Sri Lanka is home to many impressive cave temples that had given shelter to the ascetic monks who chose those for their abodes for long years of meditation. However, the most astounding of all is the Dambulla cave temple, also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla. Filled with amazing statues and paintings, the cave temple has earned the name Golden Temple because of its gilded interior. This amazing world heritage site positioned in the capital part of Sri Lanka is an important Buddhist shrine and monastery and has been a sacred place since the second century BC.
The Golden Temple in Dambulla being isolated from the general mode of life and immersed in the profound silence in the wilderness, provided sanctuary to lead a life of sanctity and piety in search of higher levels of spiritual stream, is the largest in the country. Five major caves form this great temple which houses statues and paintings of Buddha whereby the largest cave boasts of 48 statues. These statues and paintings are related to Lord Buddha and his life. There are nearly 80 caves found in the surrounding area that were said to have been used by Buddhist Monks.
This impressive cave temple dates back to the 1st century BC and is regarded as one of the finest in Asia. The first cave called the Cave of the Divine King is home to the 14-meter statue of Buddha made out of rock can be found. The Cave of the Great Kings is the second cave, which is, also the largest cave found in the temple. This cave houses 40 seated and 16 standing statues of the Buddha as well as statues of the Gods Saman and Vishnu.
The third cave, which is the Great New Monastery holds paintings that resemble a form of Kandyan art technique. There are 50 Buddha statues in this cave and a statue of King Sri Rajasinha who took major efforts to preserve the Cave Temple in Dambulla while he was ruling in the Kingdom of Kandy. The remaining caves which are smaller in size dates to a later period. The temple is in use even today and that is the reason why it is known as one of the best- preserved ancient temples of Sri Lanka. This exceptional cave temple has become a significant historical site mainly because it boasts a combination of material and art from many diverse eras.