Sri Lanka Holidays

Golden Dambulla Rock Temple (Rangiri Dambulu Temple) (A world Heritage site)

Sri Lanka Culture Holidays: the concept - Part 2
Triple Pillars of Sri Lanka: ancient rainwater reservoirs, Buddhist temples, Buddhist Stupas

From the rainwater reservoir to the temple
And why shouldn't we begin with the most ancient temple? An ascent is once again as in Mihintale, yet not so long. The ascent to the caves - which are on the higher part of one of the smooth, sloping crags of rock that is a feature of dry zone landscapes - is steep. Oh! There is a panoramic view of the surroundings flat lands, which, oh! yes, includes The Lion Rock Citadel (Sigiriya) too about 20km away. On entering these elegantly portal led caves you will feel like that you are right inside an ornate tent, hung with bright carpets. The ceilings are painted with intricate patterns of religious images following the contours of the rock.

King Valagambahu (104-76 BC)
Archaeological evidence suggests that the caves around the rock outcrop were inhibited during prehistoric times, and then used for pre-Buddhist (3rd & 2nd centuries BC) ceremonies. In 89 BC caverns were converted to Buddhist monasteries by King Valagambahu, one of the kings of Anuradhapura, who was driven from his throne by marauding Dravidian invaders from South India during the 1st century BC. He took shelter here for 14 years & upon regaining had a rock temple built in gratitude. The individual caves, which now house the temples, were created by building partition walls into the space beneath a vast overhanging rock, carved with a drip line to keep the interiors dry.

Further embellishments
The cave temples were further embellished by King Nissankamalla (1198-1206AD), who gilded the interior of the caves & many of the statues with gold, earning them the name of Rangiri (Golden Rock). Even to date the gold sheen all over the ceilings, walls & statues illuminate the interior of the rock temple. Comprehensive restorations & remodelling were carried out by the King Senarat (1604-1633 AD) & King Kirti Sri Rajasinha (1746-1778 AD) commissioned many of the vast number of murals of Buddha, the bodhisattvas, gods & goddesses, an extraordinary compendium of paintings.

150 serene statues of Buddhist Order
Within these caves, one of the best preserved ancient edifices in Sri Lanka, is housed a collection of 150 serene statues of Buddhist Order & the island's history. Over the entrance to the first cave, Devarajalena, an account of the founding of the monastery is recorded in the first century Brahmi inscription. 14 meter statue of the Buddha hewn out of the rock dominate the cave. It has been repainted many times during the course of the history, the last being in the 20th century. At the feet of the statue of reclining Buddha is his shadow like disciple Ananda; at his head is a Hindu god Vishnu. In the second & largest cave are 16 standing & 40 seated statues of Buddha & the Hindu god Vishnu & God Maha Sumana Saman which pilgrims often decorate with garlands, & finally statues of King Vattagamini, who honoured the monastery in the first century B.C.

The Buddha statue hewn out of the rock on the left side of the room is escorted by wooden figures of the Bodhisattvas, Maitreya to the left & Avalokiteshvara or Natha to the right. There is also a mini dagoba & a spring which drips its water from a crack in the ceiling, into a huge metal pot which never overflows (possibly excess water being controlled by an underground channel below rock surface on which the pot is fixed). Valubale paintings on the cave ceiling dating back from 18th century depict scenes from Buddha's life. & important event of the island's history. The third cave, the Maha Alut Vihara is of painting on ceiling & walls in Kandyan tradition during the reign of King Kirti Sri Rajasingha the famous Buddhist revivalist. In addition to 50 Buddha statues, there is also a statue of a king. The fourth & fifth caves are smaller & inferior to the other caves.