Gangaramaya Temple, Seema Malakaya & Beira Lake

Gangaramaya Temple

One of the most prominent Buddhist temples in Colombo City.

It houses an extensive collection of artefacts. Located in the bustling inner-city near the picturesque Beira Lake. This temple complex is a massively popular tourist attraction. It is a sacred place of worship and a learning and vocational training centre.

This was Established over 120 years ago. Hordes of people, including local and foreign devotees gather in this bustling space. They are revered for their embellished architecture and statues showcasing Sri Lankan, Chinese, Thai, Burmese and other artistic styles.

The Temple is elaborately designed and surrounded by statues of Buddha, lions, nymphs and china vases. It is a spectacular work of art. Standing like sentinels at the door, two golden Buddha statues guide the throngs to the main sanctuary of the Temple. The door is decorated in intricate wood carvings of elephants and swans.

The museum is a treasure trove of Buddha statues from all over the globe, Hindu Gods, old watches, Dutch coins and other antique collectables.

The pièce de résistance is the smallest Buddha statue on the island, encased in a glass box. whereby visitors can view it with a magnifying glass.

Seema Malakaya & Beira Lake

Standing tall along the banks of Beira Lake, Seema Malaka forms a part of the southern region of the Colombo City of Sri Lanka. It lies in conjunction with the Temple, which is the main shrine there. Residing on three man-made podiums, Seema Malaka Temple stands unrivalled in both its location and architecture. The architectural allure of this temple is highly inspired by the ancient forest monasteries Ritigala and Anuradhapura. The building of temple is built in the Kandyan style and is characterized by its hanging blue tiled roofs. There is a pontoon boardwalk that links the premises of the Seema Malaka temple with its mainland. The outer boundary wall of this shrine is adorned by numerous Buddha statues representing different sitting postures.

There are three raised platforms which divide the temple and are connected with the walkways. The four-sided blue roof on the central platform of this temple is quite evident. On the very next platform, you have a statue of the Treasury of Truth which has got its own significance. This platform at the Seema Malaka temple is actually a treasure of ancient Buddhist texts. They are usually stored in locked conditions and are accessible only to monks.

There are beautiful wooden panels embracing the décor of the central building of this shrine – where people reach out for meditation. The outer area surrounding this room features several Buddha statues. 

On the next platform, you have a Bodhi tree in the central portion, which is all over and flanked by several Buddha statues. On special occasions, you can mark the presence of numerous Locals here to venerate the Bodhi tree. Apart from all these, the four corners of the Seema Malaka temple, also have shrines which are entirely dedicated to the Gods of Hindu religions – Ganesha and Shiva.