The Dambulla cave temple declared as a UNESCU world heritage site 1991, it is large well preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. Featuring extensive Buddhist and murals.
The site has been used by Buddhis monk since 3rd C. BC, as a monastery the after 01st C.AD convert as a temple of the Buddha. There five caves first cave is not a natural was carved by the ancient people, other four caves are natural.
There are 161 Buddha statue within the whole Temple and this complex of caves at Dambulla is one of the most impressive Buddhist temples in the world with its great number of Buddha statue and more than 2,000 square meters of roof and wall paintings. Apart form Buddha statues there are some images of Gold and Bodhisathavas.
The Buddha images and painting which can see today belong to 17th and 18th century.
At present time Dambulla cave was divided into five caves.
They are not separate caves but series of compartments created by inserting dividing
walls in single overhang. The five caves name as a below.
1. Devaraja Lena.
2. Maharaja Lena
3. Maha Aluth Vihara
4. Pacchima Vihara
5. Devana Aluth Vihara
The first cave is known as Devaraja Lena.
In this cave lays a large painted stone image of reclining Buddha, 15m long in
recumbent posture. There are seven Buddha statue thought to date back as a 1st C. BC.
Anyway, Sri Lankan statue of the buddha image doesn’t go back to such as early period.
Maharaja Lena
This cave bigger than the other caves and most spectacular cave out of all of four caves.
This second cave is partitioned off from the first by a thick wall.
This cave known as a Maharaja Lena which
means the cave of the Great Kings.
This is most important cave out of all, because it has the largest number of sculptures About 60 statues included seated, standing and reclining Buddha images find here.
Apart from those there are statues of gods Natha, Maithriya, Upulvan and Saman.
A bowl is set in the right-side fills with drops of water said never to stop even in a severe drought.
This water uses only for the day-to-day temple rituals pertaining to Buddha statues
