The Hindu Business Line : Where the rocks speak

A 148-km drive from Colombo, on the Matale-Anuradhapura Road, and we stood in awe of one of the most stunning World Heritage sites — the Golden Temple of Dambulla. Described as a site with "outstanding universal value", the sprawling structure, perhaps the most impressive of all cave temples in Sri Lanka, beckons with its sheer size as it looms above the small market town of Dambulla.

For over 2,000 years, the temple has been a pilgrim centre for Sri Lankan Buddhists and is considered one of the largest and best-preserved cave temple complexes in the island. Covering 25,000 sq ft, the cave paintings are supposedly the largest in South Asia and the oldest in the world.

The temple houses an amazing array of statues of the Buddha, Bodhisattas and several Hindu deities, including Vishnu. Even as we ascended the sloppy terrain, comprising scores of uneven rocky steps, we were treated to a panoramic view of the surrounding flat lands and the rock fortress of Sigiriya, about 18 km away. Entertaining us all along were little troops of friendly macaques, teasing us and spoiling for a friendly tussle.

All the shrines in the temple complex have decorative facades. The temple dates back to 1st century B.C. and stands majestically at the base of a 150-metre high rock. It comprises five caverns — Dev Raja Viharaya, Maha Raja Viharaya, Maha Aluth Viharaya, Paschima Viharaya and Deveni Aluth Viharaya.

Originally a hideout for dethroned kings and other royalty, the humungous natural rock formations once provided refuge to the fleeing King Valagama Bahu of Anuradhapura. The grateful king transformed the place into a temple of immense beauty when he later regained his throne. Succeeding kings made improvements in the interiors, gilding it to make it the Ran Giri or Golden Rock.

While some of the paintings and murals show signs of weathering, it is equally evident that they have been painted over from time to time, especially during the 18th century when massive restoration work was carried out by the Kandyan kings.

History apart, even the most jaded traveller cannot fail to be impressed by the colourful sweep of frescoes — many of them over 2,000 years old — that aesthetically adorn the ceiling. The paintings, which depict stories from Buddhist mythology and the previous births of Buddha, have sharp overtones of yellow. While some tourists might find the lighting in the caves rather poor or dull, we found it just right to lend a dash of mystery and aura to the place. The temple houses one of the most fascinating Buddha statues in the world which shows a cobra sheltering the Buddha from rain, under the Bodhi tree.

The wealth of wall and ceiling paintings in Dev Raja Viharaya are in bad condition, presumably affected by the smoke of incense sticks burnt by the multitude of devotees visiting it.

The largest of the caves, Maha Raja Viharaya, is studded with nearly 48 statues of the Buddha, besides several Hindu gods. The murals adorning the ceiling of the Dambulla cavern follow the natural folds of the rock so closely that it gives the illusion of flowing fabric rather than solid rock. One of the distinctive features of this cave is the huge reclining Buddha and a small dagoba ringed by statues of Buddhas seated in meditation. The ceiling has an astonishing mosaic of paintings, in the middle of which is a small crevice that has been dripping water continuously for centuries! Devotees believe the water has healing powers and use it in religious ceremonies.

Close to the temple's main courtyard is a museum, adjoining a modern facility... a net café. Whether a history-lover or a lover of art and nature in all its splendour, the Dambulla Cave Temple does not fail to impress.

Pictures by the author

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