The Golden Mountain Temple
Rangiri Dambulla
Dambulla is neither a Kingdom nor Citadel.But this is the place where the Royal patronage was highly drawn. Dambulla, constitutes
of the largest cave complex in Sri Lanka and is one of the largest cave temple complex in the south and southeast Asian region.
There are altogether seventy eight caves of which five consist of sculptures and paintings.These caves served as residential quarters
for Bikkus, and with cutting drip-ledges.This is testified by the inscription engraved in the caves in the 3rd century BC.Later they were
converted into shrine rooms,which had been embellished, by paintings and sculptures.The five main caves are located closed to the summit of the rock covering the large exposure.
Those five caves located separately in the rocktemppe accommodate sculptures of buddha,
Bodhi-Satwa, Deities, Kingd and large number of murals, belonging to different eras commencing from Anuradhapura to the end of the Kandiyan period.
The painting of a thousands Buddhas and of ten Bodi-Satva,Loka-Anotatta,flags of King Dutugamunu and Elara are disinctive featuresof the caves.
The vihara complex is located at a highter elevation and stands on a huge granite-rock, and can be reached by climbing a flight of steps
which gradually inclines.late historical
In the 12th century BC,it is recorded that King Nissankamalla of Polonnaruwa,who had visited Dambulla,had carried out repairs
and restoration work to the temple.
Towards the end of the late historical period,in the 17th and 18th centuries this rock-temple, once again became the center of major Royal and Buddhist activities.Early past of the 17th century BC.King Senarath of Kandy had refurbished this area.
The five main rock temples of Dambulla have been entirely re-painted or over-painted in the post-classic style of the Central Kandyan School of the late 18th century by King Kirthi Sri Rajasinha.
Dambulla temple is declared as a World heritage site by UNESCO similar to Sigiriya in 1982.
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