Embekka Devalaya
Central Province
About Embekka Devalaya
Embekka Devalaya, in the hills south-west of Kandy, is the masterpiece of Sri Lankan wood carving. Built in the 14th century under the Gampola kings for the god Kataragama, its drummers' hall is a forest of timber pillars, every face of every pillar carved with a different design - wrestling women, entwined swans, double-headed eagles, dancers, soldiers, a mother nursing her child, a soldier on a rearing horse - more than five hundred distinct carvings in all, executed with a liveliness that seven centuries have not dimmed. UNESCO-affiliated researchers have ranked the ensemble among the finest carved wooden architecture anywhere. The temple still serves its god: drummers perform in the hall their ancestors carved, and the annual perahera walks the same lanes. Combine it with nearby Lankatilaka temple and the Gadaladeniya shrine for the classic 'three temples loop' - the best half-day of medieval art in the Kandyan hills.
Top Activities
- ✓The carved drummers' hall
- ✓Spotting the famous individual carvings
- ✓Three-temples loop with Lankatilaka and Gadaladeniya
- ✓Village walks through the Kandyan countryside
- ✓Traditional drumming at puja times
Nearby Attractions
Travel Tips
Do the three-temples loop by tuk-tuk from Kandy in half a day.
A caretaker can point out the most celebrated carvings - tip appreciated.
Photography is allowed; the hall's low light rewards a steady hand.
Quick Info
Best Time
Year-round
Weather
Mild Kandyan climate; pleasant year-round.
Estimated Daily Budget
7.2350°N, 80.5680°E
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