BUDDHANAGEHELA CAVES

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A a group of five cave dwellings (note 1) or rock temples (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1974: 249; 1983: 251), which generally consist of modified natural rock shelters, are used for troglodyte religious purposes. SITUATION: The CEYLON TRAVELLER (1974: 249; 1983: 251) locates Buddhanagehela (N08°53': E080°46'), an outcrop of rock, a little over 8 km north of the embankment of the Padaviya tank (N08°48': E080°45' nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003). CULTURAL HISTORY: The Buddhanagehela caves consist of a complex of five caverns … One of the caves contains a statue of the sedent Buddha, protected by a seven-hooded cobra. Another cave in the group contains Hindu religious statuatory. Some interesting inscriptions were discovered here, on a pillar nine inches [23 cm] square by six feet four inches [1.93 m] in height (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1974: 249; 1983: 251).A a group of five cave dwellings (note 1) or rock temples (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1974: 249; 1983: 251), which generally consist of modified natural rock shelters, are used for troglodyte religious purposes. SITUATION: The CEYLON TRAVELLER (1974: 249; 1983: 251) locates Buddhanagehela (N08°53': E080°46'), an outcrop of rock, a little over 8 km north of the embankment of the Padaviya tank (N08°48': E080°45' nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003). CULTURAL HISTORY: The Buddhanagehela caves consist of a complex of five caverns … One of the caves contains a statue of the sedent Buddha, protected by a seven-hooded cobra. Another cave in the group contains Hindu religious statuatory. Some interesting inscriptions were discovered here, on a pillar nine inches [23 cm] square by six feet four inches [1.93 m] in height (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1974: 249; 1983: 251).