Isipathanaramaya Temple, Colombo

Isipathanaramaya Temple is a working Theravada Buddhist temple with a calm, well-planned layout. It was built in 1916 by Duenuge Disan Pedris, a wealthy merchant, as a memorial to his son Captain Henry Pedris. Henry Pedris was executed by British officials in 1915 after being accused of stirring unrest-an accusation later challenged and widely seen as a serious injustice.

Inside the main shrine area, the strongest feature is the wall painting cycle: Jataka stories and scenes from the Buddha’s life painted by Maligawe Sarlis (Sarlis Master) in 1920–21. The figures are realistic and brightly colored, and the scenes read almost like story panels, so it is easy to follow what is happening even if you do not know the details. Alongside the seated Buddha images, the temple is also known for a large standing Buddha statue of about 39 feet (12 meters), unveiled in November 2016.

Beyond the shrine rooms, the temple is used daily for sermons, chanting, meditation, and a Dhamma school. Visitors may walk around quietly, but should dress modestly and remove shoes before entering shrine areas. On full moon days the temple is busier, with people offering flowers and lighting oil lamps, while on other days it is calmer and better suited for viewing the murals.