A short distance from the Bandarawela town is the Dhowa Raja Maha Viharaya, which is located on the Bandarawela – Badulla Road. King Walagamba is credited with constructing this temple in the first century BC. After an Indian invasion, the king sought safety in the Uva province, where he constructed numerous temples, including this one.
The temple’s enormous 38-foot Buddha statue, which is carved out of granite, is the main reason for its rise in fame. However, this temple also conceals some long-forgotten secrets.
“DHOWA RAJA MAHA VIHARAYA”
Situated well away from the main road, the incomplete Buddha image is carved out of a boulder of rock. This statue has not received much attention, and it appears to be gradually crumbling. There is a tiny stupa perched atop the boulder. For a traveller on the road, this stupa is the only sign of a temple because it is level with the road. There is a tiny stupa inside a cave at the back where many ancient paintings are evident. For the stupa, the cave serves as a stupaghara. Typically, these are referred to as Chetiya Len. Inside the cave, behind this stupa, is a tunnel known as the Ravana Guhawa, which is watched over by a king cobra carved out of clay. It is said that this 11-kilometer tunnel connects the Bogoda Raja Maha Viharaya and the Ravana Maha Viharaya in Ella. Unfortunately, though, because of numerous acts of vandalism by treasure hunters, the temple has sealed off this tunnel entrance with cement. According to the story, the king used the tunnels to disappear from the area during the night, which is why the Buddha statue’s construction was abruptly stopped.
The evidence of a house, which was constructed inside the cave, has three chambers and is covered in vibrant murals and images of The Buddha. Two guardians, one with an elephant in its mouth and the other with a bull in its mouth, stand on either side of the main entrance of the house. Rumour has it that the two Rakshasa tribal leaders standing guard at the shrine room’s entrance are Watuka and Kuvera. The Image House door frame at the temple is carved with the date 1880 and is composed of solid rock. The Kandyan Era murals cover the entire outermost chamber. An intricate Makara Thorana decorates the entrance to the second chamber. There are paintings and a row of Buddha images in the second chamber. There are numerous motifs adorning the rock canopy. A unique painting of “Eth – Gon Satana” (an elephant / bull fight) is concealed among these decorations. There are two reclining Buddha statues that follow the contours of the cave inside the third chamber, which is
accessible through a plain wooden door. Compared to the picture of the
house, the Bo Tree is on a higher level. This platform has a small pond that is
encircled by a rock. Water constantly flows through tiny holes at the top of the
rock, creating a natural water sprout.
