Aluthnuwara Sri Dadimunda Devale is one of the most popular shrines in the country attracting thousands of devotees daily from everywhere. Apart from the powers of the deity Dadimunda, the shrine is also popular for its annual procession held in the month of July, slightly before the world famous Dalada Prossession of the Temple of Tooth, Kandy. It is located several kilometers interior towards the village Aluthnuwara that is encountered after turning right from Hingula Junction in the Colombo-Kandy highway.
This shrine was believed to be built during King Buwanekaba (1273-1284 A.D.), but prior to that, this place was used by Buddhist monks as a religious school in the name of ‘Assaddana pirivena’. King Buwanekaba not only constructed this shrine but developed a whole city named ‘Nawathilakapura’ and devoted it to the name of Deity Upulwan though the shrine was later denominated entirely to God Dadimunda. This place also has an ambalama (wayside travellers’ rest named ‘Giruwa Ambalama’) constructed by Queen Sunethra, wife of King Parakumba II in commemoration of curing her husband from a prolonged disease. One of the practices that can be seen even today is that all the elephants and tuskers are presented before deity Dadimunda for His blessing for their health and endurance before the beginning of Kandy Procession. Aluthnuwara shrine is believed to possess mysterious powers to punish the wrong-doers and to cure diseases.