There are four Kandyan devales to the gods who are followers of Buddha and protect Sri Lanka. Three of the four devales are near the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. The 14th-century Natha Devale is the oldest. It perches on a stone terrace with a fine vahalkada (solid panel of sculpture) gateway. Bodhi trees and dagobas stand in the devale grounds. Adjacent is the simple Pattini Devale , dedicated to the goddess of chastity. The Vishnu Devale on the other side of Raja Vidiya is reached by carved steps and features a drumming hall. The great Hindu god Vishnu is the guardian of Sri Lanka, demonstrating the intermingling of Hinduism and Buddhism.
Further away, the brightly painted tower gateway of the Kataragama Devale demands attention amid the bustle on Kotugodelle Vidiya. Murugan, the god of war, has six heads and 12 hands wielding weapons.
