Dambulla cave temple

Golden Temple of Dambulla*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
State Party	Sri Lanka
Type	Cultural
Criteria	i, vi
Reference	561
Region**	Asia-Pacific
Inscription history
Inscription	1991  (15th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. ** Region as classified by UNESCO.

UNESCO designated Dambulla Cave Temple (also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla) in Sri Lanka, situated in the central part of the country, a World Heritage Site in 1991. The site sits 148 kilometers east of Colombo and 72 kilometers north of Kandy. The largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka, the rock towers 160 meters over the surrounding plains. More than eighty caves have been documented in the surrounding. Major attractions spread over five caves, which contain statues and paintings. Those paintings and statues relate to Lord Buddha and his life. A total of 153 Buddha statues, three statues of Sri Lankan kings and four statues of gods and goddesses stand in the site. The later four include two statues of Hindu gods, god Vishnu and god Ganesh. The murals cover an area of 2,100 square meters. Depictions on the walls of the caves include Buddha's temptation by Mara (demon) and Buddha's first sermon.

Prehistoric Sri Lankans lived in those cave complexes before the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka as evidenced by burial sites with human skeletons about 2700 years old (700 B.C.E.) which have been unearthed at Ibbankatuwa near Dambulla cave complexes.

City of Dambulla

Central Province of Sri Lanka

Major attractions of the city of Dambulla, in addition to include the largest and best preserved cave temple complex of Sri Lanka, include the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, famous for being built in just 167 days. The city also boasts the largest rose quartz mountain range in South Asia, and the Iron wood forest, or Namal Uyana.

Ibbankatuwa prehistoric burial site near Dhambulla cave temple complexes represents the latest archaeological site of significant historical importance found in Dambulla, located within three kilometers of the cave temples. As mentioned, they provide evidence of the presence of indigenous civilizations long before the arrival of Indian influence on the Island nation.

History of City of Danbulla

Dambulla Rock Temple from outside

Evidence of human inhabitation exists from as early as the seventh to the third century B.C.E. Statues and paintings in those caves date to the first century B.C.E.. But the paintings and statues had been repaired and repainted in the eleventh, twelfth, and eighteenth centuries C.E. The caves in the city provided refuge to King Valagamba (also called Vattagamini Abhaya) in his 14 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.

Ibbankatuwa prehistoric burial site near Dambulla, where prehistoric (2700 years old) human skeletons have been found, confirms that humans lived in the area long before arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Evidence of ancient agricultural people have been discovered in the area for over 2700 years, in 750 B.C.E.

Dambulla Cave Temple

Dating back to the first century B.C.E., this is the most impressive cave temple in Sri Lanka. It has five caves under a vast overhanging rock, carved with a drip line to keep the interiors dry. In 1938 craftsman embellished the architecture with arched colonnades and gabled entrances. Inside the caves, the ceilings had been painted with intricate images of the Lord Buddha and bodhisattvas, as well as various gods and goddessesfollowing the contours of the rock.

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., when already established 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. Exiled from Anuradhapura, he sought refuge here from South Indian usurpers for fifteen years. After reclaiming his capital, the King built a temple in thankful worship. 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.

The Five Caves

A Buddha statue in Dambulla cave

The temple constitutes five caves converted into shrine rooms. The caves, built at the base of a 150 meter high rock during the Anuradhapura (first Century B.C.E. to 993 C.E.) and Polonnaruwa times (1073 to 1250), represent by far the most impressive of the many cave temples found in Sri Lanka. Devotees and visitors access the caves along the gentle slope of the Dambulla Rock, offering a panoramic view of the surrounding flat lands, which includes the rock fortress Sigiriya, nineteen kilometers away. Dusk brings hundreds of swooping swallows to the cave entrance. The largest cave measures about 52 meters from east to west, and 23 meters from the entrance to the back, that spectacular cave stands 7 meters tall at its highest point. Hindu deities also have representation, as well as the kings Valgamba and Nissankamalla, and Ananda, Buddha's most devoted disciple.

Cave of the Divine King

The first cave, called Devaraja lena (lena in sinhalese meaning cave), or "Cave of the Divine King," has an account of the founding of the monastery recorded in a first-century Brahmi inscription over the entrance the cave. The cave, dominated by the fourteen meter statue of the Buddha, has been hewn out of the rock. It has been repainted countless times in the course of its history, and probably received its last coat of paint in the twentieth century. At his feet sits Buddha's favorite pupil, Ananda. At his head stands Vishnu, said to have used his divine powers to create the caves.

Cave of the Great Kings

Dambulla cave interior

In the second and largest cave, in addition to 16 standing and 40 seated statues of Buddha, are the gods Saman and Vishnu, which pilgrims often decorate with garlands, and finally statues of King Vattagamani, who honored the monastery in the first century B.C.E., and King Nissanka Malla, responsible in the 12th century for the gilding of fifty statues, as indicated by a stone inscription near the monastery entrance. This cave is accordingly called Maharaja lena, "Cave of the Great Kings." The Buddha statue hewn out of the rock on the left side of the room is escorted by wooden figures of the Bodhisattvas Maitreya and Avalokiteshvara or Natha. There is also a dagoba and a spring which drips its water, said to have healing powers, out of a crack in the ceiling. Valuable tempera paintings on the cave ceiling dating from the 18th century depict scenes from Buddha's life, from the dream of Mahamaya to temptation by the demon Mara. Further pictures relate important events from the country's history.

Great New Monastery

The third cave, the Maha Alut Vihara, the "Great New Monastery", acquired ceiling and wall paintings in the typical Kandy style during the reign of King Kirti Sri Rajasinha (1747-1782), the famous Buddhist revivalist. In addition to the fifty Buddha statues, a statue of the king stands.

Fourth and Fifth Caves

The smaller fourth and fifth caves date from a later period. The craftsmanship suffers from inferior craftsmanship. A small Vishnu Devale between the first and second caves attracts many worshipers.

Statues

Within those shrine rooms collection of one hundred and fifty statues of the Buddhist Order and the country's history reside. Those statues and paintings represent many epochs of Sinhala sculpture and Sinhala art. The Buddha statues vary in size and attitude, with the largest fifteen meters long. One cave has over 1,500 paintings of Buddha covering the ceiling.

Time line of the Caves

• 7th to 3rd century B.C.E.: Early inhabitants
• 1st century B.C.E.: Paintings and statues
• 5th century C.E.: The stupa was built
• 12th century C.E.: Addition of the statues of Hindu gods
• 18th century C.E.: Most of what we see today
• 19th century C.E.: An additional cave and some repainting
• 20th century C.E.: UNESCO restoration and lighting

Gallery

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  Inside the caves of Dambulla, Sri Lanka

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  Inside the caves of Dambulla

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  Inside the caves of Dambulla

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  Inside the caves of Dambulla

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  Inside the caves of Dambulla

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  Inside the caves of Dambulla

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  Inside the caves of Dambulla

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  Inside the caves of Dambulla

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  Inside the caves of Dambulla

• Dhambulla Cave Interior 16.JPG

  Inside the caves of Dambulla

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  Inside the caves of Dambulla

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  Inside the caves of Dambulla

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  Outside Dambulla caves

See Also

• Ajanta Caves
• Mogao Caves
• Buddhas of Bamyan
• Ellora Caves
• Buddhist Art
• Indian rock-cut architecture

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• This page incorporates content from Dr. Rohan Hettiarachchi's [1] used with permission of website owner.

• Barnes, Ruth, and David Parkin. 2002. Ships and the development of maritime technology on the Indian Ocean. London: RoutledgeCurzon. ISBN 9780700712359.
• Frey, Elke, Gerhard Lemmer, and Jayanthi Namasivayam. 2001. Sri Lanka. Nelles guide. Munich: Nelles. ISBN 9783886182299.
• Seneviratna, Anuradha. 1983. Golden rock temple of Dambulla, caves of infinite Buddhas. Colombo: Central Cultural Fund, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Sri Lanka. OCLC 13582935.
• Seth, P. K., and S. Seth. 1993. New perspectives in anthropology. New Delhi: MD Publications. ISBN 9788185880198.
• Wolfstone, Daniel. 1969. The golden guide to South and East Asia. Rutland (Vermont): Tuttle. OCLC 82748190.

External Links

• Dambulla on Google Earth. Retrieved August 7, 2008.
• Dambulla Guide. Retrieved August 7, 2008.
• History and Heritage of Sri Lanka. Retrieved August 7, 2008.
• Unesco World Heritage. Retrieved August 7, 2008.
• Dambulla Rock Temple. Retrieved August 7, 2008.
• A list of traditional names for cities in Sri Lanka. Retrieved August 7, 2008.

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