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A Guide to the Sacred Cities of Sri Lanka
How Anuradhapura, Mihintale, Polonnaruwa and Kandy fit together in Sri Lanka's Buddhist history, and what to know before visiting these living pilgrimage places.
Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia
Sri Lanka Sacred Cities
Kandy, Anuradhapura and the other great pilgrimage places of Sri Lanka.
Anuradhapura: The Ancient Capital and Its Stupas
The great dagobas of Anuradhapura, including Ruwanwelisaya and Jetavanaramaya, how they are traditionally dated, and how pilgrims still use them today.
Dressing in White: Sri Lankan Temple Customs
Why many Sri Lankan Buddhists wear white at temples, how flower offerings and oil lamps are used, and how customs vary by region and temple.
Kandy and the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
The Tooth Relic tradition in Sri Lanka, the Kandy temple that houses it, its role in the island's Buddhism, and respectful visiting conduct.
Mihintale and the Arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka
The tradition of the monk Mahinda meeting King Devanampiya Tissa at Mihintale, how historians read it, and what visitors find on the hill today.
Polonnaruwa and the Gal Vihara Images
Polonnaruwa as a medieval Sri Lankan capital and the four Buddha images carved into granite at Gal Vihara, with notes on how to view them respectfully.
Poya Days and Temple Life in Sri Lanka
What Poya full moon days involve for Sri Lankan Buddhists, from precepts and sermons to temple offerings, and how visitors can respect the day.
Sri Pada: The Pilgrimage to Adams Peak
Sri Pada, the mountain footprint shrine honoured by several faiths in Sri Lanka, the night-climb tradition, and why season and conditions need checking.
The Esala Perahera Procession in Kandy
The general character and meaning of Kandy's annual Esala Perahera, who takes part and what it honours, with advice to confirm dates and access officially.
The Sri Maha Bodhi Tree at Anuradhapura
The tradition that Sri Lanka's Sri Maha Bodhi grew from a cutting of the Bodh Gaya tree, its historical record, and how pilgrims honour it today.
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