A ’secret’ temple in the Kurunegala jungle

This is an extension of yesterday’s blog about the Sinhalese New Year’s celebration which we attended in the morning. After our roti and chilli lunch, Rev Ragama took us to the cave temple, a part of his village which he is developing so people can go there for a retreat and practise meditation and yoga. The cave temple is over 2000 years old and has ancient Sinhalese and early Bhakmin inscriptions carved into the rock which are still clearly visible. Two elderly monks meditate in the caves there and other novice monks live close by in basic communal accommodation. If you have been to, or seen pictures of Dambulla further north but still in the central province of Sri Lanka, you will see some distinct resemblances but no one seems to know about this cave temple just outside Kurunegala.

We were lucky enough to practise a walking meditation with Rev Ragama along a long sand path. It was such a peaceful and a relaxing mindfulness technique and I’ve been thinking how I might include this into my daily routine when we get home!

The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic

We visited the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in the evening to witness the daily ceremony with beating of the drums, to see the incarcerated Buddha’s tooth relic and to soak up the spiritual atmosphere. Sri Lankan Buddhists, which are 70% of the population, believe they must complete at least one pilgrimage to the Temple each year as worshiping here is said to improve one’s Karmic connection.

Next up: Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, and a visit to a woodcarving workshop.

If you missed Blog 12 then you can find it here.

Further sponsorship – If you’d like to sponsor us on this trek whilst being assured that every penny will go to those who need it, then please donate by clicking on this link Marcia Summers is fundraising for Their Future Today (justgiving.com). Don’t forget that if you’re a tax payer to declare ‘gift aid’ when doing so which will increase your donation by 25% at no cost to you. Alternatively, if you know anyone or of an organisation that may have an interest in these causes please forward this blog and above link on to them.