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Located in the lower levels of the Mahaweli Ganga, Dimbulagala was once known as “Gunner’s Quoin” by the British. The remote mountain range that may be found 15 kilometers to the southeast of Polonnaruwa spans around 5 kilometers in length and 2.5 kilometers in width. The Dimbulagala Rock Temple is located atop the tallest hill in the Polonnaruwa District, at an elevation of 543 meters.
Dimbulagala Temple: A Look Back in Time
The relatively distant Dimbulagala ridge was an abode of reclusive forest-dwelling monks for the whole of the Anuradhapura era. It was located on the other side of Sri Lanka’s main river. Hence, it traditionally belonged to the princes of the island’s southeastern lowlands (Rohana), rather than to the realm of the Anuradhapura monarchs (Rajarata).
In the late Anuradhapura era, a more prominent Pabbata Vihara-type monastery structure was created, suggesting that Dimbulagala had become a center for a group of learned rural monks. However, throughout the Polonnaruwa era, Dimbulagala served as a major hub for Theravada Buddhist monastic life and scholarship. In point of fact, throughout the 12th and 13th centuries, it was the most significant monastery located outside of the capital city. And its importance extended even to the Buddhist orders of countries in Southeast Asia.
Dimbulagala Temple and Its Significance
The ancient city of Dimbulagala was a hub of learning with ties to the religions of both Burma and Thailand. It has been responsible for the delivery of religious instruction in eighteen different languages. Both King Viajayabahu I and King Parakramabahu I benefited from its counsel and guidance. Kings and Queens, such as Sundara Devi, funded the building of Dimbulagala. The famous clergy of Dimbulagala instructed such authors as Gurulugomi and Vidyachakravarthi.
Some people in Thailand attribute the end of fighting in their country to the efforts of the monks at Dimbulagala, who are said to have a gold-engraved book on the Tripitaka that was penned by a Thai prince.
The mural paintings, also known as frescoes
Bell described the Pulligoda frescoes as a collection of disjointed remnants of ancient murals in a small cave shrine in 1897. Five male figures, reclining on lotus cushions on a wide seat, are all that remains of what was likely a much larger tableau of devotees in the position of devotion.
There is some disagreement over when these paintings were painted. The paintings were assigned an 8th-century date by Coomaraswamy and Vincent Smith. Paranavithana estimated that they were made before the 12th century and that they were probably contemporaneous with the Polonnaruwa paintings.