Matale

In this place you can learn everything about Sri Lankan spices, how they are cultivated and grown in their natural habitat, how they are processed, how to use them in cooking, or even in medicine.

Spectacular and colorful Hindu temple located in Matale, dedicated to Mariamman, the goddess of rain and fertility. Originally, the temple consisted of a small statue under a tree, to which the Hindu people prayed and which over the years the locals have developed. The current temple was built in 1874 and is used by both Hindus and Buddhists. One of the most visually dominant features of this temple is its Gopuram ('Raja Koburum'), almost 33 meters high, a large decorated tower located above the main northern gate ('Vadakku Vaayil') to the temple. The Raja Koburum is one of the largest Gopurams in Sri Lanka.The 1,008 statues of Hindu deities are the work of the South Indian sculptor Nagalingam and his son Ramanathan, with the assistance of around one hundred designers, painters, and architects from Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. The Raja Koburum was completed in 2007.