Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple in Colombo Sri Lanka is one of the most important temples in Colombo, Sri Lanka, being a mix of modern architecture and cultural essence.
Situated near Beira Lake, in the heart of Colombo, the temple was established in 1885 by Venerable Sri Sumangala Nayaka Thera. Originally a small hermitage on a piece of marshy land, it gradually grew into the complex it is today, which includes the Vihara (monastery), Cetiya (pagoda), Vihara Mandiraya (Image House, which is full of colorful Buddha statues), Seema Malaka (assembly hall for monks), the Bodhi Tree, the Relic Chamber, as well as a library and a museum. At the far end of the courtyard are rows of elevating steps on which Buddha statues of the Thai style have been sequentially placed to greet the skyline.
The temple is mostly celebrated for its lavish architecture and statues showcasing Sri Lankan, Chinese, Thai, Burmese and many other artistic styles.

The exterior of the temple is boldly decorated in elaborate designs and golden adornments. The temple grounds are black slate tiled, with various statues—Buddha, lion, nymph—and china vases placed randomly. The doors leading in and out of the main sanctuary are an impressive work of craftsmanship, with intricate wood carvings of elephants and swans reminiscent of the island’s ancient artisanship. Statues and images found throughout the temple complex have been donated or gifted to the Gangaramaya Temple by Thailand, Myanmar, China, and Japan. The surrounding walls of the Vihara Mandiraya are painted with scenes depicting the significant events in Buddha’s life and his teachings. On the ceiling in the center of the hall, the important Buddhist centers in Sri Lanka are painted and labeled.
The temple’s most distinguishing feature is its museum that holds an innumerable number of Buddha statues from all over the world along with statues of Hindu gods, old watches, Dutch coins and many other antique collectibles. The temple museum proudly houses the smallest Buddha statue on the island, carefully encased in a glass box, which visitors can view with a magnifying class.

Gangaramaya serves not only as a place of Buddhist worship; it is also a centre of learning. A temple well – known for its unparallel social service, the Gangaramaya Temple led by the Ven Galaboda Gnanissara Nayaka Thero( one of the island’s most recognizable religious figures, who assumed administration of the Gangaramaya as a 16-year-old novice monk), is always committed towards the social well-being of the masses. Some of the temple’s enormous social services are: community development projects e.g. Na Sevana, vocational training centers, orphanages for the street children, homes for the differently abled and the elderly, homes for the abandoned, publication of Buddhist literature, helping to develop thousands of rural temples, cultivation projects, and many more.It has also been instrumental in establishing the Buddhist temple on Staten Island (US) the Buddhist Center in New York and the Buddhist Centre in Tanzania, thereby helping to propagate the Dhamma in other countries.

One of the grandest festivals of the Gangaramaya Temple, the Navam Perahera, the inception of which dates back to 1979, is held annually in the month of February on the full moon day. Whip crackers, fire dancers, flag bearers, traditional dancers, drummers, flutists, and hundreds of elephants adorned in richly designed costume participate in this vibrant pageant. The Temple is also the centre for the most extravagant Vesak celebrations in Colombo – the Buddha Rashmi National Vesak Festival. Every April, during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, the Temple holds a weeklong chanting of SathiPirith (Buddhist Prayers), where Buddhist prayers are chanted continuously both day and night for seven days to invoke the blessings of the Noble Triple Gem (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha) on all people of the country irrespective of race or religion.

The stunning Gangaramaya Temple is open to everyone, regardless of faith, though you will need to cover up your shoulders and legs when visiting this place of worship. Rather than huge, open spaces and tranquility, expect huge collections of fascinating artifacts and crowds at Gangaramaya Temple.