Three quite different temples with some wonderful carved and colourful statues and beautifully carved timber columns.
An early start from the hotel in Kandy to visit three quite different temples. The first was Gadaladeniya which is built on a rock and has a huge Buddha inside.
The huge main image house has been covered in scaffolding for decades.
There is a white stupa surrounded by four smaller stupas, each with a Buddha inside. There is Hindu influence here including blue colouring.
Lankatilake, a huge white temple, stands on a rocky hilltop. It has both Buddhist and Hindu influences. On one side a large Buddha, on the other an enclosed temple with statues of gods including Vishnu, Lakshmi and a wonderfully fat Ganesha.
Embekke is again a combined Buddhist and Hindu shrine. It is dedicated to the god of war Kataragama. The highlight is the intricate carving on a small forest of wooden pillars, probably dating from the Kanyan period, 17th-18th centuries.
It was a pleasant outing, driving through small villages, paddy fields and banana palm plantations.