Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil

• Cover shoulders and knees. Bring a sarong or scarf; some sites lend or rent a wrap at the entrance.
• Take shoes and hats off before entering. Stone can be scorching by midday — a pair of socks saves your feet at big sites like Anuradhapura.
• Be quiet and unhurried, give way to worshippers, and skip public displays of affection.
• A small donation to the offering box is appreciated but never required.

At a Buddhist temple

• Never pose with your back to, or beside, a Buddha statue, and never point your feet at one. This is taken seriously — tourists have been arrested and deported for it, and Buddha tattoos can be refused entry to the country.
• Photographing the shrines is usually fine; disrespectful or “selfie” poses with Buddha images are not, and can be an offence.
• Do not touch monks; women should hand anything to a monk via a layman or place it down. Sit lower than the Buddha image and the monks.

Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil, Jaffna: men are asked to remove their shirt inside; strict rules during the 25-day August festival.

Based on Sri Lanka Tourism visitor guidance and travel-advisory norms. Disrespecting an image of the Buddha is an offence under Sri Lankan law.