Kandegama Kanda Lena Viharaya at Danigala Alien Rock

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The Buddha image vandalized by Treasure Hunters at Kandegama Kanda Len Viharaya
Image courtesy of Dr. Ashan Geeganage

The Kandegama Kanda Lena Viharaya, located near Aranaganwila, is an ancient 2nd-century BCE monastic complex featuring over 60 caves. Notable for a vandalized 38.9-foot recumbent Buddha and inscriptions referencing King Saddhātissa, it also contains a unique “double-decker” cave and evidence of early trade links with India.

Kandegama Kanda Lena Viharaya ruins lie about 25-30 kilometers away from Dimbulagala on the road toward the Maduru Oya Reservoir. The road runs through a canopy of green trees southeast from Dimbulagala passing through sleepy Mahaweli settlements. The main town in this area is Aranaganwila. Our destination was the village of Damminna in search of the Kandegama Kanda cave shrine some 30 kilometers from Dimbulagala.

Journey to the Cave Shrine

There was hardly any traffic on the road. Near the temple an army checkpoint made us stop. The young officers in casual clothes seemed relaxed enjoying a fragile peace time asked us where we were heading and sounded enthusiastic when we mentioned the temple. A gravel road turned inwards leading to the modern temple and the Kandegama Kanda cave temple.

We stopped our vehicle at the bottom of a rocky outcrop jutting upwards and piercing the sky. The cave shrine was situated high on the face of the rock. A steep boulder-ridden pathway through the jungle leads towards the cave shrine. There are many interesting boulder formations, caves, and in particular a cave called “double-decker cave” by the young priest who led us. This consisted of the natural formation of two caves one on top of the other.

Ancient Monastic Complex

The caves here have been dated earliest to the 2nd century BCE. The monk informed us that wild elephants also took this precipitous path and it was only recently that one such lone pachyderm had made its way down the rock passing the present temple.

The cave houses a large recumbent Buddha image said to measure 38.9 feet in length done in brick and stucco and placed on a platform. The image has been sadly vandalized by treasure hunters. The image is thought to have been like the one at Pidurangala near Sigiriya. At the foot of the image, a brick wall separates a little room where there is evidence of the existence of another image. However, today only the brick platform where this image was placed remains. Ven. Ellawela Medananda writing on the Kandegama Kanda Lena Vihara, gives the dimensions of this cave as 80 feet in length and about 25 feet in width.

Inscriptions and Historical Links

Many inscriptions carved on the rock have been found here. An inscription referring to King Saddhatissa and his son is of importance. Names of donors of these caves have also been found cut into the caves. One of the caves has been inscribed with the name of an ancient port in India. This is a very interesting finding, says Ven. Ellawela Medhananda, which indicates that the ancients residing here were aware of this Indian port. At the bottom of the rocky cliff are the foundation remains of an ancient building.

The Modern Temple and the War

The modern cave temple of Dananjaya Raja Maha Viharaya is tucked into the large boulders forming the base of the outcrop and shelters huge images of the Buddha. These statues and the few murals on the wall were incomplete due to lack of funds. The rock cave formations at the bottom have been fully utilized to home the present-day temple where the chief priest and some young priests lived.

A hospitable and kind chief priest welcomed us and was happy to talk about the village settlements around his temple. He spoke of the hardships encountered due to the ethnic war and said that if he left the temple the villagers would be alone and his presence was a comfort to the villagers around the temple. He was unbiased and liberal in his views, having actually lived through the travails of war, unlike most other city dwellers who theorized on solutions. He was surprised that the temple was documented in the writings of Ven. Ellawela Medhananda. He said that the rocky outcrop over the present temple had as many as 60 caves cut into it.

Silumini Seya and the Gal-kudaya

On our way back towards Polonnaruwa, diverting from the main road onto a dusty unsealed road and passing through a small village settlement, we arrived at the Silumini Seya some 22 kilometers from Dimbulagala. The ruins here were cleared and well-maintained. The remains of a chaitya stood on an elevated square brick platform with four cardinal entrances. The platform stood on a rock paved circular base. The few guard stones and moonstones found here were without ornamentation.

The stone umbrella, the gal-kudaya or the chathura-gala which is presently to be seen lying on the side, is the largest one to have been discovered in Sri Lanka. There are fragments of yet another of its kind. This is basically a stone disc in the shape of an umbrella, which was placed on top of a pillar rising out of the hemispherical dome of the stupa. Similar gal-kudaya but smaller in diameter, were to be seen at the Namal Pokuna complex near Dimbulagala.

Evolution of the Stupa

Prof. Paranavitana, describing the evolution of the typical Sinhalese stupa, says that in large stupas such as in Sanchi there were three umbrellas one over the other, the upper is of smaller diameter than the lower. The series of umbrellas gradually increased in number assuming the form of a molded brick spire which with time evolved into the present day spire sometime after the early Anuradhapura period.

It was well into the afternoon as we made our way back to Polonnaruwa passing through those peaceful Mahaveli settlements, to the busier lifestyles of townscape. It was a day blessed with adventure and valuable friendships.

by Kishanie S. Fernando
Daily Mirror

Cave Inscriptions at Kandegama Kanda Len Viharaya

piece of pottery in the caves of at Kandegama Kanda Len Viharaya

The remains of the ancient image house at Kandegama Kanda Len Viharaya

The image house of Kandegama Len Viharaya

Remains of ancient plaster layer in the image house of Kandegama Len Viharaya

H.C.P Bell’s Report on the Kandegama Kanda Caves as Per His Visit in 1897

This Western part of the Kande-gama-kanda range is by the Veddas called Ulabale-gala and Hene-hela.

Caves
The caves lie close to the path, at foot of the scarp, among large boulders and rocks, recalling Riti-gala, Dimbula-gala, &c. They have traces of ruined sites on their front. It would have involved a hunt of several days to ascertain how many caves in all there are — if more there be— and, as time presses and weather is doubtful, prolonged search was hardly worthwhile.
Those known are four, three in one bunch, under massive boulders (two of which adjoin), with the fourth cave behind them thirty yards higher.
Passed the night in the loftiest Cave (No. 1) making a jungle-stick bed on which to spread my rug, &c. The coolies made shift in the adjoining Cave No. 2, keeping a fire alight to scare any bears who might seek to share our rock dormitory. Heavy rain from 5 p.m. till 9, (from which we were well sheltered by the overhang and drip-ledge, which kept the caves as “dry as a bone”) ; later the moon shone out brightly.
September 16th — All up at daybreak and at work, in order to get back to Kohombalewa, if possible, before the inevitable afternoon rain descended on us. Had temporary ladders made to examine the inscriptions of Caves Nos. 1, 2, 3 closely, as they are carved high up; that of Cave No. 4 is legible from below.
The Veddas were directed, meanwhile, to explore boulders, &c., along the North-West cliff ; but declared, on return, that they had found no caves with brow “ drip-lines.’’ They probably did not care to “investigate” too carefully, for fear of bears who revel in these caves during rains.
Cave No. 1. Spacious: 44ft. by 25ft. and nearly 50ft. to the katarama ; faces S. S. E. Owing to its exceptional height the only inscription, of nearly twenty letters, is cut vertically—the sole instance in my experience—on the rock face at one side of the cave, at a height of 15ft, from the floor.
There is another, and longer, record partly encircling flat-topped rock, two to three feet high, just in front of this cave.
Cave No. 2. Even more extensive: 55ft. by 28ft. but only 15 to 20 feet in height to the “drip-line” fronts N. N. W., lying on the other side of the same boulder as No. 1. Inscription in two lines, of between thirty and forty letters.
Cave No. 3. a somewhat smaller cave; under a boulder to north of that forming Caves Nos. 1, 2. It measures 30ft. by 22ft. ; and at the west end has a record which is far too abraded to yield any meaning.
Cave No, 4. This cave lies to west of the others, and higher up the hill slope. It was clearly the most important of the batch ; for its katare is carried along the south and east brows , and on the latter is cut a fine inscription of 54 letters, boldly incised, with two special symbols at the end.
After a scratch breakfast, along the range Eastwards to that part of Kandegama-kanda beyond the dip (de-gala), known as Kitul-vinna, Kotta-gala and Arave-gala. It has a grand rock scarp, on which in two places are at present hanging no less than thirty-one bambara wada.
A stiff climb among, and over, rocks for about a third of a mile along the hill side, a very steep ascent to the cliff itself, and a further fifty yards scramble hugging it, brings one to Cave No. 5, once used as their vihare by the hermit monks.
Vihare Cave
It is situated beneath the perpendicular cliff, 200 yards or so to right (N. W.) of the highest bambaru-hela.

References

Bell, H. C. P. (1918). Archaeological Research in the Egoda Pattuwa, Tamankaduwa. The Ceylon Antiquary and Literary Register, III (part III), 193–215.

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පොලොන්නරුව කන්දේගම ප‍්‍රාකෘතික ශෛල සිතුවම්

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Travel Directions to Kandegama Kanda Temple (Dananjaya Raja Maha Viharaya)

Route I from Colombo to Kandegama Kanda Temple	Route II from Colombo to Kandegama Kanda Temple
Though : Kandy – Mahiyanganaya – Dehiattakandiya – Aralaganwila distance :265 km Travel time : 6 – 7 hours. Driving directions : see on google map	Though : Kurunegala – Dambulla – Habarana – Polonnaruwa – Manampitiya – Aralaganwila distance :271 km Travel time : 6 – 7 hours Driving directions : see on google map
Route from Polonnaruwa to Kandegama Kanda Temple
Though : Polonnaruwa – Manampitiya – Aralaganwila distance :47 km Travel time : 1 hour Driving directions : see on google map