Handagala Cave Temple: A Hidden Treasure Near Anuradhapura & Vavuniya

When most people are being asked about Anuradhapura most would picture the Dagabas such as the Ruwanweli Seya among other heritage sites in the country. But unfortunately, there are so many other special places with significant historical and spiritual importance which may not attract much attention. One such glorification point is Handagala Cave Temple which is situated 22 miles from Anuradhapura in the Ratmalgahawewa a solitary forest province.

A Hidden Historical Gem

Handagala Cave Temple is another site which is not very popular but should definitely be of interest for it is hundreds of years old. From the historical records, the temple was formally a worship and meditation centre and located at a hill of 300 feet height with the total height of 648 feet above the sea level. It is surrounded by countryside scenery that can only be found in many of the villages in Sri Lanka’s North Central Province. There are 45 caves in the hill and many of these have been given drip- ledges to keep off rain waters. certain of the caves are set high on steep slopes which would not exactly easily accessible; but these provided the monks with an ideal retreat they required for meditation and spiritual exercises. When naming this place, locals used the term Handagala translated as Moon-rock, probably due to a big rock that slightly resembles a moon at the top of this hill.

History and Decline

Later on Handagala cave temple was abandoned and that too has been mainly due to south Indian invasions, unfavourable climate conditions, drought and famine, which led to the decline of the Anuradhapura kingdom. The considerable influence of this kingdom began to decline over time, the jungle crept into the temple, and the temple remained hidden for many years.

Madawala pointing out that in 1815 when the British assumed the rule they started reconstructing Sri Lankan cultural sites. Thus with the new Department of Archaeology inaugurated only in 1890, H.C.P. Bell, the first Commissioner of Archaeology was visiting Handagala only in 1892. Bell waded the site for two days and documented his observations in the Annual Report of 1892. Speaking of the caves, the inscriptions and the grand spoliæ of the temple he said that it looked like the Mihinthale Raja Maha Vihara which is also quite famous.

Inscriptions and Art

Handagala contains several inscriptions, which are as follows. A few are dating back to the second and first centuries BC where we see offerings made by people of the region to the temple. In these inscriptions, many of which include lists of donors, the altruistic act meant mainly involvement of gifts to the Sangha, meaning the Buddhist community.

This is perhaps one of the unique features mid most cave temples do not have frescoes as is evident from the site. In the report of 1892, Bell has provided photograph of a fresco painting showing male and female dancer. The latter was found on the roof of the largest of the caves and painted at some other epoch, thus containing a hint at the history of the temple to man.

The Legacy of Handagala

At present Handagala Cave Temple is a silent place for meditation where only the stone bases of the buildings of by gone era remain visible. There are sawn moats with a ruined dagoba, stair like stone structure and some remnants of building at the site. The Viharagama Tank nearby is also believed to have been connected with the temple’s water supply network.

From the top of Handagala one can see Mihintale RaycastHit Ruwanmeliseya Abhayagiriya and many other such sites. Due to the location of Handagala surrounded by many wonderful sceneries and this view the place is suitable for those who are keen in historical significance of Sri Lanka.

The Efforts Made So Far Towards Preservation and the Future Plan

To mark the 2600th Buddha Jayanthi marking the event of the Buddha attaining enlightenment, a major renovation project started in January 2011 aimed at restoring the glory of the Handagala Gallen Raja Maha Viharaya. Organized by High Priest of the Asgiriya Chapter Ven. Kendewe Samitha Thera, with the cooperation of the Department of Archaeology, this venture purpose built to ensure the protection and propagation of the site for the generations to come.

Touring handagala cave temple

Today, Handagala Cave Temple has become one of those attractions that can be visited to avoid, or at least minimize, crowds of tourists interested in exploring mysterious temples and other attractions of Sri Lanka. The site is located 14 km from Ratmalgahawewa follow the Kebitigollewa Road and is suitable for archaeological lovers, Buddhists and those who wish to discover secrets of hidden deep srilankan countryside.

Location