Kandy Pattini Devalaya
Kandy Pattini Devalaya (Sinhala: මහනුවර පත්තිනි දේවාලය) is a Devalaya Shrine situated within the premises of the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy town in Sri Lanka. It has been dedicated to Goddess Pattini, the patron goddess of fertility and health. History Although the history of the Pattini Devalaya at Kandy is obscure, it is believed to be at least four centuries old (Seneviratna, 1983). Robert Knox (1641-1720 A.D.), an English sea captain who lived in Sri Lanka for 19 years as a captive of King Rajasinghe II (1635-1687 A.D.) makes references to the Perahera of Pattini Devalaya (Seneviratna, 1983). During the Kandyan Period , this shrine was one of the four Devalas ( Hatara Devala ) associated with the Maha Wasala (the Royal Palace) and the Dalada Maligawa (the Temple of the Tooth Relic). The Shrine Building The shrine is a small rectangular building erected over a usual stone platform. It consists of four compartments and is sheltered by a typical Kandyan-type roof (Seneviratna, 1983…