Beautiful spaces in Sri Lanka:

Dimbulagala Raja Maha Vihara

by Husna Inayathullah

The grandeur of the Sri Lankan landscape will never cease to astonish anyone.This small island is surrounded by the waters of the Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka's outline is compared to a teardrop falling from the tip of India or to the shape of a pearl. The name given to the island by early Arab traders was Serendib which gave rise to the English word "serendipity."

Sri Lanka is a home to eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 15 national parks, 350 waterfalls and a staggering 25,000 water bodies. It has plenty to offer in it sbeautiful compact self. From north to south and west to east, the diverse land of this beautiful island has many treasure troves to discover and to be learnt. There are amazing places in Sri Lanka sometimes you never knew those existed.

From this week we will bring details of beautiful spaces in Sri Lanka. Hope you will read,learn and appreciate the culture and diversity of Sri Lanka. Today we bring you details about the Dimbulagala Raja Maha Vihara in the ancient city of Polonnaruwa.

Dimbulagala Raja Maha Vihara

Dimbulagala Raja Maha Vihara is situated 16 kilometres south east of the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. The Dimbulagala range houses a number of caves cut into the rock with Brahmi inscriptions over their drip ledges. This forest hermitage of medieval times and holy abode since time immemorial, home to some of the most valued fragments of early frescoes was called the Gunners Quoin by the British.

The Buddhist monastery which was abandoned after the times of the Kingdom of Polonnaruwa was restored to the present status in the1950s due to the efforts of Kithalagama Sri Seelalankara Thera who was the chief incumbent of the Vihara until his death in 1995. In the ancient Pali texts this range is referred to as Udumbara giri. 'Udumbara' is a name for wood apples, and 'giri' means hills or mountain. Dimbulagala was also known as 'Dola Pabbathi."

The area was once known as a kingdom of the Vakshas, then the kingdom of a prince clever in war, then a sacred area, and a Maha Viharaya. With the fall of the Polonnaruwa Kingdom, this was covered by thick forests devoid of its settlers. But it's up again as an acclaimed abode of many of our bhikkhus.

Going back many centuries it is said that Prince Pandukabahaya, son of Unmadachitra and Deegagamini, lived in the stone cave here with Swarnapali and was accorded much hospitality by the two demon Senadhipathies Chitra Raja and Kala Vela, in human form. Then after some time, in the same stone cave of Dimbulagala, Princess Swarnapali gave birth to a son. He was named Mutasiva, after her father's name. It's also mentioned that another Prince was born and named Ganatissa.

Prince Pandukabhaya before he ascended the throne made Anuradhapura his abode had lived here for many years. After him Mutasiva, his son by Swarnapali became king. It is said that Arahat Mahinda arrived in the Island during his reign in BC 247. Mutasiva was followed by his son the famous King Devanampiyatissa. From all this it becomes clear how important Dimbulagala is to us in tracing the lives of our ancient kings and their survival even under difficult circumstances.

King Devanampiyatissa, the first properly acclaimed king of Anuradhapura our first kingdom was responsible for the erection of many Viharas. One of the first such Viharas was Dimbulagala. It is also historically important in that from Arahat Mahinda's time up to the tenure of the last Arahat, Maliyadeva's time many great Arahats dwelt in Dimbulagala. This is mentioned in the great literary work Saddharmalankaraya. Then there followed unstable and disturbed political periods, with threat to general adminstration and security.

Thus we see history repeating itself beginning from the first century into the 20th century. The ascendancy of Vijayabahu I in the 2nd century 1057 BC, saw the revival and reconstruction of Buddhist palaces of worship, when the king himself went through his coronation with the blessings of the Sangha, vowing to safeguard Buddhism.Vijayabahu I restored Dimbulagala Vihara which had suffered destruction in the hands of the invaders and enemies.

Dimbulagala is also noted for having being made the abode of Kuththagaththatissa, an Arahat who attended the writing down of the scripture at Aluvihare, Matale along with 500 Bhikkhus. Hearing this King Valagamba patronised Dimbulagala, by maintaining the caves, erecting flower ponds, fruit gardens and Viharas for the Bhikkhus and offered them land, fields and villages.

Queen of Vijayabahu I, Sundara Devi, though an Indian had committed much service by pioneering many industries based in Dimbulagala. Many meditation caves were built around the Oushada Pokuna or herbs pond. Links had also been established with Anoratha,the King of Burma at the time. Many books on Dhamma were taken to Burma and many more on Tripitaka were demanded from the King of Sri Lanka.

Buddhism suffered a setback again due to lack of Royal patronage immediately after Vijayabahu I. It was at a time when the Sangha itself were disunited that Parakramabahu I ascended the throne and because of services rendered came to be known as Parakramabahu the great. There had been a great deterioration in the Bhikkhu Vinaya as well, the only redeeming factor being the existence of Viharadhipathi of Dimbulagala.

The King summoned a Vinaya Sangayana to restore discipline among the Sangha. For this purpose the Viharadhipathi established a Sangha Sabha. In the time of King Parakumbha, a Sangha Sabha was appointed concentrating on the discipline of the Sangha. Dimbulagala reached an international status as a centre of knowledge with Maha Kassapa as the chief incumbent. It also became famous as a centre for Buddhism and an advisory centre for kings. In Namal Pokuna area lived many Bhikkhus who had come from Burma who studied here.

The area around Dimbulagala was offered to the Vihara by Parakramabahu I and Matara Kithalagama most Rev. Siri Seelalankara who rebuilt Dimbulagala which had suffered enemy attacks and turned into a deserted wilderness. Until his death a few years ago, the Sangha Nayaka treasured Dimbulagala and was a protector of the Viharaya.

Dimbulagala which had deteriorated after the Parakramabahu era saw a revival with the devotion and dedication of the late Mahanayaka and the discovery of Udumbaragiri which had become the home of the Veddhas. Settling in amongst the Veddhas Most Rev. Siri Seelalankara dedicated his life to the development of the area.