Tour Guide, Negombo, Sri Lanka
| 2 mins read
Sri Lanka has many cave temples but the Dambulla Cave Temple (aka Golden Rock Temple of Dambulla, Rangiri Dambulu Viharaya, Dambulu Raja Maha Viharaya), is the most venerated, celebrated and most probably the most visited.
The cave complex that consists of the five viharas has a spectacular setting on a massive rock, some 1118 ft. above sea level and surrounded by the plains of Kurunegala on one side and the rock of Sigiriya and the mountain of Ritigala on the other.
The rock which soars upwards some 600 ft above the surrounding plains at one point, gape and enfolds to create the caverns that mother the caves. Almost as if in thanksgiving to the nature’s gift. The cave temples celebrate a variety of art galleries filled with thousands of images of the Lord Buddha in sculptures and paintings.
It is believed that the initial temple here was built by King Valagamba in the first century BC in gratitude of giving him refuge and shelter when he escaped from the invading Cholas. But it is most probable that these caves were occupied many centuries before; after King Walagamba's successors added to its maintenance, repair and prosperity.
Today the pilgrim or tourist in you will not be disappointed. The sloping rock leading towards the holy precincts only will serve to heighten the sense of reverence and excitement. In front of the caves is a pleasantly paved midula. The cavern itself extends to some 170 feet with a breadth of about 75 feet and a height of about 20 feet in front receding to the back till it meets the ground. There are four big caves and two smaller ones.
Cave No 1, the Davarajalena is entered by passing through a great Makara Thorana and includes a massive rock-cut figure of the Lord Buddha in the parinibbana mancaka or in the final passing away, attending him at his feet is his devout disciple 'Venerable Ananda'. The presence of a large wooden image of Vishnu who is considered here as the Lord of the Gods, by whose divine power the construction of the Dambulla caves was possible, explains the name given to this cave.