Before reaching the Maha Devalaya, a range of mountains is visible on the right. Among them is the holy mountain known as Vedahiti Kanda, the abode of the God Kataragama. Surrounded by a verdant valley, the climb to the summit is especially picturesque, with a panoramic view from the top, and can be reached in approximately two hours.
Legend has it that the Vedahiti Kanda is where the god shot an arrow from to mark the location where the Ruhunu Kataragama Devalaya should be constructed.
Belief says that the original devalaya, dedicated to the god, stood atop the Vedahiti Kanda, prior to the construction of the present devalaya. The weapon of the god, known as Vela Yudha (spear-weapon), is believed to lie buried in the old devale.
Under the ownership of the Thevani Amman Kovil in the beginning, the Vedahiti Kanda was opened to the public after 1923.
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