Dambulla Somawathi Stupa is an ancient Buddhist monastery complex located west of the world-famous rock cave temple, Dambulla Raja Maha Viharaya.
Dambulla Somawathi Stupa and Archaeological Ruins Not to be confused with Somawathi Stupa, Polonnaruwa D ambulla Somawathi Stupa (Sinhala: දඹුල්ල සෝමාවතී ස්තූපය) is an ancient Buddhist monastery complex situated in Matale District, Sri Lanka. The site is located west of the world-famous rock cave temple, Dambulla Raja Maha Viharaya . History The history of Dambulla Somawathi Stupa is unclear. There is a Later-Brahmi Inscription belonging to the first century A.D. engraved on the rock wall of a cave located on the hillside to the west of the Dambulla rock (Paranavitana, 2001; Seneviratna, 1983). It records the construction of a Stupa at Catavana (Catavanaceta: the Stupa of the Cata-forest) and a donation made to it by a Thera named Sedadeva, the disciple of Naga Mahadeva Thera (Seneviratna, 1983). As the cave of this inscription is located close to the Somawathi temple complex, it is assumed that the Catavana chaitya mentioned in this inscription is not other than the present Somawathi Stupa (Paranavitana, 2001; Seneviratna, 1983). You ma…
