The
Rock of Mulkirigala rises about 676 feet from the surrounding land mass. There
are seven cave temples situated in five Terraced areas of different altitudes.
They are the Lower Terrace (Patha Maluwa), Bo Tree Terrace ( Bodhi Maluwa).
Great King's Temple Terrace ( Raja Maha Vihara Maluwa), Upper Bo Tree Terrace
(Uda Bodhi Maluwa) and Chetiya Terrace (Chaitya Maluwa). These terraces can be
accessed comfortably through well paved granite paths and steps going right
upto the Dagoba Terrace.
Situated
in Giruwa Pattu of Hambanthota District of Southern Sri Lanka, Mulkirigala is
also called as Mulgirigala but the former is more prominently used at present.
There are many earlier names used for this rock temple such as 'Samudda
Pabbatha", 'Muhunadra Giri', 'Muhudu Giri', 'Giriba Vehera', 'Giriba
Lena', 'Dhakkina Giri', 'Dakkina Pabbatha', 'Muwatirigala', 'Mukirigalla' and
'Mulangiriya'.
The
Bo tree at the Upper Terrace is considered be a shoot from one of the 32
saplings of Anuradhapura Jaya Sri Maga Bodhi planted at the said terrace during
the rein of King Devanam Piyatissa. Mulkirigala temple is also considered to be
one of the 64 temples constructed by King Kawantissa and was called as 'Muhudu
Gira' then which dates back to the 3rd Century BC . The Chetiya at Uppermost
Terrace is considered to house Lord Buddha relics offered by the King
Saddhatissa. According to Historical manuscripts, King Mahanaga, King
Kawantissa, King Dutugemunu, King Parakramabahu the Great, King Saddhatissa,
King Valagamba, King Jetta Tissa I, King Parakramabahu I are credited with
construction work of the temple during their rein.
The
temples remaining at present belongs to the Kandyan era and the Buddha images
and many cave paintings depicts magnificent examples of Kandyan era arts and
crafts. Mulkirigala Rock Temple is one of the few 'Raja Maha Vihara' or the
'Temples of the Great Kings' ( of the Kandyan Kingdom) found out of the then
Kandyan Kingdom. King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe (1747 AD) gave his patronage to
reconstruct this temple after it being neglected for centuries since the rein
of the Parakramabahu the Great.
The
Cave temples numbering seven consists of Reclined Buddha , Seated Buddha and
Standing Buddha Images, paintings of Buddhas, Arhaths, Gods and Jataka Stories.
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