Rangiri Dambulla Cave Temple





Rangiri Dambulla Cave Temple, with its five sanctuaries, is the largest, best-preserved cave-temple complex in Sri Lanka.



Situated directly in the middle of Sri Lanka, a few hours' drive from either coast, Dambulla was the cultural and spiritual heart of a flourishing kingdom that pre-dated the height of the Roman Empire. Today, it is a hub for visiting some of Sri Lanka's most ancient ruins and superb national parks. Highlights in the area include the most well-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka, the largest rose quarts mountain range in South Asia, a huge Ironwood forest and a host of rock temples.


Dambulla Cave Temple first came to use as a refuge for King Valagambahu in 1st century BC. Concealed by the local monks upon returning from exile to his throne at Anuradhapura he had the magnificent cave temple built for them. The cave temple consists of a complex of Buddhist image houses. Its rock ceiling is one large sweep of colorful frescoes, some of which dates back to over 2,000 years, which depicts Lord Buddha and his life, and the tales from Lord Buddha's previous births. This cave temple has the largest number of Buddha statues all housed in one place, including a 14 meter long, colossal figure of the recumbent Buddha carved out of the rock.



History





The Dambulla cave still operates as a monastery and remains the best-preserved ancient edifice in Sri Lanka. The complex dates from the third and second centuries B.C.E., serving as one of the largest and most important monasteries. King Valagambahu has been traditionally believed to have converted the caves into a temple in the first century B.C.E. The caves in the city provided refuge to King Valagamba (also called Vattagamini Abhaya) in his fourteen year long exile from the Anuradapura kingdom. Buddhist monks meditating in the caves of Dambulla at that time provided the exiled king protection from his enemies. When King Valagamba returned to the throne at Anuradapura kingdom in the first century B.C.E., he had a magnificent rock temple built at Dambulla as a gratitude to the monks in Dambulla.


Many other kings added to it later and by the eleventh century, the caves had become a major religious center. King Nissanka Malla gilded the caves and added about seventy Buddha statues in 1190 C.E. During the eighteenth century, the Kandyan Kings restored and painted the caves.



Time line of the Caves





  • Seventh to third century B.C.E.: Early inhabitants. First century B.C.E.: Paintings and statues.
  • Fifth century C.E.: The stupa built.
  • Twelfth century C.E.: Addition statues of Hindu gods completed.
  • Eighteenth century C.E.: Near completion of cave and shrine building.
  • Nineteenth century C.E.: An additional cave and some paintings added.
  • Twentieth century C.E.: UNESCO restoration and lighting.


Golden Buddha Statue



Stupa at Golden Cave Temple



Frescoes on the Stone Roof



Interior of Dambulla Cave Temple



Sigiriya, as seen from Kandalama Lake - Dambulla



Largest Pink Quartz Mountain in Asia - Dambulla



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