The entrance to the main shrine at Embekka Devale is located at the end of the digge (drummers pavilion) through a door guarded by lion statues.

© Thomas Wyness/Shutterstock

Embekka Devale

The Hill Country


Dedicated to the worship of the Hindu deity Mahasen, this beautiful temple, with its finely carved wooden pillars depicting swans, eagles, wrestling men and dancing women, was constructed in the 14th century. The best carvings are in the so-called drummers' hall.

To get here by public transport, catch the frequent bus 643 (to Vatadeniya via Embekka) from near the Kandy clock tower for Rs 38. The village of Embekka is about 7km beyond the Peradeniya Botanic Gardens (about 45 minutes from Kandy). From the village, it’s a pleasant rural stroll of about 1km to the temple.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Hill Country attractions

1. Lankatilake Temple

0.74 MILES

This impressive 14th-century temple, mounted on a rocky bluff, is the most imposing in the region. It's divided into two halves – one half Buddhist and…

2. Gadaladeniya Temple

2.22 MILES

This Buddhist temple with a Hindu annex dates from the 14th century, and the main shrine room contains a stunningly beautiful, gilded seated Buddha. Built…

3. Peradeniya Botanic Gardens

3.8 MILES

These stunning gardens were once reserved exclusively for Kandyan royalty. Today, even commoners are allowed in to enjoy the most impressive and largest …

4. Kandy War Cemetery

5.03 MILES

This small and beautifully melancholic cemetery is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. It is the final resting place for those who died…

5. Ceylon Tea Museum

5.39 MILES

This museum occupies the 1925-vintage Hantane Tea Factory, 4km south of Kandy on the Hantane road. Abandoned for more than a decade, it was recently…

6. Royal Palace Park

6.56 MILES

A very well-maintained park and woodland, originally laid out by Sri Wickrama Rajasinha, with good walking trails.

7. Kataragama Devale

6.74 MILES

The brightly painted tower gateway of the Kataragama Devale demands attention amid the bustle on Kotugodelle Vidiya. Murugan, the god of war, has six…

8. Malwatte Maha Vihara

6.78 MILES

One of the principal viharas (Buddhist complexes) in Kandy, the Malwatte Maha Vihara is located across the lake from the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "sri-lanka/around-kandy/attractions/embekka-devale/a/poi-sig/1195582/1319109",
      "destination": "The-Hill-Country",
      "continent": "Asia",
      "country": "Sri-Lanka",
      "region": "The-Hill-Country",
      "position": "superzone"
    }