15th Century Ammaduwa Devalaya

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Turning north from Godakawela town on the Pelmadulla – Pallebedda road and travelling 7 km along this road, Ammaduwa Devalaya is found on a small hillock to the left. This devalaya was established in 1452, during the reign of King Parakramabahu VI of Kotte kingdom.

Alternatively, you could travel straight from Pelmadulla up to Delgas Handiya junction in Opanayake and turn right to Galkanda Road. The devalaya is found about 12.5 km down this road. This is shorter and faster than the Godakawela route.

Since there was no devalaya for worshipping the deity Kataragama, the people of Kolonna Atakalan Dekorala used to go to the Aluthnuwara Devalaya to offer their prayers and receive blessings. Also, a separate street was reserved for the villagers of these korales on the temple grounds. They had to stay in that street, make their offerings and return. During this period, Ramagiri Brahmin Rala and Devagiri Brahmin Rala, who resided at Uraboda Kanda located in Amatiagoda village in Medapattu, Atakalan Korala, led this pilgrimage to Aluthnuwara Devalaya.

In the year 1452, during the Aluthnuwara Perahara, the residents of Kolonna Atakalan Dekorala along with the above mentioned two Brahmins went to the Aluthnuwara temple with their own offerings. When they reached the place, another group was residing in the street that used to be reserved for them. As there was no other street reserved for these people, they had to return with offerings according to the customs of that time.

Returning to the other side of the Kahatapitiya River Port along this route, they saw a flat area and a nearby canal filled with clean water and stayed at this place for the night. They cooked the food they had brought and spent the night there, and the two leading Brahmins kept the offerings which they carried in the middle of the flat land and till the night dawned and prayed to deity Kataragama about the unfortunate incident that had happened to them and prayed to send them a holy item for them to worship him freely.

The next morning, leaving the offerings at the place the pilgrims left for their respective homes. The Brahmin couple came to Uraboda Kanda. Someone came to the Ramagiri Brahmin Rala in a dream and said to him that a part of a holy ornament had appeared on the breadfruit tree near the path they had travelled and told him to take it and make offerings as they wished and disappeared.

The next morning he woke up and told this incident to the Devagiri Brahmin Rala went on foot inspecting both sides of the road to find this place. At one point he heard a certain cowbird crying Udabako Udabako and when he looked up, saw a golden arrow embedded in a branch at the top of the breadfruit tree and immediately went to the base of the tree and started to pray. With the prayers, the golden arrow fell on the jata of Ramagiri Brahmanarala. These ornaments have been enshrined in the present Ammaduwa Devalaya.

Various kings have offered manorial villages to this temple. A grant of a manorial by the Maha Adikaram of Kandy in 1780 has been preserved even today.

Devalaya Perahera Possession

The Perahera is held in the month of September with three stages namely Kumbal Perahera, Dewele Perahera and Maha Perahera.

After the completion of Kataragama, Sabaragamu Maha Saman and Kandy Dalada Perahera, the Perahara will start after the kup ceremony rituals. After the completion of the 5 days of Maha Perahera, the water-cutting ritual is performed. After finishing the last dance, Kotikolumba, the grand procession reaches the water-cutting site and a jar of water is brought to the devale. This water is preserved until the next procession. This holy water is used as medicine for immediate ailments.

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