For such a tiny island nation that’s roughly the size of the US State of Virginia, Sri Lanka sure does have an impressive heritage. There are so many remnants of this glorious past that you will see during your travels, and one of them is the magnificent Dambulla Cave Temple.
First off, where is it?
The temple is about 4 hours away from the commercial capital city of Colombo and is located within the Central Province of Sri Lanka. If you’re thinking it’s too much of a distance, don’t worry, you will get more out of this trip that you think. First base yourself at a Dambulla resort that’s centrally located like Jetwing Lake and during the course of your stay you can explore many of Dambulla attractions in addition to the cave temple. What are these attractions? One of them is the magnificent Sigiriya Fortress that’s just half an hour away from the cave temple.
An Intriguing Story
The history of the Dambulla Cave Temple dates as far back as the first century BCE. The story goes as this, when King Valagamba of Anuradhapura was banished by the South Indian usurpers, he sought refuge in these caves that was first used by Buddhist monks for meditation. For 15 years the king hid and waited here while building his army to regain his motherland. After defeating the invaders in a glorious battle, the great king built a temple here to show his gratitude to the monks who provided shelter in his most troubled times.
The Best in the Nation
Thousands of years after King Valagamba’s reign, the Dambulla Cave Temple also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla remains in such amazing condition that it’s described as the best-preserved ancient edifice in Sri Lanka. Its value goes beyond that as this magnificent temple is a designated World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It’s so impressive that even during the third and second centuries BC, the temple was already known as one of the most important and largest of monasteries in the country.
Highlights
Under a vast overhanging rock, are five caves containing spectacular wall murals and statues depicting the Buddha, his life story, bodhisattvas and many gods and goddesses. Even the cave ceilings are painted with elaborate patterns of religious images. There’s also a large seated statue of the Buddha, that’s painted in gold.
Filled with wanderlust that seeks to explore distant shores and captivated by the colors and vibrancy of exotic cultures, Kanya Mae writes on the beautiful, exciting, and enchanting wonders of the world. She is a writer who not only has a passion for travel, but also has a background in fashion, art and media.
