Fifteen Kilometres north of Tissa is Kataragama, along with Adam's Peak the most religious pilgrimage site in Sri Lanka. It is a holy place for Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus, and across the Menik Ganga from the small residential part of the town is a sprawling religious complex containing buildings of all three religions.

There is a belief that King Dutugemunu built a shrine to the Kataragama Deviyo here in the 2^nd century BC, and the Buddhist Kirivehera dagoba dates back to the 1^st century BC. The most important shrine is the Maha Devala, which supposedly contains the lance of the six-faced, 12 armed Hindu war god, Skanda, who is identical here with the Kataragama Deviyo.

Followers of all three religions make offerings here at the three daily religious services or pujas. The neighbouring shrines are dedicated to Buddha and Ganesh. Apart from festival time, the town is busiest with pilgrims at weekends and on poya (full moon) day.