DOWA ROCK TEMPLE

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An unspecified sacred cave or rock shelter (temple cave) with Kandyan era paintings in addition to a half-finished statue of Avukana Buddha, which is not only sculptured from a rock and ranges from 36 feet (11.1 m) in height to 38 feet (11.7 m) in size, but also appears to stand in the open air, as one finds, at least virtually, alongside the statue a giant sapu tree on a granite slab base which is slowly getting weakened by the roots of the tree (Internet). SITUATION: Nestled amidst the hills (Internet) at about halfway (about 6 or 7 km) from Bandarawela (N06°50'13”: E080°59'08” WGS84) along the Badulla - Bandarawella highway (A16) approximately north-east to the town of Ella (N06°52': E081°03'). CULTURAL HISTORY - fabulous tunel: At least one Internet website (note 1) narrates how King Walagamba was hiding and fled from the place before the temple could be fully finished. Supporting this myth is the unfinished stone statue of Buddha. The villagers want the king to have lef the temple via a secret tunnel. Nowadays, this secret tunnel, which is guarded by a statue of cobra, is projected beyond a cemented or plaster covered surface. Needless to say, the cave entrance to the fabulous tunnel had been visibly secreted behind an obvious rock surface not only to prevent the treasure hunters from secretly entering but also, and much more convincing, to save tourists from facing any accident since there are often landslides here. CULTURAL HISTORY - religious folklore: REICHENBACH & KIEDROWSKI (1995: 84) count Dowa Felsentempel (literally: Dowa rock temple) among the sightseeing spots in the vicinity of Bandarawela. tourism-srilanka.com (accessed 2009.08.02) advertises the historic cave temple complex … once the sanctuary for King Walagamba … has a beautiful ornamental gateway that attracts visitors. the temple via a secret tunnel. Nowadays, this secret tunnel, which is guarded by a statue of cobra, is projected beyond a cemented or plaster covered surface. Needless to say, the cave entrance to the fabulous tunnel had been visibly secreted behind an obvious rock surface not only to prevent the treasure hunters from secretly entering but also, and much more convincing, to save tourists from facing any accident since there are often landslides here. CULTURAL HISTORY - religious folklore: REICHENBACH & KIEDROWSKI (1995: 84) count Dowa Felsentempel (literally: Dowa rock temple) among the sightseeing spots in the vicinity of Bandarawela. tourism-srilanka.com (accessed 2009.08.02) advertises the historic cave temple complex … once the sanctuary for King Walagamba … has a beautiful ornamental gateway that attracts visitors.