Located in Ella, the Dowa cave temple dates back to the 1st Century BC, to the era of Valagamba of Anuradhapura, and lies on the Badulla-Bandarawela Road. The temple’s claim to fame is a massive Buddha image, flattened against a vast granite rock face and about 38 feet tall. It is an incomplete statue though, which makes sense given that Valagamba was not reigning in his city but hiding out a South Indian invasion at the time of construction. Atop the rock, are a small stupa and a tunnel that connects this place with the Bogoda Raja Maha Vihara and the Ravana Raja Maha Vihara at Ravana Ella. The king himself is supposed to have constructed this corridor as a secret escape route from the Uva Province to the southern Mahaweli River hinterland. However, the connective tunnel has long since been half-destroyed thanks to vandals and it is not in good condition at present. There is a large number of Kandyan-age paintings and carvings in this cave including a reclining Buddha image, brightly colored in its restored form.

Written by Vasika Udurawane for Travel Lanka Compass