The Golden Rock Temple - Dabulla , Sri lanka
Dambulla-gala (the Rock of Dambulla) is a vast isolated rock outcrop which towers about 600ft.above the plain. It stands bare and black exposed to the scorching sun, very little of it sheltered by woodland, in this rock is a complex of caves, which house the historic rock temple of Dambulla. This is one of the oldest Buddhist shrines in Sri Lanka .It is referred to as Jambukola Vihara in the Mahavamsa, which is the principle chronicle of Sri Lankan history.
The quickest route to Dambulla, from Colombo is via Kurunagala. It lies in close proximity to several historical sites. Kandy, the last capital of the Sinhala kings, lies about forty-seven miles to the south-East. Aluwihara, another rock temple where tradition maintains the Buddhist scriptures were first committed to writing in about the first century B.C., lies 26 miles to the south on the Kandy-Dambulla road. Twelve miles to North-East is the famous rock-fortress of Sigiriya renowned for its pleasure garden, frescoes and mirror wall.
The Temples
The caves which the temple 0ccuoies are at a height of about 350 ft. above the plain, on the western side of the rock. Which of these caves are natural and which are man-made is difficult to determine, but it is most likely what some were small natural grottos which were excavated and enlarged. Tradition has it that in the first century B.C., King Vattagamini Abhaya had the existing canes enlarged and smoothened, and then had drip ledges (Katarama) cut above the entrances to prevent rain water from dripping in.
