Poson Poya Day, which was last Saturday, was a public holiday in Sri Lanka. My son and his wife had traveled to Hingurakkgoda two days before, to see his mother-in-law and father-in-law.
In both Wesak and Poson Poya days, most Sri Lankans organize Dansals throughout the country. Dansal refers to a location that provides free food, drink, and other goods to anyone passing by. Similarly, we organized a Chickpeas Danasala with the help of our neighbors on Poyaday. We couldn't organize such a Dansal the previous three years due to Covid, so this time it was extra special.
On the night before Poyaday, one of our brothers called and invited us to go to Aluthnuwara Dedimunda Devale. My husband was hesitant to join them because he needed to help Dansala the next day. However, at their strong request, we agreed to go with them, after receiving permission from the organizers.
The next day, they accompanied us at 8 a.m. and drove to Aluthnuwara Dedimunda Devalaya. This journey includes my brother, his wife, my husband, and myself. We took the Colombo-Kandy main road to Mawanella to reach Dedimunda Devale. Two kilometers from Mawanella is the village of Hingula, and from there is a road to the Aluthnuwara, which leads to the shrine of the deity Dedimunda God.
Along the way, we stopped at Dansal for ice cream, chickpeas, Sago drinks, coriander, tea, coffee, and a variety of other beverages.
That was my first visit to Dedimunda Devale, and we arrived by 11.30 a.m. When we arrived in Devale, there was a rice dan sala going on, and we were invited to join them. But we refused, explaining that we weren't hungry at the time.
To reach Devale we passed paddy fields and homesteads and come to an Ambalama with high stone wall pillars. It was a nice place for us to rest as we were weary with the journey.
It is believed that the Dedimunda God is the guardian deity of the Buddha Sasana. It is said that Dedimunda God was firm, hardhearted, and had a strong and powerful personality.
As well this Devale is regarded as a special place of worship. The majority of visitors come here on Wednesdays and Saturdays to perform puja and make vows to the deity. People who are afflicted with illnesses that are thought to be caused by evil, Yaksha, or Bhutha come here because they believe the deity has the power to heal them. People from all over the country come here to seek the blessings of this deity.
If you go there, you can buy fruits for puja, flowers, incense sticks, and oil lamps from the vendor stalls in the vicinity of the Devale. My brother also offered fruits puja to God and requested a blessing for himself and his wife.
Kirthi Rajamaha Viharaya, a cave temple beyond the Devale, was another special place on that ground. We worshiped our Load Budda there and visited the other two Devala. There was another devale for Vishnu God.
Because it was my first visit, I captured many important photographs on my iPhone.
We left the Devale area with the intention of visiting another important location nearby called Devanagala Raja Maha Viharaya.
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