Golden Temple of Dambulla – Unique Cultural Heritage
The history of the Golden Temple Dambulla takes you back to an era when life was simple, void of greed, chaos and corruption; a time when people had faith in religion and fear for malevolence. The time was 1st century B.C. The place is the beautiful and historic site of Dambulla in the central part of Sri Lanka, commonly known as Paradise Island. For those of you who have not been to the Golden Temple in Dambulla, a visit is a must for it depicts stories of the legendary King Valagambahu who was responsible for the conversion of solid rock caves into the beautiful standing monastery it is today.
Exiled from his hometown for 15 years the rightful King Valagambahu reclaimed his throne and as a thankful act of worship he converted this solid rock cave into a monastery in the 1st Century B.C. The succeeding kings followed suit and enhanced the caves adding Buddha statues making the site a major religious centre. The sanctuary which is build at a 160m elevated rock comprises of five large caves which have been beautifully converted into shrine rooms with a drip line to keep the interiors dry. The inside of the caves following the contours and ceiling have been painted with intricate drawings of Lord Buddha and various religious images that are astonishingly beautiful and detailed to the later paintbrush stroke.
This well preserved edifice offers one of the most panoramic views with a total of 80 caves in the surrounding area consisting of a total of 153 Buddha statues, 4 statues of gods and goddesses and 3 statues of the kings who contributed to the construction of this monastery. The first cave called the Devaraja Lena has Brahmi inscription in the entrance and the inside is the resting place of a 14 metre long statue of Lord Buddha crafted out of the rock. At the foot is a statue of Lord Buddha's most devoted pupil Ananda Thero and at his head is a sculpture of Vishnu, a god who is said to have had created the caves with His divine powers. All those who see this impressive statue will be awed at its sheer beauty and magnetism.
In the second cave, which is also the largest cave of all there is a collection of 40 seated Buddha statues and a staggering 16 standing statues of Lord Buddha. There are also statues of gods and goddesses alongside with the statues of the three great kings who transformed this cave into the monastery it is today. This cave is named Maharaja Lena which translates as the "Cave of the Great Kings." In the centre of this cave is a true miracle of its making for trickling from the cave is a spring that drips water into a huge vessel which is proven to have healing powers. Many a paintings in this beautiful cave go back to the 18th century and is dedicated to narrating the life of Lord Buddha.
Just a few kilometres away from this historical place is the ancient rock fortress Sigiriya which is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Sri Lanka. The tourist visiting the historic city has many a places to visit and enjoy the true essence of Sri Lanka. For those of you seeking a luxurious Sri Lanka hotel in the area, a noteworthy choice would be the wonderful accommodation at Heritance Kandalama. Its exemplary services and modern amenities make it a favourable choice for travellers in search of Sri Lanka resorts in the region.
Exiled from his hometown for 15 years the rightful King Valagambahu reclaimed his throne and as a thankful act of worship he converted this solid rock cave into a monastery in the 1st Century B.C. The succeeding kings followed suit and enhanced the caves adding Buddha statues making the site a major religious centre. The sanctuary which is build at a 160m elevated rock comprises of five large caves which have been beautifully converted into shrine rooms with a drip line to keep the interiors dry. The inside of the caves following the contours and ceiling have been painted with intricate drawings of Lord Buddha and various religious images that are astonishingly beautiful and detailed to the later paintbrush stroke.
This well preserved edifice offers one of the most panoramic views with a total of 80 caves in the surrounding area consisting of a total of 153 Buddha statues, 4 statues of gods and goddesses and 3 statues of the kings who contributed to the construction of this monastery. The first cave called the Devaraja Lena has Brahmi inscription in the entrance and the inside is the resting place of a 14 metre long statue of Lord Buddha crafted out of the rock. At the foot is a statue of Lord Buddha's most devoted pupil Ananda Thero and at his head is a sculpture of Vishnu, a god who is said to have had created the caves with His divine powers. All those who see this impressive statue will be awed at its sheer beauty and magnetism.
In the second cave, which is also the largest cave of all there is a collection of 40 seated Buddha statues and a staggering 16 standing statues of Lord Buddha. There are also statues of gods and goddesses alongside with the statues of the three great kings who transformed this cave into the monastery it is today. This cave is named Maharaja Lena which translates as the "Cave of the Great Kings." In the centre of this cave is a true miracle of its making for trickling from the cave is a spring that drips water into a huge vessel which is proven to have healing powers. Many a paintings in this beautiful cave go back to the 18th century and is dedicated to narrating the life of Lord Buddha.
Just a few kilometres away from this historical place is the ancient rock fortress Sigiriya which is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Sri Lanka. The tourist visiting the historic city has many a places to visit and enjoy the true essence of Sri Lanka. For those of you seeking a luxurious Sri Lanka hotel in the area, a noteworthy choice would be the wonderful accommodation at Heritance Kandalama. Its exemplary services and modern amenities make it a favourable choice for travellers in search of Sri Lanka resorts in the region.