During my waterfall hunting at Matara district, I have noted there are some old cave temples as well. Some of them are belong to Anuradhapura and Pollonnaruwa periods. These Buddhist temples are popular among nearby villagers. But not familiar to others. Therefore I decided to note down some information about these places to others also.

I have visited following cave temples during my journey.

• Elamaldeniya RMV (එළමල්දෙනිය රජමහා විහාරය)
• Gatabaruwa RMV(ගැටබරු දේවාලය හා රජමහා විහාරය)
• Thunbawila RMV(තුන්බැවිල රජමහා විහාරය)
• Budugala/Rotumba RMV (බුදුගල-රොටුඹ රජමහා විහාරය)
• Meemanagalkanda cave temple (මීමනගල්කන්ද ගල් ලෙන් විහාරය)
• Umangala/Amangala Owagiri temple (උමoගල/ අමoගල ඕවාගිරි රජමහා විහාරය)

Black star – Elamaldeniya RMV | Red star – Gatabaruwa Dewalaya | Purple star -Thunbawila RMV | Blue star – Budugala cave temple | Green star – Meemanagalkanda RMV | Click Map To Enlarge

Brown star-Amangala /Umangala RMV, Blue star-Atamba tree

Elamaldeniya RMV (එළමල්දෙනිය රජමහා විහාරය)
This is one of a fascinating temple I have visited.

Direction
Akuressa->Pasgoda via Imbulgoda->Elamaldeniya.

There are buses from Akuressa to Pasgoda via Imbulgoda. You have to get down at Elamaldeniya.
Then you need to arrange a three wheeler up to the temple. The road goes through the Elamaldeniya forest reserve.
This temple was built by Prince Saddhathissa. (සද්ධාතිස්ස කුමාරයා) (Anuradhapura period)
New temple is situated at the base of rock and to reach the cave temple you have to climb about 500 stone steps.

It is a tradition to have a wash before climb up. Arrow shows the place.

Alone

Elamaldeniya cave temple. This cave is long as 52feet.

Reclined Buddha statue with a length of 27feet.

It shows the year of built

Water spring

Entrance

Climbing up to the peak

Through the rain forest patch

Pagoda through the forest

Footsteps we came

Getting down

Footsteps closer view

Gatabaruwa Temple and Dewalaya(ගැටබරු දේවාලය හා රජමහා විහාරය)
It is not a hidden cave temple. It is one of a popular place among devotees.

Direction
Matara->Akuressa->Kotapola.

From Kotapola, you have to climb the Gatabaruwa Mountain to reach the temple and dewalaya. The distance is 2km and the surrounding view is breathtaking. (Similar to climb of Ambuluwawa) During poya days they don’t allow to drive along this road. Other days you can if you want.

Scenic road towards Gatabaru Kanda

Opposite mountain to Gatabaru Kanda

Surrounding view

Newly built image house

Ancient Gatabaru temple and Dewalaya of God Rajjurubandara.

Internal frame

Bulbs and bells

Faith

Another bell

Getting down

Stupa on the peak of Gatabaru Kanda

Thunbawila Cave temple (තුන්බැවිල රජමහා විහාරය)

This was built by King Wijayabahu I (මහා විජයබාහු රජතුමා) during Pollonnaruwa period. Few decades ago it was attacked by treasure hunters and old stupa was destroyed. Current value is the cave temple only.
Treasure hunters have thrown one important copper plate to a paddy field of Panakaduwa on their way. This was found as the oldest copper plate document of Sri Lanka.-“Panakaduwa Thamba Sannasa” -පනාකඩුව තඹ සන්නස

Panakaduwa Thamba Sannasa

The Panakaduwa Thamba Sannasa was found in the Panakaduwa village at Morawakkorale by a farmer named Suravirage Carolis Appuhamy in 1948. After it lay neglected in various places, for about a year it was brought to the officials of the department of Archaeology by Ven. Pandith Vanarathana Thera. Due to the efforts of Mr. Sarath Vattala the value of the document was revealed to the general public of the country. Finally Carolis Appuhamy was rewarded by Prime Minister D. S. Senanayake himself at Kamburupitiya in 1950.

The Sannasa was of three copper plates and was about 2.5 lbs in weight. It was made like an Ola book with two holes on the side of each copper plate.

The purpose of this document is to record the privileges granted by King Wijayabahu I to a high ranking military officer of Ruhuna named Budal Samy or Buddaraja of Ruhuna, who brought him up in his childhood and helped restore Sinhala sovereignty to the King after the Island was subjected to the Cholas for over a half century. The document records the very words of the King in which he makes reference to his early days of adversity and privations, briefly by expressive phrases of great human interest, very touching to the emotions.

According to the Thamba Sannasa, this is the first time in which we hear of a king of Ceylon speaking about himself in this manner in the first person, in a document issued under his own authority in his own life time. The document would therefore be of great importance, even if the king who so speaks was one above the ordinary. King Wijayabahu I had empowered Budal Samy’s sons and grandsons and the generations coming down from him with tremendous powers and sanctions due to his patriotic and faithful acts towards the country and the nation. The Thamba Sannasa inscripts that no punishments be given including even the death penalty for three times. Also the estates or whatever property they posses cannot be confiscated. Therefore it’s our prime duty to respect this great family and their descendants according to the writ granted by the Great King Wijayabahu I.

Direction
Matara->Akuressa->Kotapola->Kireelipana->Thunbawila

Thunbawila cave temple

Renovated after attacked by treasurer hunters

Paintings of the roof belong to Kandyan era

View of Gatabaru Kanda on our way to temple

Budugala cave temple-Rotumba (බුදුගල-රොටුඹ රජමහා විහාරය)

Directions
Matara-> Pasgoda->Rotumba.

You can heir a three wheeler from Pasgoda town .Importance of this temple is the cave (Twin caves) and a Brahami inscription letter belongs to early stage of Anuradhapura. Fortunately it is still preserved without any shelter. Old temple has been renovated at 1904.

Cave temple I

Written document

Reclined Buddha statue of cave temple I

Out of the main shrine house

How they got light into the cave II

Reclined Buddha statue of cave II

Behind the main cave there is another cave with ruins

Water spring

Brahami inscription

Old toilet

Meemanagalkanda cave temple (මීමනගල්කන්ද ගල් ලෙන් විහාරය)

Directions
Matara-> Mulatiyana->Neralampitiya junction->Meemanagalkanda temple.

If you are using the public transport, have to take a three wheeler from Neralampitiya (නෙරලම්පිටිය) junction. (About 6km from here)
It carries some evidences of Kandyan era. But later it was renovated and most of ancient signs have been destroyed.

Climbing up to the cave temple

New construction done around 70th decade.

Ceiling

Historical value still remain – Click Image to Enlarge

Mulgirigala Zoomed

Umangala/Amangala Owagiri RMW (උමoගල/ අමoගල ඕවාගිරි රජමහා විහාරය)

Direction
Matara->Hakmana->Umangala temple in Beliatta road

From the new temple you have to climb 424 stone steps to reach three caves, out of two are shrine houses for Lord Buddha and other one is a Dewalaya for God RajjuruBandara. (රජ්ජුරු බන්ඩාර දෙවියෝ)
This belongs to A.C 02-05 periods and consider as a creation of King Detuthis. (දෙටුතිස් රජතුමා)

Cave temple I

Buddha statue of cave I

Paintings of cave I-Kandyan era

Paintings of cave I

Cave II

Buddha statue of cave II

Cave III –Dewalaya

Cave III-There is a tunnel from here to Mulgirigala. Entrance is at this cobra hood painted door. It is believed a giant Cobra lives there.

Towards the peak

Stupa and pond on the summit of the rock

View from Umangala rock……Southern sea also can be seen

Bell tower

Ancient Bo tree

He guided us in the temple. Would become a sermon in near future.

Giant Atamba tree of Gatamanna (ගැටමාන්නේ යෝධ ඇටඹ ගස)
There is a giant Atamba tree at Gatamanna-Beliatta. It is situated in the Eldeniya(ඇල්දෙණිය) village. It has a circumference of 22feet and height is about 80feet. Earlier people have worshiped this tree and now it is declared as a historical object by the government.

Directions
Matara->Kirinda->Gatamanna in Beliatta road-> Eldeniya

Giant Atamba tree

How big it is compared to me

Thanks for reading.