The caves at Dambulla are carved into a rock crevice. They were started in the second century BCE, and expanded, renovated, and embellished through the 18th century.
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| The caves are about 500 ft above the road. The walk up isn't too bad, but we took frequent stops to catch our breath. |
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| A facade was added to the caves in the British era. |
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| The reclining Buddha in Cave 2, the Maharaja Vihara. |
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| Most of Cave 2 is lined with sitting Buddhas |
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| More Buddhas in Cave 2. |
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| Cave 2 has a stupa with eight Buddhas sitting around it. Two of them have a cobra head protecting them. |
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| The ceilings are elaborately painted. The occasional "fold" in the ceiling reminds you that the artwork is painted on rock, not a flat plaster base, This detail is from Cave 3. |
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| At first all I saw was an elephant bowing down to Buddha, but then the figure on top of the elephant's head was pointed out. That's Mara, one of Buddha's demon enemies in defeat. |
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| From the same ceiling mural in Cave 2, demons in Mara's army are attacking the Buddha. One of them is holding a long gun (foremost figure on the left). Clearly this panel was painted after the arrival of Europeans. |
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| The Bodhi Tree in the courtyard in front of the caves. |
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| Oil lamps at the Bodhi Tree. |
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