'Paththini Dewale', Nawagamuwa, Sri Lanka.

'Paththini Dewale' - seen from a ditance 

'Paththini Dewale'

' Shri Vishnu Dewale'

'Dhadimundha Dewale'

It is recorded in the Tamil Kavya 'Silappadhikaaram' written around the 2nd Century AD, that at the ceremonial opening of a temple for the Goddess 'Kannaki - Paththini' in present day Kerala, 'Kayavaahu mannan' (presumably King Gajabahu) from Sri Lanka was an honored guest. He returned to Sri Lanka bearing a 'Sacred Anklet jewel' and established a temple at Nawagamuwa on the bank of the Kelani Ganga. He brought in nine different castes of families and settled them each caste in a village surrounding the temple, to service the temple. The term 'Nawagamuwa' meaning nine villages dates from that time. The worship of 'Paththini' spread Island wide.

At the 'Paththine Dewala', Nawagamuwa, Sri Lanka.

Village stream, Nawagamuwa, Sri Lanka.

A village waterway

'Olu' S, 'Thaamarai T, Lotus flowers for the plucking

These flowers are plucked by the villagers and sold at the nearby 'Nawagamuwa Paththini Dewale'. These are used by the worshipers to do 'pooja' at this temple. The flowers fetch around Rs5/-each.