Dambulla - Buddha Temple in Sri Lanka

Dambulla is a temple on the island of Sri Lanka. Created more than two thousand years ago, it is famous for its numerous Buddha statues. This largest cave temple in South Asia is still a place of pilgrimage.

Location:

The temple of Dambulla, whose photo can be seen below, is the main attraction of Sri Lanka. It is located in the central part of the island. The city that grew up next to the temple is also called Dambulla. The settlement is located fairly close to Colombo. Two cities share about 148 km.

Dambulla is a temple carved into a rock. It is located on the top of a mountain towering 350 meters above the city. To the entrance leads a long staircase, which vigilantly "guarded" by agile monkeys and various traders.

Temple of Dambulla: history

The sacred structure dates back to the I century BC. During the erection of the temple, several rulers of Sri Lanka were replaced. His story he leads from the time of the reign of King Walagambahu. He asked the shelter of Buddhist monks when the enemy occupied his hometown and the capital of Anuradhapura. For 14 years, Valagambahu lived in a cave, and then erected a temple and brought it as a gift to Buddhist monks. The entrance to Dambulla is decorated with an inscription that attests to the authenticity of this story.

In the 12th century, about half of the temple statues depicting the Buddha were covered in gold. This update happened during the reign of Nissankamalla. Since then, Dambulla has become known as the "Golden Temple".

New changes brought the sacred structure of the 18th century. The golden temple of Dambulla became the home for a large number of artists. They decorated the walls of the building with a list of Buddhist themes. The total area of the drawings is estimated at 2100 m ² .

Five caves

Dambulla - a temple consisting of several caves. The main ones are five:

• Devaradjalena. The Cave of the Divine Tsar. The main thing that attracts the eye here is the statue of a reclining Buddha 14 meters long. At the feet of the figure is Ananda, the first disciple of the spiritual guide. In the cave there are four other Buddha statues, as well as a sculptural image of Vishnu. To this part of the temple adjoins the chapel of the Hindu deity.
• Maharajalena. Cave of the Great Kings. This is the largest area of the temple. Here is the stupa, which is surrounded by eleven sculptures depicting the Buddha. In addition, the cave has a vessel for collecting water from the ceiling. The liquid is attracted to the cracks of the arch and due to this it moves in an unusual direction, from the bottom up.
• Maha Alut Viharaya. It is often called the Great New Monastery. In a relatively small area (cave size - 27 * 10 m), more than fifty sculptures depicting the Buddha are concentrated.
• Pachchima Viharaya. Like the next one, it was created in a later period than the rest. The main attraction is a stupa of small size.
• Devan Alut Viharaya. For some time this cave was used as a warehouse. Now here are placed the statues of Buddha and several other deities, including Vishnu.

Numerous murals have been preserved on the walls of the caves. The painting attracts the eye no less than the magnificent statues of the Buddha. Outside the described rooms there are still about 70 caves, much smaller in size.

At the foot of

At the base of the mountain there is another, already modern sight - the temple of the Golden Buddha. In fact, it is a museum that houses a huge collection of Buddha statues from a variety of materials, from stone to gold. The roof of the three-story building is decorated with a golden Buddha figure, to which one can climb. Bodhi tree grows at the entrance to the temple-museum .

Next to the statue of the golden Buddha, you can also see numerous sculptures of monks in orange robes that bring the lotus flowers to the great teacher. Nearby is the first Buddhist radio station in Sri Lanka.

A few tips for tourists

The path to the top of the mountain takes a long time. However, the temperature in Sri Lanka is often not the most comfortable. Experienced travelers note that it is better to take umbrellas from the sun and water. Monkeys that meet on the stairs, only seem harmless. If they notice the food, they can attack the entire pack.

Ticket offices for the entrance to the cave temple and the museum are different and are located at the foot of the mountain. Before visiting a holy building, you must take off your shoes. Dambulla is a Buddhist temple: it is not allowed to enter here.

The ancient structure remains today a place of pilgrimage, prayer and meditation. Despite the numerous groups of tourists, believers come daily to the temple of Buddha. By the way, there are no other attractions in Dambulla. Moreover, tourists who have visited here warn against attempts to find accommodation in this settlement, since it does not differ in comfort. Ideal - to settle in the neighboring city of Sigiriya, beautiful and hospitable.