Bahirawakanda Temple in Kandy

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Buddha Statue at the top of the mountain

According to legend, Bahirawa Kanda was once home to a powerful Bahirawa Devalaya, where countless young women were sacrificed to appease Bahirawa Deviyo. These rituals were said to have thrived during the Nayakkar reign in Kandy.

Rising above the Kandy town, it’s just 2 km from the Dalada Maligawa, the temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. The name Bahirawakanda (Bahirawa Kanda) means the Gnome Mountain. There are many folklore beliefs pertaining to this mountain’s ancient history.

Legend of Dingiri Menika

As Udugama (1983, pp. 26–30) writes, the origins of this human sacrifice trace back to a queen who was unable to conceive. Upon consulting the court astrologer, she was told that she had fallen out of favor with Bahirawa Yakshaya and that a young maiden needed to be sacrificed to appease the deity. After the queen bore several children, the king eventually halted the practice. However, the last King of Kandy, Sri Wickrama Rajasinha, revived the ritual, fearing that neglecting it would bring misfortune upon him and his kingdom.

During this time, a young woman named Dingiri Menika, known for her exceptional beauty, lived in Galagedera. One day, the king’s soldiers arrived at her home and ordered her to the royal palace, where many other maidens from across the kingdom had also been gathered. The king, captivated by her beauty, selected Dingiri Menika to be sacrificed to Bahirawa.

She was bathed in perfumed water, dressed in white, and adorned with jasmine and temple flowers before being taken in a grand procession featuring elephants, dancers, drummers, and banner-bearers. Upon reaching Bahirawakanda, she was tied to a stake with twisted vines and left as an offering to the demon.

As night fell, an unknown rescuer arrived, cutting her bonds and carrying her to safety. When she regained consciousness, she found herself in the presence of Dunuwilla Gajanayake Nilame, a former high-ranking court official and chief of the Elephant Department, who had secretly admired her in the king’s audience hall. He had once been a favorite of Sri Wickrama Rajasinha but had fallen out of favor due to a romance with a noblewoman from the royal court.

Following this incident, King Sri Wickrama Rajasinha permanently abolished the practice of human sacrifice, and the Devalaya was ruined with the passage of time. Dingiri Menika later became the wife of Dunuwilla Gajanayake Nilame.

After the fall of the Kandyan Kingdom, Dingiri Menika settled in Kandy, where she lived in a house on Cross Street. She became known as Welligalle Maya, a name by which she was remembered in later years.

The Minister Turned Bahirawa

Another legend explains the origin of the name Bahirawakanda. During the days of the Kandyan Kingdom, eerie sounds echoed from the mountain, striking fear into the hearts of the people. It was believed that an evil gnome resided there, demanding an annual sacrifice of a beautiful virgin. The king, acting on the advice of a minister, agreed to this grim tradition.

Unbeknownst to all, the minister himself was the evil gnome in disguise. However, fate took an unexpected turn when the woman chosen for sacrifice one year happened to be the lover of the minister’s own son.

That night, the villagers led the young woman to the mountain and left her as an offering. Later, her lover secretly arrived, rescued her, and engaged in a fierce battle with the gnome. In a clever twist, he imitated the terrifying sound that the gnome used to make, deceiving the villagers into believing that the sacrifice had been accepted. Under the cover of night, the couple fled the town, escaping both the gnome’s curse and the king’s decree.

Current Status

Now, a Buddhist temple is built on the top of the mountain with a massive statue of Buddha. When you get to the top, you will get a remarkable view of Kandy Town, a mountain range connected with each other, and the inside of the Bogambara Prison.

References

Udugama, S. (1983). Sri Lanka from Legend and History. Niloo Bhatt.

Also See

Kandy – The Last Kingdom of Sinhale

Map of the Bahirawa Kanda

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Driving Directions to Bahirawa Kanda

Kandy can be reached from Colombo via the old Colombo-Kandy road (option 1), which is scenic but heavily congested, especially on Fridays and Sundays. However, the new Central Expressway (option 2) has opened up a new route, which is longer but less cumbersome.

Route 1 from Colombo to Kandy	Route 2 from Colombo to Kandy
Through: Walapane – Raja Mawatha Distance: 100 km Travel Time: 3.0 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.	Through: Warakapola – Kegalle – Kadugannawa Distance: 121 km Travel Time: 4.15 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.
Route From Nuwara Eliya to Kandy
Through : Walapane – Raja Mawatha Distance: 100 km Travel Time: 3.0 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.