Devinuwara One Temple Two Gods: Documentary Screening
Thu 26 Feb
|ICES Auditorium Kandy


Time & Location
26 Feb 2026, 16:30 – 20:30
ICES Auditorium Kandy, 554/6A, Peradeniya Road, Mulgampola, Kandy
About the Event
Devinuwara' One Temple. Two Gods.' is a 42-minute documentary that is set in the southern coastal town of Devundara. It traces the layered history and living legacy of the Devundara Vishnu Kovil - also known as Tenavaram or Thondeswaram Temple. Once a sprawling and magnificent shrine complex destroyed by the Portuguese in the 16th century, the site continues today as a place of vibrant worship and ritual. Drawing pilgrims from across the island, it remains one of Sri Lanka's most revered Hindu temples.
Through interviews and detailed explorations of myth, ritual, and architecture, the film journeys into Devundara's past and present - uncovering a rich heritage where religion, identity, and cultural memory converge. While popular narratives often emphasize religious heritage along narrow ethnic or geographic lines, the film challenges these divisions by foregrounding a deeply rooted tradition of confluence and coexistence. In doing so, it reclaims Devundara as a shared sacred space, an enduring testament to the complexity and plurality of Sri Lanka's religious landscape.
Released in line with ICES' new publication 'Shared Sanctities' (Second Edition), the film complements its exploration of Sri Lanka's layered cultural histories. The documentary is directed by Sujeewa de Silva, a photographer and filmmaker with over 20 years of experience documenting South Asian cultures and heritage.
