Dambulla - once a silent hamlet, now a hub of activities
 

by C. Abaya Tenne

Dambulla, the colossal Rock Temple situated in a hillock is famous for its caves - 5 to 6 in number and over 150 Budda statues inside the caves - seated, standing and reclining in different mudras, hewn in hard granite, cut and chiselled in preservable wood or in brick and mortar. Another significant feature are the mural paintings depicted on the rock surface.

Festival Season

The most interesting are the festive seasons like Vesak, Poson, Esala and Nikini - devotees in large numbers climb and flock at the temple entrance until they find their way into the caves. The temple attendants greet the devotees and offer their services to guide with explanations in expectation of a few rupees while groups of monkeys welcome the devotees - teeth shown good smile - in anticipation of edible food items. If no response is shown, sometimes edible fruits or food items in the hands of devotees are grabbed forcibly - with Anger. The devotees - as Buddhist Philosophy states - with born love to animals feed them and derive satisfaction. However, the animals have misunderstood this gesture and it has become a demanding habit and a right now. Deviation from the normal habits of the monkeys are considered disastrous to the human beings - sooner or later.

Devotees, climbing the Dambulla Rock with devotion faith and respect forget their mission and enjoy the beautiful scenery, of the vicinity including the famous Sigiriya and Pidurangala Rocks. During the peak period one could hear a Nade Gura, with a cluster of Nelum or Manel or Puwak Mal holding in both hands above at the top of his voice recite.

Buddham Saranam Gachchami

Dhamman Saranam Gachchami

Sangam Saranam Gachchami & so on.....

This sound reverberates all throughout the day - meaning

"I go to the Buddha for my Refuge

I go to the Dhamma for my Refuge,

I go to the Sangha for my Refuge"

and thus encourages the followers to the devotional faith and piousness that should be born in mind before entering a holy place. Apart form the main Poya days, the rest of the year passes by - quite silently, amidst occasional breaking of ice by monkeys of large groups, clamouring for leadership or a heard of cattle crying and shouting for dragging one of the fellow members for a leopards prey.

There were then only two or three cadjan roofed tea kiosks at the entrance to the Rock Temple. One could hardly enjoy a cup or a glass of tea with satisfaction, but it served the purpose mostly not by the customer but of the owner. There were a few rows of boutiques further away to this location - now no longer in operation. These tea kiosks have been very active during the time of the reconstruction of Kandalama Reservoir. It is said that King Walagamba Maha Kalu Sinhalaya once used this cave as one of the hiding places and built up a forceful army to combat enemy.Once he became the king he made this hide out as an attractive cave temple. It was restored by king Nisankamalla and named Rangiri Dambulla.

The Dambulla - Kurunegela junction was a very pivotal busy place, with the government hospital, rest house and a few government offices situated close by, an abandoned air-strip, two petrol - filling stations - one owned by one L. A. Perera, a bus magnate of Angoda and the other owned by one Sangarapillai, from the North Sangarapillai also owned a grocery with all necessary food stuff as well as a rice-mill. This person purchased all local produce from the villagers like kurakkan, gingerly, millet, rice, local chillies etc. and they in turn marketed the home-needs like sugar, kerosene oil, tobacco, betel, dry fish, salt etc. There were two or three hotels at the junction. One was - "Sujatha Hotel" - which exists up to date. However the owners have changed.

Busy Place

The earlier owner's wife was Sujatha - an attractive lady with pleasant habits who still manages a Restaurant behind the hotel. The second hotel is further away. It's name reads "Elan Motel" owned by one Mendis. I was a guide lecturer attached to the Archaeological Department then and posted to Sigiriya. On my way to Matale, Anuradhapura or Colombo - I visit this hotel - "Elan Motel" to enjoy a fairly decent meal with wild - boar or some jungle meat. This was during the years 1962-1963. C. P. De Silva, the late Minister of Lands, Irrigation and Power used to drop in at this place on his way to Minneriya or on his way back to Colombo, may be due to clan or friendship or political affiliation. One day I heard the owner calling out thus - "C. P, How is the political situation?" "Menda - Amidst problems - the world prolongs, we too continue our destiny", promptly replied the Minister. Mendis was silent with no words - gushing as usual.

There were few buses operating to Dambulla from Kurunegala, a few to Anuradhapura from Matale, two to Polonnaruwa and one bus to Sigiriya from Matale. There were buses plying to Trincomalee and Batticaloa. There were days when I had to walk from Inamaluwa to Sigiriya and from Sigiriya to Inamaluwa - a distant of 5 miles one way - crossing an elephant corridor in between Kibissa and Inamaluwa, when the regular bus was not available. Another unforgettable incident happened on a day bus was not operative and I was walking - "Thamuse Matta Keruwada" (Did you do to me what you expected) Thoo Mata Virudhawa Min Passe Katauthu Kaloth - Thoo Sigiriyedeme Maranawa (If you do any thing against me, in future, you will be killed in Sigiriya itself.)

These were the words used first and then flooded the air with words of obscene language. Then he said I am Appuhamy - contractor - who has taken the Road round the Sigiriya moat. It was my people who have broken the rubble of the path way. He said this and wished to assault with his companions. The Apothecary Kibissa - Tamil gentleman - Name not known and the P.H.I. Gunawardena came to my rescue.

This is a result of reporting to the commissioner of Archaeology and stopping of breaking an ancient Pathway of our heritage for rubble. He further said permission had been obtained from the local Loka Mahattaya. However, 10 or more smoothly shaped limestones of value lost to our heritage.

On the walls of "Elan Motel" hung the carved figures of several politicians - D. S., Dudley, Sir John, S.W.R.D., Dahanayake, C.P., N.M. and Colvin. They were similar to cartoon figures of public persons. I enjoyed looking at these figures and once I inquired from Mendis as to whose craftsmanship it was. He had forgotten the name of the great artist who won the admiration of many who patronized the hotel.

"Dambulu Gihin, Thalagoith Maragana Awadha" - (Did you go to Dambulla and killed Iguanas and come) There would have been plenty of Iguanas living around this huge rock." Many years ago. A pious devotee who had gone to Dambulla and who knew the richness and taste of Iguana flesh would have got tempted by seeing them in large numbers and would have committed the offence - forgetting the place and his own mission, and thus this phrase would have come into usage. Now this is being used widely by many writers to imply the idea (1) Went to do one thing and did two things or (2) Went to do a holy thing and returned after doing something evil.

The Cinema hall "Visaka", between the Mirisgonia Oya and Kurunegala junction was very popular during my stay at Sigiriya. There were no houses close by. There was only one house at the Mirisgoniya Oya junction - A'pura - Habarana - Kandy - Kurunegala Junction and no houses beyond up to Pelwehera on the Habarana Road and no houses up to Bulagala on the Anuradhapura Road. I have heard Cinema goers say, on many occasions that they could not return home after the late show due to Elephants roaming the area till dawn - the next day.

In 1948 I travelled to Anuradhapura from Matale for the first time paying 50 cents as bus fare - half rate, (full fare was one rupee) in the company of my parents - the late H.R.B. Tenne and Tikiri Kumarihamy Tenne. We took the afternoon 2.30 bus and whilst travelling from Nalanda to Maradankadawela the driver had to stop the bus at several points, to drive or chase away the herds of lazy cattle sleeping or resting on the middle of the road.

I could remember with what difficulty the conductor chased them away - while getting drenched in the rain. The conductor who got down from the bus at Madatugama (few miles away from Dambulla) with resent, after a while shouted "Punchi Singho Aiyya, Punchi Singho Aiyya" in a jolly good mood. The middle aged driver - Punchi Singho retorted "Mokada ban wela Thiyenne" in a somewhat angry mood "Gonnu Dennek Harak Thalae" two Elks in the midst of the cattle herd. With the greatest difficulty, with power of words the young unwilling conductor was summoned back to the bus by its driver - his face was red although rain water was dripping from his body - Though Animals have protected man. This man wanted the innocent animal killed.

Now, every one inquisitively interested, including my father wanted to know how elks were among the herd of cattle, Punchi Singho said, "On many occasions - we have seen elks in the company of cattle. This is to avoid attacks from leopards." During rainy days, Leopards come to the vicinity of the villages in search of prey and in fear innocent animals flock together. It is not only the birds of a feather that flock together, in fear of life, it can even happen to us.

Dambulla, today is known to businessmen as the "Non-sleeping Town" mainly because of its "Economic centre" and its closeness to the Kurunegala junction. Its activities have increased so much so that work goes on from dawn to dusk and from dusk to dawn 24 hours non-stop.

The abandoned tank - South west of Sigiriya - Wewela was reconstructed and with ample water, the rich fertile soil gave and is producing a bumper harvest of vegetables and other local produce. The vegetable and tobacco market that existed in Gelewela for years moved to Dambulla unnoticed to any - in search of a better market. There is an old saying "Markets do not grow in deserts," so this market too moved in search of better prospects.

Village re-awakening

Under the village re-awakening programme of the late Premadasa - the then Prime-Minister, the 4th Gam Udawa exhibition was held at Dambulla. The site selected was the left bank of the Mirisgoniya Oya. Many shops and boutiques were constructed for this occasion and a gradual growth and development and the re-construction of the Wewala tank there was a massive re-awakening of the town - ship. Now there are two petrol filling stations with servicing facilities on the right and left banks in addition to one in the junction and one on the side of the temple. And the town now extends to the Oya and beyond.

The bridge on the Mirisgoniya Oya made an abnormal noise then - "Dahan, Dahan, Dahan because heavy timber planks fitted to the iron girders for vehicles to ply across the bridge. This iron and timber bridge has been replaced recently by a modern concrete bridge.

Rogue elephants

My father, the late H. R. B. Tenne used to tell me how he shot and killed eight rogue elephants on the banks of this Oya. Rogue elephants were a menace to the villagers and have killed many pedestrians. Government wants to get rid of such elephants and gazette notification were issued. My father H. R. B. Tenne and Mant, owner of Matale Bus Company undertook the task. Some have received 10 shillings per elephant killed, from the Imperial Government. How much did you receive for killing the gazetted rogue elephants", I asked my father, one day, when he was proudly announcing his achievements. "I killed them not for money, I killed them to safeguard the poor innocent peasants from being killed. I spent my own money - Rs. 35 (a big amount at that time) for a vehicle up and down from Matale to Dambulla."

My mother, the late Mrs. Tikiri Kumarihamy Tenne, mentioned to me that on one occasion my father was remanded by the Police for shooting a tusker - elephant. I asked him the reason for this. He said, "I was hiding on the left bank and awaiting the arrival of the rogue, when suddenly I saw a huge elephant approaching towards my direction. May be with the hope of assaulting and crushing me. I shot at this elephant and with a thundering hoot, it escaped into the jungle. Two days later I awaited at the same place expecting the arrival of the rogue tusker. Hours passed by and since the tusker did not turn up, I walked towards Bulagala with my assistants. (Bulagala is the closest village at the time). On our way to Bulagala, we met four villagers walking towards Dambulla on a jolly good friendly spirit. One had a lantern in his hand, another carried an axe and the other two were shouldering a huge saw.

When inquired from them as to where they were going - and the prompt reply was "We are going to the jungle to cut fire-wood." Although, not satisfied with this reply - I proceeded to Bulagala. The driver picked us from Bulagala and we went back to our residence at Tenne. By about 5.00 a.m. (of the next day) (I could not sleep for more than an hour) when the police disturbed my sleep and took me into custody. Two or three hours later, the real culprits were taken into custody and I was released."

"Please explain", I demanded?

The crowd of four he had met, the previous night on his way to Bulagala was not to cut firewood as mentioned but to cut the tusks of a dead elephant. They had removed the tusks and had hidden them by digging a pit in the river bed. Two out of the four decided to smuggle the tusks without the knowledge of the other two.

To be continued