January 21, 2014: We queued up until finally arriving before the god we dipped our fingers in the oil and massaged it in to the stone. As hand after hand touched the god in absolute reverence, the statue changed colour, going from a pale grey to a glistening black. Never again, after this day would devotees be singled out before these statues, actually allowed to touch the divine face and limbs. Rather beautifully, Prassanna describes the process as “giving bliss to the stone.” Over the three days, an estimated 20,000 devotees crammed into the narrow lane, immobilising traffic and shutting the street down.

On the final day, we enter the temple only at the end, kept at bay by the crowds that have thronged to watch Aishwarya-Luxshmi introduced to her new home. A miniature version of the great goddess is taken in a procession around the temple and then brought ceremonially back in. Spontaneous roars from the crowd rise above the frenetic drumming, the clanging bell and the voices of the priests conducting the puja. The very air is charged with belief as the gods are called down to inhabit the stone.

Among the divine faces are those not seen in Sri Lanka before. “In Hinduism we believe there are three goddesses: Durga, Luxshmi and Saraswati who depict valour, wealth and intellect respectively,” says Prassanna. He explains that not only are these goddesses present but among the 17 statues is a 6ft representation of Narasimha. An avatar of the god Vishnu, he is the protector of those in need. With the head of a lion and the body of man, the otherwise ferocious Narasimha is portrayed here in a more relaxed posture with Luxshmi on his lap. There is also a statue of Aiyanar, a guardian deity, flanked by two goddesses on either side. On the next floor is Sri Lanka’s tallest Shiva Linga – 7ft tall, the phallic shape is believed to represent the energy and potentiality of one of Hinduism’s most revered deities.

For the next 24 days, the temple will conduct special pujas and over the course of the year, every major festival in the Hindu calendar will be honoured in its large hall. By the time we leave, the crowd has dispersed – some to the houses opposite where lunch is being served. The temple is emptying, and perhaps it is just my imagination, but the energy and the beauty of the festivities linger. It seems the gods have found a new home.