Sath Pattini Dance Depanama Ganegoda Dewalaya

Religious Organization in Depanama Sri Ganegoda Devalaya
Driving distance between Depanama Sri Ganegoda Devalaya, Devala Road, Pannipitiya, Sri Lanka to Weragala, Sri Lanka is 23.0 Km.
Pattini (Sinhalese: පත්තිනි දෙවියෝ, lit. 'Pattiṉi Teviyō', Tamil: கண்ணகி அம்மன், lit. 'Kaṇṇaki Am'man'), is considered a guardian deity of Sri Lanka in Sri Lankan Buddhism and Sinhalese folklore. She is also worshipped by Sri Lankan Tamil Hindus by the name of Kannaki Amman. She is considered the patron goddess of fertility and health- particularly protection against smallpox, which is referred to as deviyange ledé ('the divine affliction') in the Sinhala language.
According to Sinhalese mythology, the Bodhisattva Pattini was incarnated as Kannagi in order to rid the Pandya kingdom of its evil three-eyed king. She was said to have been born of a mango fruit, which was cut down by the god Sakra with an arrow.
Goddess Pattini is the deification of Kannagi, who is the central character of the Tamil epic Silapadhikaram of Ilango Adigal, written in India after the 2nd Century CE. After a short time, it was introduced into Sri Lanka and absorbed earlier deities such as Kiri Amma ('milk mother'). Historians attribute the introduction of goddess Pattini to the island to Gajabahu I, a Sinhalese king who ruled Sri Lanka from 113 - 135 CE. As per some historians, the Silapathikaram mentions Gajabahu's presence at the consecration of a temple to Kannagi (identified as Pattini in this case) by the Chera king Senguttuvan.
Milk-mother's alms-giving
Sinhalese people believe that diseases like chickenpox and measles are punishments by God for frailty. In such events as the goddess of healing they pray to Pattini Devi. When a family member is infected, they hold Dānas (alms-givings) for her, called Kiri-amma dāna (Milk-mother's alms-giving).