Religions in Sri Lanka: Part 4 - Christianity

When someone asks me what religion I am, I usually respond with my well-rehearsed line ‘I’m half and half’. On paper, I am a Buddhist… It is the religion I studied in school and the one I know most about. My Father is a Buddhist and my Mother is a Christian, so in reality I follow both religions. I pray in churches and temples [and Kovils too – Come to think of it, my answer should be that I’m multi-religious!] and my family and I celebrate Vesak, a Buddhist festival, as well as Christmas. This time around, the fourth and final addition to my four part blog on religions is on Christianity in Sri Lanka.

Christianity was said to have first been introduced to Sri Lanka in the 1^st century when Thomas the Apostle arrived in Sri Lanka. After this, it was believed that there were a few Christian settlements along the coastline. The reach of Christianity [Roman Catholicism] grew when the country was under the Portuguese rule in 1505. When the Dutch took over Sri Lanka in the 17^th century, this number grew further to bring the country’s Christian population to over 20%. Most other branches of Christianity, including Anglican and Protestant etc were introduced to the country with the British rule in the late 1700’s. In the present day, according to the census conducted in 2012, only around 6% of the Sri Lanka’s population are Christians.

In contrast to the other religions in Sri Lanka, where Buddhists are almost all Sinhalese, Hindu’s are almost all Tamils and Islamists are almost all Muslims, Christians include members of both the Sinhalese and Tamil ethnic groups.

There are many beautiful old churches and cathedrals spread out across the country that were made during and after the Portuguese, Dutch and British rule. One of these is the Wolvendaal Church in Pettah [Colombo]. The Dutch name Wolvendaal meaning ‘Wolf’s Dale’ was given to the church because of the jackals that roamed the area at the time of the church being built in 1749. The design of the church is very typically Dutch and the walls are 1.5 meters thick! The old carved ebony chairs are another unique feature of this enchanting church.

 

The Wolvendaal Church

Another two popular churches in Colombo are the St. Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade and St. Lucia’s Cathedral in Kotahena. The St.Anthony’s church started off as a little chapel made out of mud. Today, in the heart of Colombo, this church attracts thousands of devotees from all walks of life. St. Lucia’s Cathedral too started off as a small chapel on a hill built by the Dutch. In the 1880’s, construction was underway to make this cathedral that is a replica of the St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. It is the seat of the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Colombo.

St. Lucia's Cathedral

There are two popular old churches in Galle as well; the Dutch Reformed Church and the All Saints Anglican Church, both inside the Galle Fort. The Dutch Reformed Church was built in 1640 and was later remodelled in 1752. It is home to a magnificent vintage organ from 1760 and the church is paved with grave stones from the Old Dutch cemetery. The All Saints Church was built much later in 1971.

The keyboard of the Vintage Organ at the Dutch Reformed Church.

Most Christian festivals like Christmas and Easter are celebrated in Sri Lanka in a big way. Even non-Christians often celebrate and become a part of the festivals. There has been a lot of influence from Christianity in the Sri Lankan Culture.

This brings my four part blog on Religions in Sri Lanka to a close. They have been the hardest for me to write and they have also taken the most amount of research. Sri Lanka is a very religious country, whether we are Buddhists, Hindus, Islamists or Christians, we are very spiritual and devoted to the religions we follow. Therefore, each religion has embedded itself as a part of our culture and our culture has influenced some of the religious traditions followed as well.

Religions in Sri Lanka: Part 2 - Hinduism

The Gallup poll in 2008 found that Sri Lanka was the third most religious country in the world. The report stated that 99% of Sri Lankans said that religion is an important part of their day to day lives. The second part of my four part blog on religions in Sri Lanka is on Hinduism, the second most popular religion in Sri Lanka. Although Hinduism was the main religion in Sri Lanka before Buddhism was introduced to the country in the 3^rd century, only 16.6% of Sri Lankans currently follow Hinduism.

Hindu legend states that Sri Lanka was formed when the God of Wind and Air, Vayu, after being persuaded by Sage Narada, blew strong winds at Mount Meru, the mountain where the Gods lived, and caused the top of the mountain to fall into the sea forming the island of Sri Lanka. This led people to believe that the island’s beauty is because it once was the home of Gods.

The Hindu God Vayu

Sri Lanka also plays a large role in the great Hindu epic Ramayana [Rama’s Journey] which consists of 24,000 verses in seven books that follow the story of Rama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and his conquest of Sri Lanka to save his wife Sita [the avatar of Goddess Lakshmi], who was abducted by Ravana the demon King of Lanka.  The epic also talks of a bridge made between India and Sri Lanka which was said to have been constructed by Rama and Hanuman. Although Rama’s bridge was thought not to exist, recent satellite imagery by NASA has found this ancient 1,750,000 year old man made bridge. There is also archaeological evidence that proves that Lord Shiva was worshipped in Sri Lanka from prehistoric times, before the arrival of Prince Vijaya.

Rama [right] fighting the Demon King Ravana [left]

Statues of Rama [center], Sita [right], Lakshmana [left] and Hanuman, the monkey God at the Sita Amman Kovil in Nuwara Eliya. The place where ravana kept Sita when she was abducted.

The NASA satellite imagery of Rama's Bridge
connecting India and Sri Lanka

Although there was a decline in Hinduism after the introduction of Buddhism to the country, Hinduism’s survival in Sri Lanka was largely due to invasions by the South Indian and the Oriya rulers that led to the migration of people from the South of India that brought Hindu religious practice and tradition to Sri Lanka. A strand of Hinduism called Shaivism, which focuses on the devotional worship of Lord Shiva is what is dominantly practiced by the Hindus in Sri Lanka. Consequently, most of the Hindu temple architecture and philosophy is influenced by this particular strand of Hinduism.

Even though Hinduism is not the dominant religion in Sri Lanka, it has had a great influence in the country’s history and traditions. Many Buddhist temples also have shrines of Hindu Gods such as Skanda, Vishnu and Ganesha as well as Hindu Deities such as Paththini and Ayyanayake. Most Hindu traditions in Sri Lanka are very similar to those found in South India such as Kavadi Attam [penance dancing] and Tee Midi [Fire walking] which can be seen when visiting Kovils [Hindu Temples] and while watching their processions.

Kavadi Dancers

There are three main Hindu festivals in Sri Lanka each year, Thai Pongal [the harvest festival in January], Maha Shivaratri [festival that gives reverence to Lord Shiva] and Deepavali [the festival of lights that falls in October]. The festival of lights is to signify the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair. On this day, Sri Lankan Hindus take an oil bath in the morning, wear new clothes, exchange gifts, and visit the Hindu Temple. They also light oil lamps to invite the blessings of the Goddess Lakshmi.

Lamps lit for Deepavali

There are many prominent Hindu Temples in Sri Lanka. Many were destroyed during the period when the Portuguese ruled over the country but were rebuilt later on during the British Colonial Rule and after the country gained independence. Some of these are the Naguleswaram Kovil in Keerimalai [North of Jaffna], the Ketheeswaram Kovil in Mannar, the Koneswaram Kovil in Trincomale and the Muneswaram Kovil the Puttlam District. The Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil in Jaffna and the newly built Ponnabalvaneswaram Kovil in Colombo are also important to the Hindus in Sri Lanka. The Kataragama Kovil dedicated to Lord Murukan [or Skanda] is also frequented by most Sri Lankans whether they are Hindus, Buddhists or Christians.

The Naguleswaram Kovil

The Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil in Jaffna

Hinduism and Buddhism are very different religions, but they are also very similar in many ways. Many Buddhists often worship Hindu Gods and deities as well. Although less than a quarter of the country’s population is Hindu, the religion has had a great influence on Sri Lanka’s culture and tradition. 

Religions in Sri Lanka: Part 1 - Buddhism

I’m starting this blog with a confession. I’m ashamed to admit that I, a self-proclaimed travel buff, have not been on an adventure in the past month. This left me with the problem of not having anything to blog about. So I thought I’d go ahead with something I already have some solid insight to: Religions in Sri Lanka.

My mom’s a Christian and my dad’s a Buddhist, so I consider myself to be half and half and I’ve been going to temples, churches and Kovils all my life! Sri Lanka is a multicultural nation with four main religions; Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. Each of them stem from various stages throughout Sri Lanka’s rich history and have heavily influenced our culture and traditions.

A little over 70% of the country’s population is Buddhist. Buddhism was brought to Sri Lanka from India in 246 BC by a Buddhist Monk named Mihindu [or Mahinda] who was the son of the Mauryan Emperor, Ashoka. He was said to have been standing atop Mihintale Rock and to have called out to King Devanampiya Tissa as he was about to hunt a deer in the jungle. He then converted the King into Buddhism. His sister Arahath Sanghamitra later arrived in Sri Lanka carrying a sapling of the Bodhi Tree on which Lord Buddha had attained Enlightenment. The Jaya Sri Maha Bodhiya was planted by King Devanampiya Tissa in Anuradhapura. From then on Buddhism was carried down through generations spreading across the country to become the official religion of Sri Lanka in 200 BC.

Arahath Mahinda calling out to King Devanampiya Tissa

Arahath Sangamithra bringing the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhiya

After the death of Lord Buddha, his Sacred Tooth Relic was brought to Sri Lanka in the 4^th Century by Prince Dantha and Princess Hemamala. They were said to have been disguised as Brahmins to avoid recognition and the Sacred Tooth Relic was hidden in the Princess’s hair. The Relic has played a huge role in Sri Lanka’s history as the people believed that whoever possessed the tooth was the ruler of the land and as a result many wars were waged to gain ownership of this relic. Currently it is housed at the Temple of the Tooth Relic which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Kandy.

Bringing the Sacred Tooth Relic to Sri Lanka

There are many Temples that are places of interest to travellers like the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy mentioned above and the Gangarama Temple in Colombo. I personally prefer my small and quiet neighbourhood temple that is a short walk away from my home. I insist that you visit a local temple that is not well known while you are in Sri Lanka instead of just visiting the more popular ones because you would get a better idea of the religion and its calm and simple nature.

The Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy

The Gangarama Temple in Colombo

Buddhists in Sri Lanka follow the Theravada teachings where Lord Buddha is seen as a man who achieved Enlightenment and taught monks to follow and spread his teachings. It is more of a philosophy and a way of life than it is a religion. People do not officially worship Lord Buddha but instead show reverence to his memory unlike the Mahayana teachings where the Buddha is seen as a superhuman being.

One of the best things about living in Sri Lanka is that we get a holiday on the full moon day every month. These are called Poya days and they were declared a holiday so that the Buddhists in Sri Lanka can spend the day worshipping in the temple. The most significant day in Buddhism’s calendar is Vesak Poya which falls on the full moon day in May to commemorate the birth, enlightenment and death of Lord Buddha. It is celebrated by decorating houses and streets with Vesak Lanterns in different shapes, sizes and colours. There are also large pandols lit up with hundreds of bulbs showing different stories from Lord Buddha’s life. People usually walk around the streets enjoying these decorations in the night time. Another unique feature of Vesak Poya is that there are several stalls along the streets called ‘dansal’ that give out free food, drink and desserts to any and all passers-by. This is one of my favourite things about living in Sri Lanka!

Colourful Vesak Lanterns

A Vesak Pandol

A stall handing out free ice cream to passers by

Temples also organise big parades called peraheras that vary in size depending on the temple. The most popular perahera takes place in Kandy, where the Sacred Tooth Relic is taken on the back of a tusker behind several dancers, fire dancers, decorated elephants and drummers etc. It is definitely something you should try and check out if you plan to be in Sri Lanka during that time.

Fire dancers in a Perahera

Top 10 reasons why you should visit Sri Lanka

There are hundreds of reasons for you to visit Sri Lanka… But here’s my list of the top 10 reasons that would make you want to book your flight right now!

1) Heritage

 

The Vatadage in Polonnaruwa

Did you know that Sri Lanka has more UNESCO World Heritage sites than Egypt? That’s pretty impressive for such a tiny Island… Our rich history left us with an incredible collection of ancient ruins that date back to the 1800s. Most of which are adorned with some of the most intricate stone carvings you will ever see. Just that is enough reason for anyone to book a holiday to Sri Lanka.

2) Wildlife

Sri Lanka boasts of its ‘Big Five’ which include the Blue Whale, the Sperm Whale, the Asian Elephant, the Leopard and the Sloth bear. But it’s not just that, we’ve got a lot more to see here. Our jungles and forests are home to a varied collection of animals and bird life as well as insects and reptiles. You don’t have to be a wildlife enthusiast or a naturalist to be awed by what you see on a game drive at one of our many national parks and forests.

The Wildlife at Yala National Park

  

3) Beaches

Wadduwa Beach

Now this I’m sure you already know about. When someone mentions Sri Lanka, most people would immediately think of its beaches. Why wouldn’t they? We are an island after all and our beautiful country is surrounded by miles and miles of unspoiled beaches. And it’s not just that, you won’t be disappointed when snorkelling and diving off our coastlines because we are home to many beautiful coral reefs and some interesting ship wrecks.

4) Religions

The four main religions in Sri Lanka are Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. Each of them hold a big place in Sri Lanka’s history and there are many beautiful establishments that you will love to see no matter which religion you follow. Kataragama, a religious town in the Southern part of the country has a few Hindu Kovils, a Buddhist Temple, a Mosque and a Church all of which are a short distance from each other. The Sita Amman Kovil in Nuwara Eliya is a place that plays a huge role in the famous story of Rama and Sita.

The art on the pillars of the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy

   

5) Tropical Climate

One of the things I personally love about Sri Lanka is its climate. Being a tropical country, most of our days are sunny and bright. Most travellers love to show off their holiday tan once they go back home. Sri Lanka is the best place for that. If it’s rainy while you’re here…  that’s still pretty great because if you’re anything like me, I love a nice walk in the rain! It isn’t cold like the winter rainfall that I had to deal with when I was in England!

6) Arts and Crafts

Sri Lanka’s got a lot of art and handicrafts that been around for generations. Whether it is colourful mask [ves-muhuna] that is used to ward off the evil eye or a shopping bag woven out of straw… We’ve got some useful and decorative souvenirs for you to take back to decorate your home with. You’re definitely going to want something to remember the amazing time you had in Sri Lanka!

A Ves-Muhuna

A local form of crochet called Biralu

Purses made out of coloured straw woven together

 

7) Food

I’m a big time ‘foodie’… So you can trust me when I say, Sri Lanka has so many different and delicious dishes that everyone must try at least once in their lives. There are so many amazing curries, vegetables, fruits and ‘short eats’ that you could spend your entire holiday eating, but you still would not be able to taste all of it! It’s not just Sri Lankan food that you should try either. We’ve put our own spin on food from other countries as well. The Chinese food here might not taste anything like it does in China, but it is so good that you tend to over eat and open the top button of your trousers to give your tummy more space!

My Mom's delicious crab curry

 

8) People

I know that I’m biased when I say this, but Sri Lankans are very friendly and they most often go out of their way to be hospitable. They would always greet you with a warm Sri Lankan smile. If you’re planning on meeting some friendly people and making friends while on holiday, head down to Sri Lanka and you won’t be disappointed!

The warm Sri Lankan smile!

9) Cheap

One of Sri Lanka’s lesser advertised selling points is how cheap it is to travel here. The food, transport and shopping are far cheaper than most other countries and it is absolutely worth it. It’s only your flight expense that will weigh down your budget. Once you get here though, you’d be pleasantly surprised by how affordable things are.

10) Compact

Reading about all of these reasons to make Sri Lanka your next holiday destination, you might be thinking that it can’t all be done in one holiday. If that is the case, you’re wrong! Unlike India, where everything is so spread out, Sri Lanka is a tiny island. This allows you to see and experience almost all of the things I mentioned. You could be relaxing on a beach and in a few short hours be in the middle of a thick jungle or in the chilly hill country…

Sri Lanka is an amazing country with so much to offer. Come and experience it!