Dambulla Cave Temple

Location: Matale District, Central Province
Date of visit: 6th December 2010

One of Sri Lanka’s most photographed venues is the famed Cave Temple in Dambulla. Inscribed as the “Golden Temple of Dambulla”, the complex of Buddhist shrine rooms have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage cultural site since 1991 and remains the best-preserved ancient edifice in the country.

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Getting There & Entrance Fee

Direct bus services to Dambulla are limited with the main routes being from Matale or Kurunegala. It is nonetheless a major transit town and you can generally ride any other bus going further north, to Wewalla for example — just confirm with the conductor before your get on. My trip from Kurunegala took about two hours and my fare cost LKR 60 on a regular CTB bus (LKR 90 on a semi-luxury service). Once you get off the bus, the temple is a short walk South about 1.5 km on the Matale Road, you cannot miss the large golden Buddha statue on your right.

The Dambulla Caves are also about 8 km from the popular Heritance Kandalama Hotel. If you a looking for a place to stay and budget is not a major constraint, I do recommend the hotel which is one of the country’s premier five-star hotel properties.

The caves are open 7:30 am – 7:00 pm and entrance fee for a foreign adult is LKR 1,200. The temple is part of the Sri Lankan “Cultural Triangle” and can also be accessed by the Cultural Triangle round-trip ticket for USD 50. As with most religious sites in Sri Lanka, decent attire is expected of all visitors; below-knee length pants or skirts, shoulder covered tops and no head gear.

King Walagamba’s Caves of Refuge

The original shrine carved into the granite stone cave was remarkably built in the 1st century BC by Sri Lanka’s 19th monarch — King Wattagamini Abhaya, also known as Walagamba. King Walagamba initially came into power in 104 BC, defeating a rogue commander named Kammaharattaka who had assassinated his brother and the ruling King Kallata Naga (reigned 112 – 104 BC). Unfortunately, King Wattagamini had the throne for only five months when the city of Anuradhapura was invaded by a Tamil Damila army from South India.

King Walagamba was able to escape Anuradhapura before it was captured by the Damila and traveled South, where he lived for nearly fifteen years with cave-dwelling Buddhist monks in the area that is today Dambulla. Along with the King was his pregnant first wife, Anula Devi, his two sons and his second wife, Soma Devi. It is said that Soma Devi sacrificed herself to lighten their load by stepping off the carriage and taking with her the king’s royal jewels. While King Wattagamini was in exile his capital was ruled by five different Damila generals, each killing his predecessor to gain power. In 89 BC King Walagamba finally raised an army against his enemies, defeated them and took back his city.

As gratitude to the monks who protected him the King built a temple, carving statues in the caves he took refuge. King Wattagamini continued his second term for another twelve years, ruling the country till 76 BC. Over subsequent the years many other kings added to what was started King Walagamba and by the 11th century, the caves had become a major religious center which continues to present day. In 1190 King Nishshankamalla (reigned 1187 – 1196 AC) added another 70 Buddha statues and gilded the statues in the caves, earning it the name “Ran Giri” or “Golden Rock”. Later, in the 18th century the caves were renovated by the Kandyan Kings. Today the Dambulla complex has six main components — five cave temples and the newer golden Buddha statue.

Cave I: Devaraja Lena

Translating to “Cave of the Divine King”, the first cave as you enter the complex is one of the oldest featuring a 15 m long reclining Buddha statue carved out of the same rock and at its feet is Buddha’s favorite pupil, Ananda. The cave’s name stems from the statue of the Hindu deity Vishnu located at the head of the reclining Buddha. Vishnu, the protector of Sri Lanka, is also known as the “King of the Gods” or “Devaraja” and is said to have used his divine powers to create the caves. There is also a small shrine paying homage to god Vishnu outside that cave (between the entrance to the second).

This cave also features an account of the founding of the monastery, recorded in a first-century Brahmi inscription above its entrance. Centuries later King Nishshankamalla, who thought the granite stone Buddha’s were not distinctive against the also granite backdrop, gilded its statues in gold leaf and painted the rock with earthly tones to contrast it. The cave has since been repainted several times, and probably received its last coat of paint during the UNESCO restoration in the late 20th century.

Cave II: Maharaja Lena

With its entrance directly adjacent to the first, it is the largest cave in the complex. The name translates to “Cave of the Great Kings” and, according to the stone inscription at its entrance, is so named in tribute to the Kings responsible for developing the caves — King Wattagamini who originally built it, and King Nishshankamalla who gilded its statues. In addition to statues of the Great Kings, the cave features a stupa, fifty-six Buddha statues as well as the gods Saman and Vishnu (both considered protectors of Sri Lanka). The Buddha statue on the left of the cave is escorted by wooden figures of the Bodhisattvas Maitreya (left) and Avalokiteshvara or Natha (right).

In the middle of the cave is a small spring which is said to defy gravity, running along a crack from a lower point in the ceiling to a higher one where it then drips into a bucket. The water is considered sacred and said to have special healing powers.

Cave III: Maha Alut Viharaya

Or “Great New Monastery” is the larger third cave, added in the 18th century King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe (reigned 1747 – 1782 AC) who was known for reviving Buddhism during the Colonial era. The cave features about fifty-seven Buddha statues, one of King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe, as well as richly colored murals of identical Buddha’s.

Cave IV: Pachima Viharaya

The name means “Western Monastery” and it was, until the fifth cave was later built next to it further to the West. It is the smallest of the caves and features a small Stupa, called the “Soma Chaithiya” in honor of King Walagamba’s second wife Soma Devi. The Stupa had been broken into by thieves who believed it contained jewelery belonging to Queen Soma Devi.

Cave V: Devana Alut Viharaya

Translating to “Second New Monastery”, it was previously used as a store room before converted to a shrine room by the Kandyan Kings. The cave features a dozen Buddha images, including a large reclining Buddha, made of stone and plaster as well as statues of some Hindu deities, including the god Vishnu.

The Golden Temple

This is the latest addition to the temple complex, located at the foot of the rock and visible from the Matale Road. Built in 2000 with a Japanese grant, the temple features a East-Asian styled, 30 m tall golden Buddha statue. It is said to be the tallest Buddha statue in the “Dharmachakra Mudra” or “Wheel of Dharma pose”, representing how the Buddha sat when he gave his first sermon after enlightenment.

References: 
1. “Dambulla Cave Temple”, Wikipedia
2. “Dambulla Cave Temple”, www.Dambulla.com
3. “Dambulla Rock Temple”, www.lankalibrary.com
4. “Visitor tickets”, Central Cultural Fund