DAMBULLA CAVE TEMPLES

The Rock Temple of Dambulla, called Jumbukola Vihara (Dambulla Cave Temple) in the (Mahavamsa)-the principal Pali Chronicle of Sri Lanka, is situated about forty-seven miles north-west of Kandy, the last capital of the Sinhalese kings, on the main road to Anuradhapura.

The shortest way, from Colombo to Dambulla lies via Kurunegala, one of the capitals of the medieval Sinhalese kings. The other rock temple of equal fame, Aluvihare, where, according to tradition, the Buddhist scriptures were first committed to writing about The first century B.C., list about twenty-six miles to the south on the Kandy Dambulla road. And the famous fortress of Sigiriya with its beautiful frescoes rises aloft like a gigantic cylinder at a distance of about twelve miles to the north-east of Dambulla. Dambulla is a scent of unique interest. Its rock temples are the most extensive in the Island, and one of the most ancient, and in the highest state of preservation and order. Dambulu – gala (the rock of Dambulla), in which these temples are situated, is almost insulated and of vast size. Its perpendicular height above the plain is about six hundred feet. Very few parts of it are covered with wood, and in general, its surface is bare and black.

Historical

The caves of Dambulla, like the Mihintale caves, were occupied in very early times by Budd¬hist hermits. The antiquity of this place has been authenticated by the presence of pre-Christian inscriptions in Brahmi character immediately below the drip-ledge of the central cave. One of these inscriptions records: “Damarakita terata lene Agata anagata catu disa sagas dine. Gamani abaya rajiyahi karite” (The cave of the Elder Dlmamma-rakkita, given to the Community of the four quarters, present or future. In the reign of Gamani Adhaya.) The shape of the letters of all the short inscriptions in Brahmi form at Dambulla is distinctly those of the first century B. C, At that time there was only one king known as Abhaya, also known as Vattagamani Abhaya (89-77B. C.). this leaves no doubt that the king Abhaya referred to in the above-quoted inscription Vattagamani Abhaya. Dambulla became a popular place of residence of Buddhist monks at least from the reign of this king. Vattagamani Abhaya is one of the few kings of ancient Sri Lanka whose name and fame are not dependent on the written records. To him are credited by the common people of the country tile numerous caves with drip-ledges which were abodes of Buddhist monks in ancient days. As we have seen, one or two of these caves like Dambulla do, in fact, bear inscriptions with the royal name which is attributed to him.

According to tradition Vattagamani Abhaya, who fled from his kingdom, Anuradhapura, when it was invaded by south Indians, was helped by the monks residing in caves like Dambulla. The Mahavamsa records that the Buddhist scriptures were first committed to writing by Buddhist monks at Aluvihara in the reign of this king. This can be taken as substantial evidence to show that great caves like Dambulla and Aluvihare in the central part of the Island were residing places of Buddhist monks during this early period and were also patronized by the kings of Anuradhapura.

Tradition also has it that the five seated Buddha images including the principal one in Cave. No 4 of Dambulla temple were made of natural rock in the reign of Vattagamani Abhaya. It is also believed that some of the images in Cave No. 2 and the principal images in cave No. 1 were made during the reign of this king. As no Buddha images found in Sri Lanka can be ascribed to the period before the first century A.C., no credence can be attached to this tradition. But this does not bar the possibility that at least some of the images in these caves were made during the later Anuradhapura period, i.e. during and after the eighth century A.C. Unfortunately these cannot be identified because of the repairs and renovations, undertaken, in succeeding periods.

The successor of Vattagamani, Mahaculi Maha Tissa, following his uncle, spent much of his time on religious activities. One short Inscription of Dambulla refers to a king called Gemini Tissa who may be identified as Mahaculi Maha Tissa.

The historical records of the Island remain silent on Dambulla until the 11th century A.D.The Culavamsa (pt. all of the great Chronicle) records that Vijayabahu, (1070-I110 4. C.) who liberated the country from the Cola occupation which ruled most of the northern parts of the country for about, half a century (1017-1070), restored and granted villages to this temple and its caves. It is apparent that by this time Dambulla had become a popular centre of Buddhist worship.

The next king to patronize Dambulla was Nissankamalla, who undertook regular tours all over the country, repeatedly mentioned in his various inscriptions. The king, being a foreigner, probably wanted his presence felt throughout Island, and also wished to win popular support by distributing alms during these tours. The king seems to have been interested in visiting prominent places like Dambulla. Kelaniya and Anuradhapura during these, visits, and he left lithic record, at these places. According to the chronicle, Nissankamalla’s fourth tour (probably the last) was to Dambulla, where he spent lavishly on the cave temple and set up, seventy-three gilded statues of the Buddha. The inscription engraved by this king on the rock between No. I and gateway give an account of himself and his pious acts. The last two lines of the record we find the statement that he, caused the reclining, sitting, and standing statues (of the Buddha) in the cave of Dambulla to be gilt, celebrated a great puja at a cost of seven lacs of money, and gave (the cave) the name suvarnagiri – Guha ‘the golden rock cave.’ It is clear that from this time onwards Dambulla (Jambukola-Vihara) come to be known as Suvarnagiriguha or Rangiri Dambulla.

Although it remained a famous religious centre, Dambulla does not seem to have received the attention of Sinhalese kings after the downfall of the Polonnaruva kingdom at the end of the twelfth century A. D. until the came into the political scene of the country in the seventeenth century. profoundly affected every aspect of the history of Sri Lanka during this period was the gradual decline and depopulation of the northern and southeastern regions of the Island and shifting of population centres and kingdoms. As a result, ancient religious centres like Dambulla were relegated to the background.

Dambulla again came into prominence as a religious centre in the XVIII the century. In the Dambulu Vihara Tudaputa (a palm-left manuscript) of A. D. 1726, it is stated that king Senaratna (Senarat) (1604-1635 A. C.) of Kandy restored and repaired the temple. The document adds, “At the completion of the repairs, which took three years, the king, on the festival of the painting of the eyes of the images of the Buddha, proceeded to the temple accompanied by the three queens and three princes. After the festival was over, the king stood on the semicircular stepstone of Maharaja Viharaya (cave No. 2) and called on the monks there assembled to nominate a person fit to be appointed incumbent of this temple, sixty-five images of which including the one in residing posture, had been painted and finished.” The last great royal benefactor of the temple was King Kirti Sri Rajasinha (1747-1782 A. C.) under whose patronage Buddhism revived in the Kandyan provinces. Cave No. 3, then used as a storeroom, was further excavated on the order of this king and turned into another shrine roost. At the right of the entrance to this cave, there is a well-executed figure of this king, in his robes of state, which very much resemble those worn by the kings of the Nayakkar dynasty of Kandy.

Guide to Dambulla Highlights

Dambulla Rock Temple

The temples, which give this place celebrity, are parts of a vast cavern in the west side of the rock, at the height of about three hundred and fifty feet above the plain. Whet het the cavern in which these temples are formed, is altogether natural, or only partly natural, or only partly natural and partly artificial, it is now not easy to determine. The probability is, that it is principally natural, and that man has had very little to do in excavating it. The tradition has it that some of the caves were excavated by king Vattagamani Abhaya in the first century B. C. It can be surmised that this king and his successors, in benefaction to this place had to enlarge and smoothen the caves, and cut the drip-ledge (katarama) along the rock to protect the caves from rainwater.

The Caves and Paintings of Dambulla (General)

There are five caves (shrine rooms) in Dambulla temple. All of these caves are full of statues of Buddha and various personages of the Buddhist Order or History. There are 150 Buddha images in these caves. Cave No. 5 (the last in order) has no historical value as it was done in the second decade of this century. All of the other caves contain statues and paintings representing various epochs of Sinhalese sculpture and painting. The early paintings of Dambulla are believed by some to belong to the 8th century A. C. But this cannot be proved at all because of overpainting. Nevertheless, this place is a mine of decorative designs, the patterns of which resemble those of Sigiriya. To a student of the history of Buddhism, a careful study of the paintings of Dambulla provides a good deal of source material.

It is generally accepted that the classical school of Sinhalese painting ceased to exist after the fall of the Polonnaruwa kingdom at the end of the twelfth century. There are no extant examples of this style after the 13th century. It is from the 17th and 18th centuries that we have, once again, examples of the work of a school of indigenous painters.

This new school does not seem to have had its roots in the artistic traditions which created the masterpieces of Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa.

Its style is purely two dimensional; in compositions, it does not exhibit the skill of the masters of earlier epochs. In its conventions, particularly in the decorative designs and in the representation of trees and creepers, it does not seem to have any connection with the earlier part of the Island.

The Caves and Paintings of Dambulla (General)

This School seems to have been influenced by the Schools of painting which flourished in the Deccan (Southern India) under the patronage of Muslim rulers. The frescoes which adorn the cave of Dambulla represent this new school of Sinhalese painting, Inside the cases of this temple the whole surface of the rock is completely covered with paintings, The earliest phase is believed to be on Cave No. 2, and these consist of decorative designs as surmised above, it is not possible to identify any one of these as actually belonging to a very much earlier period. Nevertheless, the designs themselves show close affinity to Sigiriya ceiling ornamentation. There may have been old painting at this place but perhaps these are lost or have been painted over later. It can be surmised that the designs of the decorative patterns, embody ancient ideas and may even be considered as a continuing tradition of the designs at Sigiriya. But as the Dambulla Tudapata referred to above clearly reveals cave No. 1, 2 and 4 of Dambulla were painted by the Kandyan artists of the seventeenth century by the order of king Senarat (1604-1635 A.C). In the reign of Kirti Sri Rajasinha, the paintings of Dambulla were renovated and overpainted again. Paintings in Cave No. 4 clearly represent the new school of Sinhalese painting which flourished in the Kandyan provinces after the 17th century.

Cave No. 1 (Deva Raja Viharaya)

The visitor to the Temple of Dambulla through the gateway first comes across Cave No. l, called Dev-Raja-viharaya (temple of the King of Gods). It is believed that this cave is so called because the god Sakka (King of Gods) gave the finishing touches to the principal image of this cave. This image, depicting the parinibbana (the last moment) of the Buddha in the typical style is about forty-seven feet in length. It is carved almost in the round from the natural rock to which it still remains joined all along from behind, and is well preserved. The face is wooden in appearance, shapeless and dull. The usual long robe covers the body up to the ankle leaving the right shoulder and breast bare. The shape of the face is round and not artistically sculptured. The eyes are merely cut, the forehead is narrow and the ear is unshapely. The hair is schematically shown by a series of dots. The finely textured robe is depicted in a series of closely grooved ribs which are arranged close together in twos. The rest of the body is well executed in shapely proportions except for the stiffness of the feet and right leg.

The cave contains another five images of which the standing one at the southern end of the. The room is supposed to be that of Arhat Ananda, the immediate disciple of Buddha, weeping at the death of his master.

At the northern corner of the cave, opposite the face of the principal image, there is a statue, or Visnu, (some scholars believe that this is of Upulvan, one of the four guardian deities of Sri Lanka), which is a well executed.

The room containing this is always closed to the public for reasons unknown.

Although there are wall and ceiling paintings in this cave, these can hardly be seen as a result of damage done by the incense burnt by devotees.

Cave No. 2 (Maha Raja Viharaya)

The next cave into which the visitor centres is by far the largest and the most impressive one amongst the cares in this place. The portal by which one enters is in front; is an Iofty archway, guarded on each side by figures of stone; intended to represent Janitors. This cave is called Maha Raja Viltaraya (the temple of the Great King), because. According to the common belief, its founder was king Vattagamani Abhaya, who personally assisted in its formation.

The cave is painted all over in brilliant colours, and every part is in good repair. It is one hundred and seventy-two feet in length, seventy-five in breadth, and twenty-one feet in height near the. Front wall. The height from this place gradually decreases in an arc towards the floor on the interior side. This cave contains fifty-three images. The majority of the statues are of Buddha in different attitudes. Many of them are larger, but none much smaller than life.

The visitor who enters by the door at the northern corner of this cave first comes across a figure of the standing Buddha under a neatly executed Makata Torana, both sculptured out of natural rock. This is the principal images of the shrine room. This image is in Abhaya Mudra. The figure is beautiful sculptured will sturdy features and massive limbs. No attempt has been made by the artist to portray physical details in true proportion. The flowing folds of the Robe are shown by grooves. The right shoulder and arm are bare. The folds are gathered at the left shoulder. The head is covered with a series of lump planted regularly with a crest surmounting all of them. Eyes of the images are carved out with lids shown open. The lips are thick. So is the nose. There is a stiffness of the limbs and a wooden rigidity of the body. The image is standing on a stone lotus pedestal circular in shape. This lotus is neither well carved nor elaborate.

To the right and left of this, there are two standing figures respectively of two deities Natha and Maitreya, who, according to Buddhist belief, would become Buddhas in future.

Cave No. 2 (Maha Raja Viharaya)

At the right of the entrance is a handsome stupa, about eighteen feet high, the broad circular pedestal of which is ornamented with four figures of Buddha, each facing a different quarter, each seated on the coil of a Cobra de Castello, and shaded by its expanded hood.

The rest of the Buddha images in this cave are arranged in a row at a little distance from the sides and inner walk of tile room, but not a group. None is placed near the outer wall, except the one in a recumbent pasture, which is quite new. At the northern end of the cave, figures are arranged in a double row.

Towards the eastern end of the shrine room, there is a perpetual dripping of water that filters through the roof from hollows on the top of the rock, which are supplied by rain. The drops of water are caught in a vessel placed in a small square enclosure sunk in the floor and used exclusively for sacred purposes.

The whole of the interior of this cave, whether rock or wall, is painted with brilliant colours of which yellow predominates. The ceiling nearest the entrance is used mostly to depict the life of the Buddha, before and after his Enlightenment. In this part, the artist has also attempted to paint the earlier births of the Buddha. A visitor to the shrine room may want to have a description of at least some of the paintings. The principal paintings of this part are:

1. Prince Siddhartha, the Buddha-to-be, going out of his palace to exhibit his skills in arms.

2. Prince Siddhartha, exhibiting his skill in archery.

3.Prince Siddhartha, leaving home, in quest of Truth.

4. Monsters in the army of Mara, the evil one, attacking the Buddha.

5.Mara, the evil one, being thrown from his elephant after being vanquished by the Buddha.

At the eastern extremity of this cave, there is a little recess behind the row of Buddha statues, formed by a huge projecting rock, the walls of which are covered with paint. At the entrance to this recess, there is a standing statue of a king, identified as Nissankamalla who undertook extensive repairs to the temple. This part of the cave seems to have been used by the artist to illustrate the history of the Island. The frescoes, of this part, begin with the earliest and most fabulous period of the history of the country. Among these frescoes, the exploits or Vijaya, the first historical ruler of the country, who is said to have come from India, are conspicuous and cover a great space. The artist seems to have been interested in illustrating the voyage of this hero, which is represented by a boat surrounded by sea-monsters.

The next work of interest is the dedication of the island to the Buddha after the arrival of the Bo-tree and the sacred relics. This is figured by king Devanampiyatissa (250 210 B. C), who ruled the country on the eve of the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka, guiding a plough drawn by a pair of Elephants, attended by monks headed by Arhat Mahinda who introduced Buddhism to Sri Lanka.

Another painting here represents the building of the great cetiyas and other important religious buildings at Anuradhapura.

The most successful of the historical paintings in this part is the one which represents the single combat between Duttha Gamani, The greatest hero of the Sinhalese and Elara, the Indian usurper who ruled the northern part of the country for 44 years. The drawing of this picture is by no means deficient in spirit and is considerably more correct in the proportions than any other of the historical compartments. The Indian king is represented as falling from his elephant, transfixed by the javelin of his enemy.

At the northern corner of the recess, there are two standing statues carved out of wood. The common belief is that these figures represent deities. One is now identified in Sri Lanka with Visnu, the famous Hindu god, and images of this from, of Visnu, are seen side by side with those of the Buddha in a large number of temples in the Island. The other, namely Sumana (or Saman) is supposed to be one of the four guardian deities of the country. According to The Great Chronicle, The Sanrantakuta, i. e, Adam’s Peak, where the Buddha was supposed to have left his footprint, is thus called because the Peak was regarded as the abode of devaraja (king of God's) called Sumana. Both of these figures are well executed and painted, but are now in a decaying condition.

At the northern corner of the cave, there are four Buddha images in a sitting posture, facing the main hall. These figures are supposed to be those of Kakusanda, Konagama and Kassapa, the predecessors of Go time, The Buddha, who is represented by the last statue.

To the right of the northern entrance to this cave, there is a figure in standing attitude facing the principal image of tile shrine room, which is supposed to represent king Vattagamani Abhaya, the earliest benefactor of Dambulla. This is the crudest figure in every respect. And its dress is the simplest and least ornamented.

Cave No. 3 (Maha Alut Viharaya)

This Cave, called Maha Alut Viharaya (The Great New Temple), is separated from Cave No.2 by a wall of masonry. This is said to have been used as a storeroom before the eighteenth century.

The principal entrance to this cave, which is second in size only to cave No.2, is by a door. This was mode a shrine room by Kirti Sri Rajasinha, who reformed the Buddhist Church in the eighteenth century. Most of the new paintings and renovations of the Temple are attributed to this last great benefactor of Dambulla. At the left of the entrance to this cave, there is a well-executed figure of this king, in his robes of state, which resemble those worn by the kings of the Nayakkar dynasty, who ruled the country until the British occupation in 1815.

The cave is about ninety feet long, eighty-one wide, and is shelving rock whose height is about thirty-six feet. The immense surface of rock of this cave is also painted of the richest colours. These frescoes depict various and numerous events of Buddhists, some representing the life of the Enlightened One, and score the history of Buddhism. The artistic tradition of this cave is that of the Kandyan period.

This cave contains fifty figures of the Buddha.

The principal image, facing the entrance, is a standing one under a torana. The images and the Torana are carved out of the natural rock.

One statue of Buddha in this cave in the recumbent posture, its head on a pillow, resting on its right hand, is quite similar to that in Cave No. 1. This is about thirty feet long and well proportioned, the face is handsome, and its expression of countenance remarkably peaceful and benignant. Seven other statues of Buddha, in the standing attitude, are about ten feet high, and all the rest are life-size or a little smaller. Most of them are coloured bright yellow; three have red robes. To a student of Kandyan art and sculpture, this cave is, no doubt, a mine of raw material.

Cave No. 4 (Paschima Viharaya)

This cave is called the Paschima Viharaya or the Western Temple. It is about fifty-four feet long and twenty-seven wide; and its shelving roof, which dips rapidly inwards, is about twenty-seven feet high.

This cave contains ten figures of the Buddha. The principal image which is under a torana, is of the same size as the other statues. This is a very beautiful figure of the Buddha seated in the dhyana mudra (posture of meditation) hewn of the natural rock that forms the cave itself. The image is in a fine state of preservation and painted in brilliant colours in the Kandyan period. The features of the image are clearly discernible. The ears are long with pierced lobes. The nose, eyes and lips are well executed, the forehead is somewhat receding. A loosely flowing robe covers the body from shoulder to feet leaving the right shoulder bare. The method of treating the robe is the groove technique. Three grooves mark the neck.

The robes are shown well draped and with loose folds. The hair on the head is treated with dots in rows, rising to a bun shaped lump on the summit. The other images are in a row starting from the right and the left of the principal image.

DAMBULLA CAVE TEMPLES – TEN THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE VISITING

As you might guess, a 2000-year-old operating temple that is being built up as a tourist attraction in a far off land, like Sri Lanka, might have special considerations for visiting. We compiled our list of ten things you need to know before visiting Dambulla Cave Temples to help you have a great time visiting one of Sri Lanka’s oldest temples and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Wear modest clothing
You’ll have to climb uphill to reach the temple
Buy tickets at the lower / south entrance
There are no services at the top
Entrance fees
Hours of operation
Stay for enough time (but not too much)
Pick a good time to visit
The difference between Dambulla Cave Temple, Dambulla Rock Temple, and the Golden Temple
Plan side trips

WEAR MODEST CLOTHING

There is a dress code for entering temples in Sri Lanka that is similar to many temples in Southeast Asia. You can’t wear shorts and the woman need to cover their shoulders. If you didn’t bring the appropriate clothes, you may be able to borrow a wrap at the entrance, but it’s best not to take chances. Take a look at Ed’s lovely purple wrap that he used to cover up his shorts.

2. YOU’LL HAVE TO CLIMB UPHILL TO REACH THE TEMPLE

There is about a 300’ climb to reach the temple. It will take you about 10 minutes to make the climb, but you will be sweating at the top if you are leaving in the middle of a tropical day. The fact that the temples are 10 minutes and 300’ up from the entrance makes the next two points even more important.

3. BUY TICKETS AT THE LOWER / SOUTH ENTRANCE

There are three entrances to the temple complex, but only one ticket counter. If you enter through the Golden Temple or the local entrance halfway down the hill, you will have to walk down the hill to temple counter. There is no way to buy tickets at the top where they collect them.

4. THERE ARE NO SERVICES AT THE TOP

First off, make sure you take your water with you. On a similar note of water management, make sure you go to the bathroom at the bottom too. If you’re staying for sunset, consider packing a snack but beware the monkeys. They are used to pilgrims bringing lotus flowers for temples and can be food aggressive. One chased Ed until he gave him half his flowers.

5. ENTRANCE FEES

it cost LKR 1500, which is about $10 USD for foreigners to enter the temples. We always considered these fees part of ethical tourism and the costs of maintaining a 2000-year-old historic site.

6. HOURS OF OPERATION

The park is open 7 to 7, but the ticket counter closes at 5:00 PM

7. STAY FOR ENOUGH TIME (BUT NOT TOO MUCH)

Most visits take 1-2 hours. You might think that 5 cave temples would take a while to visit, but in reality, they are small rock overhangs. If you’re in good shape, you can blaze up and down the hill in an hour. If you want to rest at the top, take pictures, or wait for sunset, it might take you a little longer.

8. PICK A GOOD TIME TO VISIT

The best time to visit the cave temples is either early in the morning or in the afternoon. Most of the tourists come in the morning and the sunsets from the temples are outstanding, so that’s a nod for coming at sunset. Also, if you combine the trip with Sigiriya, it allows you to climb the higher (and harder) Sigiriya Rock in the cooler morning and enjoy the sunset from the Cave Temples.

9. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DAMBULLA CAVE TEMPLE, DAMBULLA ROCK TEMPLE, AND THE GOLDEN TEMPLE

Dambulla Cave Temple and Dambulla Rock Temple are two different names for exactly the same place. You might also hear cave temple and cave temples since there are, in fact, five separate caves. The Golden Temple and the Cave Temple are part of the same temple complex. The Golden Temple is at the bottom of the hill, close to the main road and the Cave Temple is at the top of the hill. Realistically, you should go ahead and visit the Golden Temple and Cave Temples at the same time since they are basically right next to each other.

10. PLAN SIDE TRIPS

Dambulla Cave Temple will not fill a full day of exploration. Make sure you optimize your time by planning side trips. We stayed at a nearby Mahagedara Retreat and visited Sigiriya Rock and the Megalithic Tombs on the same day as Dambulla Cave Temples. Nearby is hiking Pidurangala Rock and elephant safaris at Kaudulla National Park. Our alternative plan to visit the Dambulla Cave Temples was as a stop before we took the train to Kandy.

The Dambulla Cave Temple Map

Location

City: Dambulla

State: Central Province

Distance from Katunayake Air Port: 154.1 K.M

Weather

The ideal time to visit Dambulla

NOVEMBER TO MARCH

This time season is main tourist season in Sri Lanka. during this season most, foreign tourist visits Sri Lanka. Accommodation & Hotels rates are High all over the country. It’s better to advance reservation hotel rooms during this period. This period is highly recommended to visit Sigiriya.

APRIL TO SEPTEMBER

this time period can identify as the second tourist season.

JULY TO AUGUST

This is the special festive season in Sri Lanka. Kandy Esala Perahera & Katharagama Festival Season in the south. This time period also high hotel rates. So better to reserve in advance.

The Average temperature of Sri Lanka is 27 oC

The high temperature is 36 oC and the lower temperature is 16 oC

UNESCO World Heritage

A sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries, this cave monastery, with its five sanctuaries, is the largest, best-preserved cave-temple complex in Sri Lanka. The Buddhist mural paintings (covering an area of 2,100 m2 ) are of particular importance, as are the 157 statues.

Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0

ANCIENT OF Golden Temple of Dambulla

Sri Lanka

Central Province, Matale District

N7 51 24 E80 38 57

Date of Inscription: 1991

Criteria: (i)(vi)

Ref: 561

For more Details, Please visit UNESCO Web

Do’s and Don’ts

No matter about your dress but you suitable to wear a hat or scarf to cover from sunlight. It’s better to bring a water bottle because the area is dry & you will get tired soon.

DO’s

Watch & safe your Kids inside the Dambulla Cave Temple
Put all your garbage on the proper place
Behave calm & peacefully around the area
Keep washrooms clean & Dry

Don’ts

Don’t smoke & drink liquor inside the Dambulla Cave Temple
Don’t touch & impair to things in Dambulla Cave Temple
Don’t disturb to animals, birds & natural environment
Don’t behave as disturb to people living around Dambulla Cave Temple

Accommodation

There are a lot of ways to spend and enjoy your free life around Dambulla. There are no difficulties in lodging, Transport & Meal Facilities for your visit.

Here we are suggesting the best-recommended hotel for your accommodation.

TOP 10 HOTELS IN Dambulla

Nearby Attractions

The 06 Best things to do in Dambulla

01.Sigiriya Rock

You can climb Sigiriya rock on every day 07.00 am to 05.30 P.M. It will be around 06 hours journey to climb & spend time around Sigiriya. It's better if you can go early morning because the sunlight is too much at midday

02.Pidurangala Rock

Pidurangala is a temple & it is a meditative location for monks. Pidrangala rock situated at next to Sigiriya rock & it is the best viewing place of Sigiriya. And also, it is a popular place for Sunrise. So that you can climb Sigiriya in the morning time & climb the Pidurangala rock in the midday sun. It will be a good experience to enjoy 360oDegree views of Sunrise.

03.Minneriya National Park

Minneriya National Park located at 20km far away from Sigiriya. This is the largest place to see Asian elephants in the world. October is the best time period the visit the Minneriya National Park. You can see not only elephants but also deer, Buffalo & many verities of Birds you can see during your safari.

04.Sigiriya Archaeological Museum

The Sigiriya Archaeological Museum situated near the Sigiriya rock ticketing office. You have to pay only the Sigiriya entry fee to visit the museum. It's better to visit the museum before climb the Sigiriya rock because you can get a general knowledge about Sigiriya. It will help you to understand the things of Sigiriya easily.

05.Hot Air Balloon Ride

From November to April is named as the Sri Lankan Ballooning Seasons. This is a new experience in Sri Lanka. You can see & experience environment beautify from a Bird’s eye view. When you go air, balloon ride you can see the Sigiriya rock closely.

06.Elephant Back Safari

Elephant ride in Sri Lanka is a very good opportunity for you. While Ridding elephant back safari you can enjoy the beauty of nature, wildlife & lifestyle of rural village people near the Sigiriya. You can experience this rare opportunity around Sigiriya & Minneriya forest area. You no need to worry about your safety during the elephant ride, because there is a safety wooden saddle to sit & you can stay comfortably without any hesitation.