See the Muthumariamman Temple in Matale
by admin-unique | May 30, 2019 | Sri Lankan Cultural Sites
Near to the main road through Matale, the Muthumariamman Hindu temple is a tall, exuberantly decorated structure that can be easily seen from afar. The prominent towers, called Gopurams, boast hundreds of detailed sculptures, in a rich mosaic of colour. These Gopurams structures can be seen in other Hindu temples across the island, as well as in Southern India.
Dedicated to the Hindu goddess of Mariamman, the ‘muthu’ prefix translates as ‘pearl’ and indicates the goddess’s original association with fertility, but today Mariamman is the deity celebrated as the protector of diseases such as smallpox and the bringer of rains.
The Muthumariamman Temple was originally built in 1852 by Thiyagaraja Chettiar. It was damaged in the early 1980s but it has since been fully repaired and is a splendid and must see sight when travelling within the Cultural Triangle.