THE RAIN GODDESS

Sri Muthumariamman Temple in Matale is one of the country’s most magnificent Tamil kovils. Dedicated to Mariamman, the Hindu goddess of rain and fertility, it was built in 1874 and restored after the anti-Tamil riots in 1983. It is celebrated for the home it provides to over 1,000 statues carved by the celebrated Tamil artist Nagalingam and his son Ramanathan, assisted by 100 designers, painters, and architects.