Sri Muthumariamman Temple (Matale)

Sri Muthumariamman Temple (Matale)
Sri Muthumariamman Temple or Sri Muthumariamman Kovil (Sinhala: මුතුමාරිඅම්මාන් කෝවිල, මාතලේ; Tamil: முத்து மாரியம்மன் கோவில்) is a popular Hindu shrine located in the middle of Matale town, Sri Lanka.  The temple is famous among both Hindu and Buddhist people in the area. The Hindu goddess of rain and fertility, Muthumari Amman is venerated here by Hindus while Buddhists venerate this temple as a place dedicated to goddess Pattini, the patron deity of fertility and health (Abeyawardana, 2004). History The history of Sri Muthumariamman Temple can be traced back to the 19th century (Abeyawardana, 2004). It is said to have been established during the Kandyan Period by a devotee named Karuppannar (Arumugam, 1991). However, the shrine at the present site was built as a proper Hindu temple during the fifth decade of the 20th century by Suppiah Pillai (Arumugam, 1991). Festivals The annual Theru festival of Muthumariamman Temple is said to be one of the biggest Hindu festivals in the count…