Beaches In Sri Lanka


Kirinda

Kirinda is a small, beautiful and tourists attractive fishing village in Sri Lanka. It is situated in southern coast and near to Kataragama. Kirinda has beautiful beach, Buddhist shrine built on a huge rock near to the beach and a lovely legend. Kirinda has well-known because of the statue of Queen Viharamaha Devi.


Legend behind Kirinda

This is happened in the days gone by when the King Kelanitissa who ruled Kelaniya. He punished a monk by boiling him alive in a cauldron. The cauldron was full with oil. The reason for this punishment is the King suspected the monk of trying to pass a love letter from his brother to the Queen. Furthermore, it is believed that the god was angry and made the ocean rush inland and flood the land. This was the 1st tsunami situation to the Sri Lanka. To safe civilian from this flood the king have sacrificed his daughter to the sea. So the Princes Viharamaha Devi sacrificed herself to protect civilian. She was placed inside a beautifully decorated boat and set adrift on the sea. As soon as she was set off, it is said, the sea suddenly turned calm again and the water receded. Finally she landed to the Kirinda and met the king Kavanthissa who ruled in Ruhuna in past. At present the statue of Queen Viharamaha Devi is situated on the spot where she is said to have landed after being set adrift on the sea from Kelaniya. According to the history Princes Viharamaha Devi became the Queen of the King Kawantissa and also mother of the King Dutugamunu and Saddhatissa.Viharamaha Devi herself is recognized as a great heroine of our motherland.