Dowa Rajamaha Viharaya දෝව රජමහා විහාරය

This place mainly popular due to unfinished Buddha statue. Dates back more than 2000 years. Some says even more. Easy access as it's situate beside Badulla - Colombo main road. Free to enter. 1 hour may require.

Very nice and ancient temple. History of the place goes to King Walagamba era of 2000 years ago!

Dhowa Rock Temple is a raja maha vihara and a protected heritage site. It is a reputed attraction in Uva province within both locals and foreigners. Temple is situated on the Badulla - Bandarawela main road. Dhowa temple is also known as the Kumbaltissa Ariyagala Vehera, named after its chief priest who had provided sanctuary for King Walagamba, who turned the cave into a temple. Famous for its 39 feet high unfinished Buddha image, carved into the rock face and considered as an example of Mahayana sculpture. The statue is in a state of ruin due to rapid decaying.It is believed that half finished Buddha statue was carved by King Walagamba himself while hiding in this caves during foreign invasions. The king is said to have left the area before he could finish carving the statue, thus leaving it half finished. The temple dates back over 2000 years. The paintings of the shrine room had been decorated with the influence of the Kandyan era. Among these paintings, famous 'Battle between a tusker and a bull' and Cobra images are featured.

The temple was awsome and clearly displays the commitment & loyalty of the olden day Kings towards Buddhism. However, when we went in to the temple, there was a guy by the name of Nishantha who was selling tickets as donations to the temple. We had a list of historically important items in this temple to see but Nishantha was least bothered! He was happily chatting to a girl on the phone with earphones on. Finally a Buddhist monk named Wellawaye Piyadassi came to our assistance and showed us all what we wanted to see. If this guy is being paid by the Government, he should immediately be dismissed since he is not doing any justice to the Sri Lankan heritage or our Tax money!

Sri Lanks is known around the world for its tranquil and peaceful spiritual destinations, and the Dhowa Rock Temple is one of the best Ella attractions. Said to be around 2,000 years old, this temple is famous for its huge 39 ft. unfinished statue of Buddha. The rock art and murals in this temple are amazing sights. You might run into some monks here who will be more than happy to tell you stories about the Temple. Surrounded by lush greenery, the temple transports the visitors into a peaceful trance. Location: Bandarawela- Ella Road Timings: 8:00- 5:00 pm Price: There is no entry fee, but you can leave a donation at the temple