Nawagamuwa Pattini Devalaya is a historic shrine linked to King Gajabahu I, who enshrined Pattini's anklet there after returning from India.
Nawagamuwa Pattini Devalaya N awagamuwa Pattini Devalaya and Purana Viharaya , also known as Sri Sugatha Bimbaramaya (Sinhala: නවගමුව පත්තිනි දේවාලය; Tamil: நவகமுவ பத்தினிக் கோயில்), are located in Nawagamuwa village, Colombo District, Sri Lanka. The site can be reached by travelling along the Kaduwela-Avissawella road about 4.5 km distance from the Kaduwela town. The site is popular among the people as a place where they can receive the blessings of Pattini, the patron goddess of fertility and health. History The most popular legend links the history of Nawagamuwa Devalaya to the period of King Gajabahu I (114-136 A.D.) of Anuradhapura (Manathunga, 2016; Rajapakshe et al., 2018). According to the legend, King Gajabahu, after invading South India, brought the anklet of Pattini with him and also a large number of Chola men as prisoners (Rajapakshe et al., 2018). On his return to Sri Lanka, the ship was hit by a storm and the king finally landed at Nawagamuwa where he built a Devalaya by enshrining the Pattini anklet…