Dambulla Cave Temple: Why It`s A Must To Visit Temple In Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is home to various religions with Buddhism being the major one. The country boasts of many Buddhist Temples from ancient time that are magnificently constructed and exude nothing but a deep sense of serendipity and opulence. One of such temples is the ‘Cave temples at Dambulla’. If you are visiting the country and have applied for your online Sri Lankan ETA for vacations or even for a conference, going to this amazing piece of architecture is a must.

Dambulla is a laid back city, which is located in the central province of the country and is quiet, calm and serene. The town is popular because of its historical cave temple which has been on every tourist`s radar. Being the part of the infamous Cultural Triangle, Dambulla is located near Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya and Anuradhapura. While Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura is located at 40 minutes distance from Dambulla, Sigiriya is located at 10 minutes distance from the village.

Dating back to 1^st century BC, Dambulla golden cave temple is the most popular of all the heritage sites. For 22 centuries, it has been considered as a sacred pilgrimage site with its five sanctuaries and well-kept cave-temple complex in Sri Lanka. The temple is located at an elevation of 1118 feet from the sea level on a rock which is 600 feet high and 2000 feet in length. The temple complexes World`s greatest magnificent images of the Buddha and Rock paintings of vivid colors and shapes constructed and painted around in 2<sup>nd</sup> century to the Kandyan era of 18<sup>th</sup> century. To make sure that you don`t miss out on this amazing temple; make sure you receive your Sri Lankan ETA in time.

The temple was first constructed during the reign of King Vattagamini Abhaya (103 BC and 89-77 BC). When the king lost his kingdom due to the Tamil invaders due to which he had to abandon his capital city Anuradhapura, he took refuge in these caves during his exile period. After 14 years when the king regains his throne, the king converted those caves into Buddhist Temples. The three caves named as Devarajalena, Maharajalena and the Paccimalena were built by him.

For several centuries after the reign of King Vattagamini Abhaya`s was over, the cave temple remained abandoned until Vijayabahu I (1055-1110 AD) who made Polonnaruwa his kingdom. He made renovations to the temple where Buddhist Monks used to do chanting nearby. Later, King Keerthi Sri Nissankamalla (1187-1196 AD) uplifted the place by making adding around 73 Buddha images in gold plating.

In the later years, King Buwanekabahu (1372-1408 AD), King Vickramabahu III (1360-1374 AD), King Rajasinha I (1581-1591 AD) and King Vimaladharmasuriya I (1592-1604 AD) also contributed in uplifting the status of the temple multiple times. The temple is an epitome of opulence, stunning architecture, intricate details and spirituality in its purest form. Don`t wait any longer! Book your online Sri Lankan ETA from our website www.sri-lankaeta.com .