The “Pattini Devale” dedicated to goddess Pattini is situated to the west of the “Natha devale”. In the past, the two devales were separated by a cross-road called “Et Vidiya” or the Elephant Street which is no more. That it is at least four centuries old, there is no doubt, for Robert Knox makes references to the perahara of Pattini Devale. Pattini, the goddess of chastity was and still is the mo
st popular deity amongst the peasantry of Sri Lanka. Though a goddess of South Indian origin, she became more popular in this country. Her virtues are extolled in a Tamil epic called Cilappadikaram written in the 2nd century and in a number of Sinhalese poetical works written during the 18th and 19th centuries. According to the Tamil epic, one of the earliest known deistic shrines in Sri Lanka was built by King Gajabahu in the 2nd century A.D. enshrining the golden anklet of this goddess. There are a large number of shrines dedicated to her scattered all over the country. Next to Navagamuva Pattini Devale in the Colombo District, the most popular shrine is the one at Kandy. Pattini is beneficial to the people in many ways. She is associated with the cure of infectious diseases and children’s diseases and is also propitiated in times of drought and consequent famine. The devale devoted to her in Kandy is a simple, small rectangular building on the usual stone platform. The shrine is at the south end like that of “ Natha“, and unlike the one at “Maha Devale“ which is on the north end, and the “Kataragama Devale“ in the west end. It consists of four compartments. Kandyan roof adorns this simple but beautiful devale.
