Okanda is home to the Murugan Devale (a devale is a complex designed for worshipping a Hindu or Sri Lankan deity). Though relatively small, the main temple has a very colourful gopuram (gateway tower), which survived the 2004 tsunami and is a major point on the Pada Yatra pilgrimage to Kataragama. In trouble-free years, thousands of pilgrims gather here during the two weeks before the July poya (full moon) before attempting the last, and most dangerous, five-day leg of the 45-day trek from Jaffna.
The temple is of great spiritual importance as it marks the supposed point at which Murugan (Skanda) and his consort Valli arrived in Sri Lanka on stone boats.
