A short walk along the beach from Exotica Bungalows in Hikkaduwa takes you to the Seenigama Temple complex.

A small shrine is dedicated to the local Hindu deity named Devol – protector of fishermen and boats. According to the Sanskrit epic Ramayana, Seenigama was the place where Sugriva, helper of Rama, began his campaign against the demon king Ravana of Lanka, in order to free Rama’s wife Sita from captivity.

Devol Deviyo (God Devol) is a prominent deity in Sri Lankan Sinhalese folklore, widely worshipped by coastal fishing communities for protection and prosperity. He is revered for controlling the sea but also feared for his power to inflict punishment on enemies.

According to legend, Devol Deviyo traveled from India to Sri Lanka on a “stone ship” with his brothers to prove his lineage to Goddess Pattini – a major protective deity worshiped by Sinhala Buddhists and Tamil Hindus in Sri Lanka, revered as a mother goddess of fertility, health, and purity.

The second shrine is situated on a small islet 200 m offshore. It consists of two unpretentious buildings surrounded by a wall to protect them from high waves. Devotees visit the shrine by boat to seek blessings for fishing success, health, and to resolve injustices. A well-known practice at the Seenigama shrine involves grinding chili peppers on a stone while invoking the god to punish those who have caused injustice to the devotee.

A statue of goddess Manimekhala is also in the temple complex. In Sri Lanka, she is considered to be the sea goddess, revered as the guardian of the seas and protector of virtuous beings from shipwrecks.  In the mythic cycle of the god Devol, when the latter approaches Sri Lanka and his ship founders, it is Manimekhalai, on the instructions of the god Śakra, who conjures up a stone boat to save him.

• Published 15 March 2026
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