The Cave Temple, the Megalithic Burial Site and the Silver Temple
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- Utensils found through excavations at Burial Sites
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- The Cave Temple
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- Some tombs at the Burial Site
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- Outside the Cave Temple
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- Inside the ‘Waraka Walandu Viharaya’
Dambulla is a significant historical city of Sri Lanka. With its history dating back many years, this city comprises many historical sites, such as the Dambulla Cave Temple and the Ibbankatuwa Megalithic Burial Site.
A few kilometres away, in the district of Kurunegala, stands another significant temple of Sri Lanka; the Ridee Viharaya or the Silver Temple. All these wonderful places share a valuable history in Sri Lanka.
The Dambulla Cave Temple is a well-known temple, where many locals as well as tourists visit. It was declared a Heritage Site by UNESCO. Its history dates back to the first century BC, and is believed to have been made by King Walagamba and renovated by various other kings throughout time. Its architectural features are fascinating, such as the idea of ridges over cave openings, which prevent rain from pouring in. Many statues of the Bodhisatva and Lord Buddha can be found inside, along with many other paintings on the cave’s ceilings.
The megalithic burial site of Ibbankatuwa is another site in Dambulla, a few kilometres away from the Cave Temple, near the Ibbankatuwa Wewa This place consists of over 2,700 years old burial grounds, covering a vast land area. Excavations of these grounds have not only resulted in the findings of such tombs, but also other ancient belongings such as clay pots, jewellery and other utensils.
The Silver Temple is another important place. It is said that this place before being converted into a temple, provided the silver ore used to build the Ruwanweliseya Stupa by King Dutugemunu. Unexpectedly found when the king nearly gave up on the construction, this place was converted to a temple with gratitude and named Ridee Viharaya. The Waraka Walandu Viharaya next to it is believed to be the place where merchants offered some monks Jakfruit, or ‘Waraka’ in Sinhala. This temple dates back to the second century BC, and is also a main tourist attraction.
These are just some historical sites in Sri Lanka. It is to be noted however, that our motherland, is a land with a rich history dating back thousands of years, and that there are many more historical places too.
Lihini Wijesekara (Grade 9)
Lyceum Int. School, Wattala