Mulkirigala Rajamaha Viharaya

Sitting atop a massive boulder which is more than 200 meters tall, this ancient temple dates back to more than 2000 years back and holds great cultural and historical importance. This temple which is believed to be even more ancient than Sigiriya has been declared as an archaeological site. Mulkirigala is made up of a string of caves and is referred to as Punchi Sigiriya by locals. There are seven cave temples and it is said to have been built in the 3rd century AD by King Saddhatissa. The Dutch called this cave the ‘Adam’s Berg’ and believed that the tombs of Adam and Eve were located here. In one such cave, the palm-leaf manuscripts that played an important role in the translation of the Mahawamsa (the Great Chronicle of Sri Lanka); which gave an idea about the history of Sri Lanka in the early days was discovered by a British administrator named George Turnour. The Bodhi Vamsa (a religious chronicle) states that one of the 32 seedlings of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in India has been planted here. There are five sections; the Siyambalamaluwa, the Lower Temple Compound, Bomaluwa, the Royal Temple Compound and the Upper temple Compound. The Siyamabalamaluwa consists mainly of the museum. The Lower Vihara Compound comprises of the Rajamaha Viharaya, tombs, monastery and the Paduma Rahath VIharaya where a large reclining Buddha statue has been built. The Bomaluwa area is made up of the Majjhima Nikaya cave, the Viharagal rock inscription and the Bo tree. The Royal Temple compound consists of the Piriniwan Manchakaya, the Royal Great Temple, the new temple, Naga temple, pond and a rock inscription while the Upper Temple Compound comprises of the dethispola Bo tree, bell tower, Garandi Kapolla and attendant Bo tree. Along with all these there are paintings and sculptures that belong to the Kandyan era in these caves. The panoramic views that greet you at the top are stunning and magnificent.