Colombo is a city of temples, churches and mosques. The majority of Sri Lankans are Buddhists , eighty percent of the population, but there are are Hindu temples, Muslim mosques and Catholic churches throughout the city. This is the Temple of Sri Kailawasanathan Swami Devasthanam Kovil, one of the oldest Hindu temples in the country.
In both Buddhist and Hindu temples, guardians , human and animal, are placed on and inside the temple to guard against evil spirits.
A priest gets ready for the New Year's blessing.
Worshippers will approach the priest to receive a blessing signified by a garland.
Others will line up, men to the left and women to the right, to be purified in a fire ceremony at the altar
Worshippers also prayed outside the main temple.
This girl was deep in prayer.
This Buddhist temple, called Gangaramaya, had a very modest design even though it was the most famous in the country:
This was one of many groups of Buddhist statues at the temple.
The guardians of the temple.
A member of the faithful.
The old Dutch Church - Wolvendaal Church. It was started in 1749 and completed eight years later.
The Colombo cathedral where Pope Francis recently visited.
This recently built church shows the Catholic faith in Colombo continues to grow.
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