural life.

Right behind the temple there is a Maha Bodhi tree as well. The same tree under which Lord Buddha attained nirvana in India.

Though Sri Lanka has had a contemporary history of religious and ethnic conflict - Kataragama stands out as a symbol of the multiculturalism of this beautiful island nation.

The complex also houses the massive Kiri Vehara. It is a buddhist Dagoba which was built on the same spot where the Buddha is said to have met King Mahasena.

Not just that, there is also a mosque located in the Kataragama complex called Al-Khidr.

If there is one place that not many foreign tourists visit, but is a great example of Sri Lanka's rich heritage and culture, then it is Kataragama.

Whenever you decide to go to Sri Lanka(after the pandemic is over, of course) - put Kataragama on your itinerary. You won't be disappointed.

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