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Kalaniya Temple


Kalaniya temple is one of the ancient temple in Sri Lanka. Throughout the year many Buddhist devotees visit this temple, not only on poya days but also on other normal days many Sri Lankan and foreign people worship this secret temple. Sri Lankan Buddhist history says that Lord Buddha had visited this place during Lord Buddha’s 3rd visit to Sri Lanka. And there is an old saying “If you worship Kalaniya once that erases all the bad that you have done since your birth” in this old saying word “once”  does not mean one time it means If you worship Kalaniya Temple continuously on poya days during the year that will erase your sins which you have done since your birth. Kalaniya temple has two parts, most of the devotees name these two temples as “Egoda Kalaniya” &”Megoda Kalaniya”.
Kelaniya (Kalyani) is mentioned in Ramayana and in the Buddhist chronicle, the Mahawansa which states that the Gautama Buddha (5th century BC) visited the place, after which the dagaba of the temple was built.[1]
The suburb is also of historical importance as the capital of a provincial king Kelani Tissa (1st century BC) whose daughter, Viharamahadevi was the mother of king Dutugemunu the great, regarded as the most illustrious of the 186 or so kings of Sri Lanka between the 5th century BC and 1815.
Sri Lankan Buddhists believe that the Buddha visited Kelaniya in order to quell a quarrel between two Nāga leaders of two warring factions: Chulodara (literally "the small-bellied one") and Mahodara (literally "the big-bellied one"). They were quarrelling over a jewel-encrusted throne. After the Buddha showed them the futility of their quarrel they converted to Buddhism and together offered the throne to the Buddha. It is believed that the Dagaba (Sthupa or Buddhist temple) seen today was built with the throne as a relic inside. 

According to Ramayana, After King Ravana’s death, Vibeeshana was coroneted as King of Lanka by Lakshmana at Kelaniya. There are murals enshrined outside the Buddhist temple depicting the crowning of Vibeeshana. The Kelani River is mentioned in the Valmiki Ramayana and Vibeeshana palace was said to be on the banks of this river. The reason Lakshmana crowned Vibeeshana, was because Rama had to return to India as he had to continue his self-exile of 14 years to honour the commitment to his father, King Dasarath of Ayodhy
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