Gangaramaya Temple is one of Sri Lanka’s most fascinating Buddhist temples, a sprawling complex of interconnected buildings set beside the Beira Lake that functions as a place of worship, a museum and a cultural institution. The temple hosts the Navam Perahera festival each February, when processions of decorated elephants, drummers and dancers circle the Beira Lake in one of Colombo’s most spectacular annual events. For first-time visitors to Colombo, Gangaramaya offers a wonderfully idiosyncratic introduction to Sri Lankan Buddhist culture and the living complexity of contemporary urban worship.