Sarath Samaranayake's Official Blog: A visit to Ratnapura Saman devalaya

Ratnapura Saman Devalaya

On the 17^th of March, 2012, my family and I visited Ratnapura Saman Devalaya (Shrine) to offer some flowers in order to ward off planetary influence on us. We got our horoscopes read by an astrologer who recommended some meritorious activities to be performed in order to ward off the evil planetary influence that has been causing us during the present time. We started our journey from Colombo on the 16^th afternoon by a private bus which took nearly 4 hours to reach Ratnapura town or most popularly known as the “City of Gems” from ancient times. Ratnapura is the provincial capital of Sabargamuwa which is 100 km from Colombo. We spent the night at Gem land hotel which is a few kilometers off the town.

God Saman is considered one of the guardian deities of the island and the Buddha Śāsana. Natha, Upulvan, Vibhishana, and Kataragama are the other guardian deities. Nayakkar dynasty from South India introduced Goddess Pattini replacing God Saman God Saman is the guardian (patron deity) or the presiding deity of Sabaragamuva and the Sri Pada mountain. The legend has it that 'Sumana Saman deviyo' invited Lord Buddha to the Samanalakanda and on request Lord Gautama Buddha left his footprint on the rock at top of the mountain as a token of symbolic worship, in the absence of the Buddha. God Maha Sumana Saman is depicted crowned, bejeweled, holding a lotus flower in his right hand, and accompanied by a white elephant (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saman_(deity).

Gems such as the Blue, Star and Yellow Sapphires, Cat's Eyes, Rubies, Alexandrites, Amethysts, Zircons, Topaz, and Tourmalines are found in Ratnapura and suburbs. After offering flowers (Saman pichcha) to the temple situated in the premises of Saman 'devalaya', we offered a basket of fruits to the God of Saman and on the same date (17^th) we returned to Colombo.