Sri Lanka – Temples
I have visited very many temples over the years, and in general I have not come away with great photographs from them — other than as a straightforward touristic record. That is not because of the temples themselves, which are mostly gorgeous and atmospheric. It is more because I am not an architectural photographer, and I struggle to make an architectural shot interesting in its own right rather than merely documentary.
As a result I did not plan any temple visits for this trip, and in general avoided the towns and cities with famous sites. However, I came across two temples that I did want to photograph. I do not claim to have solved my temple problem entirely, but I got some shots that seemed worth collecting.
The first was the Nagapooshani Amman Kovil, a magnificent Hindu temple on Nainativu Island, known for its vibrant Dravidian architecture and spiritual importance. The colourful gopuram decorated with intricate carvings is breathtakingly alive with energy. It also features a rather characterful sacred cow in the entranceway, which appears to be a favourite perch for local crows.
The second was the remarkable cave temple complex at Dambulla — a site quite unlike anything I have seen before. It is a magnificent rock-cut monastery built into a towering 160-metre granite outcrop, dating to the 1st century BCE. The complex comprises five primary cave sanctuaries containing 153 Buddha statues, depictions of Sri Lankan kings, and intricate murals covering over 2,000 square metres of cave ceiling. Although undeniably a tourist site, there is a serenity here that is genuinely moving.
Photographs in this album include: Nagapooshani Amman Kovil gopuram and interior at Nainativu Island, sacred cow with crows, Dambulla cave temple Buddha statues, cave ceiling murals, and more.
View the full album at mcaughtry.photo/albums/sri-lanka-temples. Touch or click any image to open a lightbox view; tap the full-screen icon for the best experience. Click the “i” icon beneath any thumbnail for full EXIF data and location information for that image.