Dambulla Rock Temple

Dambulla rock temple has been built in the 1st century B.C. and it is a UNESCO world heritage site. King Valagaba of Anuradhapura is traditionally thought to have converted the caves into a temple in the 1st c. BC. Exiled from Anuradhapura, he sought refuge here from South Indian usurpers for 15 years. After reclaiming his capital, the King built a temple in thankful worship. Many other kings added to it later and by the 12th century, the caves had become a major religious centre and still are. Also, it is the most impressive of Sri Lanka’s cave temples. Hewn into a 160m granite outcrop are the remarkable cave temples of Dambulla. Located at the centre of the Island and on the main route north to Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, the cave temples are masterpieces of Buddhist art. Each is filled with murals depicting scenes from the Buddha’s life, and gilded statues of the Buddha in various poses. Prehistoric Sri Lankans would have lived in these cave complexes before the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka as there are burial sites with human skeletons about 2700 years old in this area, at Ibbankatuwa near the Dambulla cave complexes.

These were embellished by subsequent rulers, especially during the Kandyan period in the 17th and 18th centuries. The golden age of the temple dawns with the work done by King Nissankamalla in the 12th century. There is an inscription by him below the cave to the south of the frontispiece, incidentally the longest epigraph found here. Mention is made in it of the work he did to unite the Buddhist Order and the renovations he carried out in various temples in the country. In the Dambulla temple he had gilded the standing, sitting and recumbent images of the Lord Buddha and named the temple “Golden Rock Caves”. He did gild 73 statues of Lord Buddha at the Dambulla temple. After King Nissankamalla the site seems to have been abandoned again and the next major renovation occurs in the reign of King Senerat in 17th century. He had renovated 63 statures of the Lord Buddha. King Kirti Sri Jajasinghe of the late 18th century too was responsible for the decoration of the caves with a large series of murals.

There are more than 80 documented caves in the surrounding area. Major attractions are spread over five caves, which contain statues and paintings. A cave 2, the Maharaja Vihara is the largest and most spectacular at over 50m long, 7m high and almost 25m deep. The spiritual energy at Dambulla is palpable and the Buddhist art on display is unparalleled in Sri Lanka. An added bonus is the majestic view from the top of the rock. The complex of five caves with over 2000 sq. meters of painted walls and ceilings is the largest area of paintings found in the world. It contains over 150 images of the Buddha of which the largest is the colossal figure of the Buddha carved out of rock and spanning 14 meters, three statues of Sri Lankan kings and four statues of gods and goddesses. The latter include Vishnu and the Ganesha. Depictions on the walls of the caves include the temptation by the demon Mara, and Buddha’s first sermon. This is one of the largest rock temples in Sri Lanka, with its history extending from prehistoric times down to the modern period. The caves scattered in the area must have served as cells where Buddhist monks lived, but as time passed by, they were enlarged and transformed into shrines. It is a popular center of Buddhist pilgrimage and also a complex of archaeological and historical interest. Dambulla had played an important part throughout Sri Lanka’s history because of its strategic location and scenic beauty. The rock rises amidst the surrounding sylvan landscape hiding in its bosom the caves containing exquisite murals and sculpture. A characteristic feature is a large vessel kept to collect water dripping from the ceiling, the water believed to be sacred and used in daily temple rituals. Apparently these water drops fall through a split in the rock ceiling from ancient times and the artists, in order to camouflage the situation, had painted a river scene here with fish swimming about.