DOWEVIHARAYA ROCK TEMPLE

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An unidentified rock temple called Dowe Vihara (note 1) or Doweviharaya (note 2), which DULLING (1926) associated with Ella caves (compare: –>Ravana Ella Cave), may consist of a modified natural, sacred cave (temple cave) in limestone (note 3). SITUATION: CEYLON TRAVELLER (1974: 241-242; 1983: 243-244) describes the approach to –>Ravana Ella Cave … at the northern extremity of the Ella Rock, a great slab of primeval stone that dominates the valley of the Kirindi oya [note 4] as it flows down the Ella Gap [note 5] … The cave is approached via a path to a rock temple [i.e. Doweviharaya] fifty to sixty feet [some 15 or 18 m] below [Ravana Ella Cave] on the mountainside. POSITION: Doweviharaya appears to be indicated (without name) as a temple near N06°51'57”: E081°02'53” (±250 m, Everest 1830, Survey of Ceylon sheet -Nuwara Eliya- One-Inch series) on the approach to –>Ravana Ella cave.An unidentified rock temple called Dowe Vihara (note 1) or Doweviharaya (note 2), which DULLING (1926) associated with Ella caves (compare: –>Ravana Ella Cave), may consist of a modified natural, sacred cave (temple cave) in limestone (note 3). SITUATION: CEYLON TRAVELLER (1974: 241-242; 1983: 243-244) describes the approach to –>Ravana Ella Cave … at the northern extremity of the Ella Rock, a great slab of primeval stone that dominates the valley of the Kirindi oya [note 4] as it flows down the Ella Gap [note 5] … The cave is approached via a path to a rock temple [i.e. Doweviharaya] fifty to sixty feet [some 15 or 18 m] below [Ravana Ella Cave] on the mountainside. POSITION: Doweviharaya appears to be indicated (without name) as a temple near N06°51'57”: E081°02'53” (±250 m, Everest 1830, Survey of Ceylon sheet -Nuwara Eliya- One-Inch series) on the approach to –>Ravana Ella cave.