Seema Malaka, Buddhist temple on Beira Lake, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Seema Malaka is a temple complex built on a small island in Beira Lake, consisting of three connected platforms with Buddha statues and meditation pavilions linked by wooden walkways. The structure extends over the water, creating spaces for prayer and quiet reflection.
The original temple built in the 1890s gradually sank into the lake due to weak foundations. Architect Geoffrey Bawa rebuilt it in 1976 with concrete platforms that have remained stable ever since.
The temple serves as a working meditation center where monks practice daily, making it a living space for Buddhist study and contemplation. Visitors witness this spiritual routine as they walk across the platforms.
You must remove your shoes before stepping onto the temple platforms, and the site is open from sunrise to sunset each day. The wooden walkways can become slippery in wet conditions, so bring non-slip footwear.
The temple's reflections on the water surface shift throughout the day as light changes, creating different visual impressions with each visit. Many photographers find this changing play of light and shadow to be the most memorable aspect of the site.
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